Is looking at the world, thinking, living existentially a really special way of life, or is it just another eye contact for an under-educated layman?
Any first-year student will tell you that existentialism is a fairly young (he is about a hundred years old) philosophical trend, developed first in Germany, then in France, Russia. Over time, it conquered the whole world.
The term translated from Latin means "existence". The main idea of the doctrine: a person himself determines the meaning of his essence, having already been born. Living, making mistakes and exploits, he creates himself every day through choice. Therefore, the categories of freedom play a huge role, considering it as a combination of opportunity and responsibility at the same time. At the same time, a person who thinks existentially is a traveler who is in search of himself, his sense of life constantly, understanding his daily changing nature.
Coming out of the philosophical cradle, a new trend has won followers in other areas of public life. First of all, this applies to pedagogy and psychology. The existential approach in psychology considers any human problem as unique and inimitable; it avoids the use of classifications and patterns. The main goal is to help comprehend reality and develop your attitude towards it, since to existentially is to be free from other people's assessments and opinions, condemnations and approvals.
A new direction has been developed in pedagogy. This was expressed in highlighting the basic knowledge that everyone should possess. Among all the sciences, the most important one, derived existentially, is the science of knowing oneself and charting a positive path of development and self-improvement. Moreover, education should help in solving the essential problems of man, which include issues of life and death, freedom and choice, responsibility, communication and loneliness. Inattention to these problems can lead a person to a crisis of existence, which is associated with deviant and delinquent behavior, psychological disorders and even suicidal tendencies. In this regard, a new, existential education strategy is being built, in the center of which is the person and his problems.
Thus, existentialism is a concept that has already gone beyond the scope of philosophy and fills various spheres of society. Therefore, its use in various everyday situations is justified. It becomes clear that an existential person is distinguished by the following qualities: he is in search of the essence of his life, its meaning and purpose; blames himself not only for personal choice, but also for loved ones; understands that people are interconnected and influence each other; ready to meet with Nothing, that is death - this meeting will free him from the fetters of public opinion and social conventions. Perhaps a modern, existential-minded person is different from the heroes of Sartre or Camus, but still, turning to their works will help fill the philosophical term with new shades, giving it vitality.
