Bhargav Makwana : Freedom

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Breaking the Doll’s Illusion in A Doll’s House

Breaking the Doll’s Illusion: Freedom, Identity, and Defiance in A Doll’s House

Few plays in modern drama have sparked as much debate and transformation as A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen. First performed in 1879, the play challenged the deeply rooted patriarchal norms of 19th-century European society. What appears at first glance to be a domestic drama gradually unfolds into a radical critique of marriage, gender roles, and individual freedom. Even today, Nora Helmer’s decision continues to resonate, making the play a cornerstone of modern realist theatre.

A Brief Overview of the Plot

Set in a middle-class Norwegian household, the play revolves around Nora Helmer and her husband Torvald. Their seemingly happy marriage is built on affection, yet also on control and illusion. Nora secretly committed forgery in the past to save Torvald’s life, and this hidden act becomes the central tension of the play when Krogstad threatens to expose her.

As the narrative progresses, Nora’s carefully maintained “doll-like” existence begins to crumble. Torvald’s reaction to the truth—more concerned with his reputation than her sacrifice—forces Nora into a moment of self-realization. The play concludes with her shocking decision to leave her husband and children in pursuit of her own identity.

Themes: The Struggle for Identity and Freedom

At its core, A Doll’s House is a play about self-discovery and liberation. Nora’s journey reflects a movement from ignorance to awareness. Initially, she accepts her role as a submissive wife, but gradually recognizes that she has been treated as a “doll” first by her father and then by her husband.

Ibsen critiques the institution of marriage as it existed in his time, exposing how it often functioned as a site of control rather than companionship. Nora’s declaration—“I must stand quite alone, if I am to understand myself” (Ibsen 82)—marks a radical assertion of individuality.

A secondary but equally important theme is appearance versus reality. The Helmer household appears perfect, yet beneath the surface lies deception, repression, and moral hypocrisy. This duality reflects broader societal expectations, where maintaining respectability often outweighs truth.

Characters: Beyond Social Roles

Nora Helmer

Nora is one of the most complex female characters in modern drama. At first, she appears childish and dependent, but this is partly a performance shaped by societal expectations. Her transformation into a self-aware individual challenges the stereotype of the “ideal wife.”

From a feminist perspective, Nora’s character represents resistance against patriarchal authority. Critics often view her departure as the birth of the “modern woman.”

Torvald Helmer

Torvald embodies the patriarchal mindset. He is affectionate but patronizing, referring to Nora with diminutive pet names like “little skylark” (Ibsen 5). His concern for social reputation over moral integrity reveals the superficiality of his values.

Nils Krogstad and Mrs. Linde

Krogstad, initially presented as a villain, reflects the harsh realities of social judgment. Meanwhile, Mrs. Linde serves as a foil to Nora—practical, independent, and shaped by hardship. Their relationship suggests an alternative model of partnership based on honesty rather than illusion.

Conflict: Internal Awakening vs External Pressure

The play’s central conflict is both external and internal. Externally, Nora faces the threat of Krogstad’s blackmail. Internally, she struggles with her evolving understanding of herself and her role in society.

This dual conflict reaches its climax when Torvald fails to support Nora emotionally. His reaction exposes the fragility of their marriage and catalyzes Nora’s transformation. The real conflict, therefore, is not merely about secrecy, but about identity and autonomy.

Dramatic Techniques: Realism and Symbolism

Ibsen’s use of realism revolutionized modern theatre. The setting—a single living room—creates an intimate and claustrophobic atmosphere, mirroring Nora’s confinement.

Symbolism

The Christmas tree symbolizes Nora’s deteriorating state—initially decorated and lively, later stripped and disheveled.
The tarantella dance represents Nora’s desperation and emotional turmoil.
The door slam at the end is perhaps one of the most powerful symbols in theatre, signifying a break from societal constraints.

Irony

Dramatic irony plays a crucial role, as the audience is aware of Nora’s secret long before Torvald. This heightens tension and emphasizes the moral blindness of other characters.

Language and Dialogue: Simplicity with Depth

The language of the play is deceptively simple, yet loaded with meaning. Ibsen avoids elaborate poetic diction, instead opting for everyday speech to enhance realism. However, within this simplicity lies profound psychological insight.

Torvald’s patronizing language reflects power dynamics, while Nora’s speech evolves over time. By the final act, her tone becomes serious and assertive, indicating her transformation.

Historical and Cultural Context

Written during a time when women had limited rights, A Doll’s House directly challenged societal norms. In 19th-century Europe, a woman’s role was largely confined to the domestic sphere. Nora’s decision to leave her family was considered scandalous, even immoral.

Ibsen himself denied being a feminist, yet his work undeniably contributed to early feminist discourse. The play sparked debates across Europe, with some theatres even altering the ending to make it more socially acceptable.

Critical Interpretation: A Mirror to Society

From a critical standpoint, the play exposes the illusion of respectability in bourgeois society. Through Nora’s journey, Ibsen suggests that true freedom requires self-awareness and the courage to defy societal expectations.

A Marxist reading might interpret the play as a critique of middle-class values, where economic stability masks moral compromise. Meanwhile, a feminist reading highlights the systemic oppression of women and the necessity of resistance.

Nora’s departure can be seen not as an abandonment of duty, but as a radical act of self-preservation. As critic Joan Templeton argues, Nora is not merely escaping a marriage—she is rejecting an entire system of inequality (Templeton 34).

Conclusion: The Sound of a Door That Still Echoes

The ending of A Doll’s House remains one of the most controversial and discussed moments in dramatic history. Nora’s exit is not just a personal decision but a symbolic act that challenges societal norms.

Even in contemporary times, the play continues to be relevant. Questions about gender roles, identity, and personal freedom persist, making Ibsen’s work timeless. Nora’s journey reminds us that the pursuit of selfhood often comes at a cost—but it is a cost worth paying.

Works Cited

Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. Translated by William Archer, Penguin Classics, 2003.

The Unknown Citizen

Illusion of Identity in The Unknown Citizen

Introduction

In modern society, identity is often reduced to numbers, records, and measurable achievements. W. H. Auden’s poem The Unknown Citizen sharply critiques this tendency by presenting a man whose entire life is documented, yet whose individuality remains unknown. Written in the context of a rapidly bureaucratised twentieth century, the poem reflects anxieties about the loss of personal identity in a system that values conformity over complexity.

As I read this poem, what stands out is not what we learn about the citizen, but what we fail to know. Auden constructs a character who appears “ideal” according to societal standards, yet the poem quietly exposes the emptiness behind such perfection. This blog explores how Auden uses irony, satire, and bureaucratic language to question the meaning of identity and freedom.

Bureaucracy and the Reduction of Identity

The poem begins with a formal, almost mechanical tone:

“He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be
One against whom there was no official complaint”.

From the very first line, the individual is defined not by his personality or experiences, but by institutional approval. The phrase “no official complaint” suggests that his worth is measured by compliance rather than character. He becomes less of a person and more of a record.

Auden reinforces this idea through the use of impersonal titles such as “Bureau of Statistics” and “Department of Employment.” These institutions replace human relationships, turning life into a series of data points. The citizen’s existence is validated only through documentation, highlighting how modern systems reduce individuality to measurable facts.

The Satire of the “Perfect” Citizen

As the poem progresses, the citizen is portrayed as an ideal member of society. He works steadily, pays his dues, and behaves according to expectations:

“He worked in a factory and never got fired,
But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.”

At first glance, this seems like praise. However, the tone is deeply ironic. The name “Fudge Motors Inc.” itself suggests artificiality and insincerity, hinting that the system he serves may not be as respectable as it appears.

The citizen is also described as socially responsible and politically correct:

“He held the proper opinions for the time of year”.

This line is particularly striking because it exposes how conformity replaces critical thinking. The word “proper” implies that opinions are dictated rather than formed independently. In this way, Auden critiques a society that values agreement over authenticity.

The Illusion of Freedom

One of the most powerful aspects of the poem is its questioning of freedom. The authorities conclude:

“Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:
Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard”.

This ending is deeply ironic. The system assumes that the absence of complaints equals happiness and freedom. However, the reader recognises that these qualities cannot be measured through official records.

To me, this is where the poem becomes most unsettling. The citizen’s inner life—his thoughts, desires, and struggles—remains completely unknown. The very things that make him human are ignored because they cannot be quantified. Auden suggests that a society obsessed with order and efficiency may overlook the most essential aspects of existence.

Language as a Tool of Control

Auden’s use of language plays a crucial role in conveying his message. The poem mimics the tone of official reports, using formal and detached diction. This stylistic choice creates a sense of distance between the reader and the subject, reinforcing the idea that the individual has been dehumanised.

At the same time, this language is subtly satirical. The precision and authority of bureaucratic speech contrast sharply with its inability to address meaningful questions about life. In this way, Auden exposes the limitations of institutional language and its failure to capture human complexity.

Relevance in Contemporary Society

Although The Unknown Citizen was written in the early twentieth century, its themes remain highly relevant today. In an age of data collection, surveillance, and digital identities, individuals are often defined by statistics and online profiles. The poem anticipates a world where personal identity is shaped—and sometimes controlled—by external systems.

As I reflect on this, I realise that Auden’s critique extends beyond his own time. The poem encourages us to question how much of our identity is genuinely ours, and how much is constructed by societal expectations. It challenges us to think about whether being “normal” or “successful” truly means being fulfilled.

Conclusion

The Unknown Citizen is a powerful satire that exposes the dangers of reducing human life to measurable standards. Through irony and bureaucratic language, W. H. Auden reveals the emptiness behind the idea of the “perfect” citizen.

What stays with me most is the unsettling realisation that a life can appear flawless on paper while remaining deeply unknown in reality. The poem ultimately suggests that true identity cannot be captured through statistics or official approval—it exists in the unrecorded, personal dimensions of human experience.

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

“We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” — William Shakespeare, Hamlet

This line from Shakespeare echoes with unexpected precision in Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead. At first glance, the anime appears to be a colorful zombie comedy, loud with splashes of blood and brighter splashes of paint. But read closely—truly closely—and Zom 100 reveals itself as a modern existential text, one that interrogates work culture, freedom, fear, and the meaning of being alive with the same seriousness found in classical literature. Beneath its playful surface lies a deeply literary meditation on survival, identity, and liberation.

Life Before Death: Plot as Existential Allegory

The most radical move Zom 100 makes is this: the apocalypse is not the tragedy—corporate life is.

Akira Tendō’s life before the zombie outbreak is a quiet horror story. Trapped in an exploitative company, stripped of time, dignity, and selfhood, Akira exists in what Hannah Arendt might call a state of living death. When zombies finally flood the streets of Tokyo, Akira does not scream—he smiles. For the first time, he is free.

This inversion of expectations transforms the plot into an existential allegory. Like Meursault in Camus’ The Stranger or Winston Smith in Orwell’s 1984, Akira lives under a system that crushes individuality. The zombies merely externalize what society had already done to him: turned humans into mindless bodies driven by routine.

His “bucket list” is not childish escapism; it is a manifesto. Each item is an assertion of agency, a declaration that life must be lived consciously, even—especially—when death is everywhere.

Akira Tendō: The Anti-Hero of Modern Literature

Akira is not a traditional heroic figure. He is exhausted, traumatized, and emotionally hollow at the beginning—closer to Kafka’s Gregor Samsa than to a conventional shōnen protagonist. His transformation is not about gaining power, but recovering humanity.

Where classical tragic heroes fall because of ambition (Macbeth) or pride (Faustus), Akira’s suffering is born from obedience. His journey suggests a devastating truth:

In the modern world, conformity can be more destructive than rebellion.

His joy is radical. His laughter is resistance.

Zombies as Symbol: Capitalism, Dehumanization, and the Crowd

Like George Romero’s zombie films or T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, Zom 100 uses the undead as a metaphor for spiritual emptiness. These zombies are not just monsters—they are reflections of society itself: bodies moving without thought, purpose, or memory.

The anime repeatedly asks:

What is the difference between a zombie and a salaryman who has forgotten how to dream?

This question places Zom 100 firmly within the tradition of social critique literature, alongside Orwell, Dickens, and even Marxist readings of industrial society.

Companionship, Ethics, and the Human Core

Characters like Shizuka Mikazuki introduce moral and philosophical counterweights. Logical, cautious, and rational, she represents the Enlightenment mindset—reason over impulse. Yet even she must confront the limits of pure rationality in a broken world.

Together, the characters enact a debate central to literature itself:

Is survival enough, or must life have meaning?

This question echoes Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, where the problem is not whether one can live—but whether one can live rightly.

Why Zom 100 Is Literature

If literature is defined by:

The exploration of human psychology
Moral and ethical inquiry
Symbolism and metaphor
Reflection of social realities

Then Zom 100 qualifies without hesitation.

Like modern dystopian fiction, it critiques systems of power. Like existential novels, it centers freedom and choice. Like satire, it uses humor to expose painful truths. The medium may be animated, but the intellectual labour it demands is unmistakably literary.

To exclude anime from literary studies is not a scholarly decision—it is a generational blind spot.

A Mirror to the Contemporary World

In an age of burnout culture, mental health crises, and performative productivity, Zom 100 speaks directly to the present moment. The anime resonates because many viewers recognize themselves—not in the zombies, but in Akira’s former life.

The apocalypse becomes a metaphor for what many secretly wish for:

a break from a system that consumes life without nourishing it.

Conclusion: Storytelling Beyond Medium

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead proves that storytelling transcends form. Like Shakespeare’s tragedies or Orwell’s dystopias, it forces us to ask uncomfortable questions about how we live, what we value, and whether survival without joy is life at all.

Anime, when crafted with such narrative depth and philosophical clarity, does not merely entertain—it interrogates existence.

And in doing so, Zom 100 earns its place not just on screens, but on bookshelves of thought—standing proudly beside literature that has always sought to answer the same enduring question:

What does it mean to be truly alive ?

Fahrenheit 451: Reading in a World That Forgets How to Read

Reading in a World That Forgets How to Read

It is a truth universally forgotten that a society surrounded by limitless information rarely knows what to do with it. Whenever a civilisation decides to offend its own intellect and burn the toil of centuries, it usually begins not with fire, but with forgetting — forgetting how to read, how to think, how to linger on a sentence long enough to let it unsettle the bones.

Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury’s prophetic little nightmare, is not merely a book about burning books; it is a mirror held up to a world that voluntarily empties its own brain, then complains about the echo.

The novel opens in a place where books are illegal, firemen don’t put out fires but start them, and happiness arrives packaged in the form of wall-to-wall television screens that substitute for human relationships. It is knowingly accepted as a step into a bottomless pit of comfort-induced intellectual paralysis. No books, no thought, no truth.

Montag, the fireman-hero—or anti-hero, depending on where you place the fulcrum of your faith in humanity—begins his journey exactly as the student of English Literature once did: by being told what to do, how to think, and what to fear. He is surrounded by a technologically intoxicated society, one that scoffs at curiosity the way a bureaucrat scoffs at passion. The mechanical hound, the parlour walls, the seashell radios—each is a symbol of an institution-imposed tranquillity, a disciplinary sedation disguised as entertainment.

There is, of course, a syllabus of rebellion, though no one writes it officially. Clarisse, the odd, luminous child who asks “Are you happy?”, becomes the first teacher, the one who interrupts routine with a question. In a world that has forgotten to question, the question itself becomes a dangerous, combustible object. Knowledge here has to be extracted rather than absorbed.

Montag’s crisis begins not with fire, but with doubt—a spark so small that it can burn an entire life.

Bradbury’s world is interdisciplinary without intending to be. It is part dystopian prophecy, part cultural critique, part psychological autopsy of a society that replaces thought with distraction. One can learn about media control, state power, censorship, mass behaviour, and the deeply ironic joy of entertainment that kills curiosity. For a person who genuinely wants to think, the field is vast and punishing. The more Montag learns, the less he understands why he is learning. The more he reads, the more he realises he has never really lived.

And then emerges the greatest challenge: the problem of telos. In a world that has erased purpose from its vocabulary, what is one to do, and why is one to do it? What is the point of reading in a society that burns libraries? What is the purpose of remembering in a culture committed to forgetting?

The existential crisis that follows is inevitable. The fireman must choose between burning books and burning his own ignorance. He is taught to doubt order: the state’s design collapses under the weight of its own contradictions. He begins to see that the walls around him—those massive glittering screens—are not windows but prisons, that language has been hollowed, that words have been stripped of meaning. Like the student who reads Beckett and finds comfort in the declaration that “Nothing to be done”, Montag finds himself oscillating between obedience and rebellion.

He is caught in a limbo, a space where everything feels both too real and unreal, where society promises happiness but delivers sedation, where individuals perform identity rather than live it. The mechanical precision of society leaves him alienated, but he knows he isn’t truly alone; he is simply late to the realisation that everyone else abandoned thought long ago.

Ultimately, Fahrenheit 451 is not about fire. It is about forgetting. It is about the slow erosion of thought, the comfortable descent into amusement, the quiet surrender to convenience. Montag’s journey is the old, clichéd one—of waking up. Of coming of age in a world that doesn’t want anyone to grow up. Of discovering that the real enemy is not censorship, but the voluntary emptiness that precedes it.

1. A society that forgets how to think

The novel shows a world flooded with entertainment but empty of thought. People consume information without understanding it.

2. Books are banned because thinking is dangerous

Firemen burn books, not because books are evil, but because ideas make people question and feel — which the government wants to suppress.

3. Montag’s journey begins with doubt

Montag starts as an obedient fireman but slowly begins to question his world. His crisis begins when he realises he isn’t truly “happy.”

4. Clarisse sparks Montag’s awakening

The young, curious girl acts as a catalyst. Her simple questions (“Are you happy?”) disrupt Montag’s mechanical life.

5. Technology is used as a tool of control

Giant TV walls, seashell radios, and the mechanical hound keep people distracted, numb, and obedient.

6. Society sacrifices meaning for comfort

People prefer shallow entertainment over deep thought. Comfort becomes more important than truth.

7. Central theme: loss of purpose (telos)

In a world where thinking is discouraged, individuals lose their sense of meaning and direction.

8. Rebellion begins with reading

Montag discovers that books contain the depth, emotion, and conflict that society has erased.

9. Censorship is a symptom, not the disease

Bradbury warns that when people voluntarily stop thinking, censorship becomes unnecessary — society destroys itself.

10. Hope lies in remembering

Despite destruction, a small group of people memorises books to preserve knowledge for the future.

In the end, Bradbury does not offer salvation. Only the faint hope that someone, somewhere, will still choose to remember. To read. To ask. To think. To be.

The HBO trailer is faithful to the book by emphasizing technology as a tool of social control (the sterile aesthetic and parlor walls) and by centering on the psychological conflict of Guy Montag as he experiences his awakening and doubt.

It highlights how the world's technology (parlor walls, seashell radios) and the resulting destruction of language (as shown by Captain Beatty's "bang, smack, wallop" quote) are tools that maintain this voluntary ignorance.

References

Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Del Rey Books, 1992.

Fahrenheit 451. Directed by Ramin Bahrani, performances by Michael B. Jordan and Michael Shannon, HBO Films, 2018. HBO Max.

Flipped Learning Activity on Existentialism

Video 1 What is Existentialism

The video begins by asking the question, "What is existentialism?" It then introduces several key figures associated with the movement, including Jean-Paul Sartre, Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Simone de Beauvoir, Shestov, Martin Heidegger, Franz Kafka, and Fyodor Dostoevsky. These philosophers all shared a common belief: that individual thinking forms the foundation of existentialism. The video then explores subjects such as despair, suicide, anger, absurdity, emotion, freedom, and many others.

Video 2

The video discusses Camus's The Myth of Sisyphus, where he presents "absurd reasoning." Camus argues that suicide is the only truly serious philosophical problem, and he views life as not worth living when a person experiences the absurdity of existence. An example in the video shows a person questioning the logic of death, and Camus explains that absurd reasoning requires relentless pursuit of the question, guided by evidence.

Video 3

In The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus distinguishes between physical and philosophical suicide. He argues that philosophical suicide occurs when one avoids confronting the absurdity of life, often through rejecting reason or embracing false hope. While existentialists recognize the absurd, they try to escape it, often through religion or faith. Camus, however, embraces the absurd without attempting to transcend it. He believes meaning isn’t found but created through our engagement with the absurd. In contrast, thinkers like Shestov and Kierkegaard look for meaning through faith or God, but Camus rejects these as forms of escape. He prefers to be called an absurdist, emphasizing that absurd reasoning should remain faithful to the evidence of life's absurdity.

Video 4

The video contrasts nihilism and Dadaism. Nihilism is a philosophical belief focused on the absence of meaning and questions existing values, while Dadaism is an artistic movement that embraces absurdity and defies conventions. Nihilism centers on knowledge, morality, and existence, whereas Dadaism focuses on art and the defiance of cultural norms. Dadaism, unlike nihilism, gives individuals the opportunity to create their own values through artistic expression.

Video 5

Existentialism is often seen as a gloomy philosophy because it acknowledges anxiety, despair, and absurdity. Unlike religious beliefs that offer predefined meaning, existentialism emphasizes that individuals must create their own values and personal truth. It rejects blind conformity, urging people to take responsibility for defining their existence.

A common misconception is that existentialism promotes narcissism. However, being an individual does not mean being self-absorbed. Instead, it presents a choice: one can either conform to societal expectations or embrace their true self. Existentialism encourages self-discovery and authenticity rather than following the crowd.

Another major misunderstanding is equating existentialism with nihilism. While nihilism denies meaning altogether, existentialism seeks to confront emptiness and urges individuals to create purpose in their lives. This philosophy emerged strongly after World War II, offering people a way to cope with uncertainty and find meaning despite chaos.

Ultimately, existentialism is not about despair but about personal responsibility and self-definition. It challenges individuals to take control of their existence rather than accepting a predetermined fate. By embracing authenticity and choosing their own path, people can navigate life with meaning and purpose.

Video 6

Existentialism and nihilism are often confused, but they differ significantly. Nihilism, as critiqued by Kierkegaard, leads to a loss of individuality and passive acceptance of meaninglessness, where even the idea of suicide is contemplated but not acted upon. In contrast, existentialism, particularly in Camus’s view, promotes rebellion against absurdity. Instead of surrendering to despair, individuals must confront life’s lack of inherent meaning with courage, create their own purpose, and find fulfillment through struggle and defiance. While nihilism can result in passivity, existentialism encourages actively shaping one's values. Ultimately, resisting meaninglessness is the only path to true freedom and purpose.

Video 7

Existentialism - 19th Century

Existentialism, which became more modern in the 20th century after World War I, is a philosophy focused on the quest for meaning and purpose in life. It suggests that individuals must find or create meaning in a personal and unique way. To do this, one might rely on religion or contemporary systems of thought that help define purpose. Religion often offers meaning through the words of God or prophets, guiding people to live their lives based on divine instructions. On the other hand, Nietzsche emphasizes that humans should approach life from a human perspective, not a divine one. He argues that we must focus on human values and experiences.

Divine Perspective vs. Human Perspective

Jean-Paul Sartre, an existentialist philosopher, famously said, "Existence precedes essence." This means that humans are not born with a predetermined purpose or essence; instead, they must create their own meaning through their actions.

Aristotle, in contrast, claimed that "the essence of a substance can be seen as its necessary properties or characteristics which are required for the thing to be what it is." He believed that all things in nature tend towards the actualization of their essence or nature. For humans, Aristotle thought we are rational animals, acting according to reason, and are free to choose whether or not to act in accordance with our essence.

Existentialism and Subjectivity

In existentialism, there is no objective meaning. Instead, individuals are free to create personal or subjective meaning in their lives. Nietzsche, however, strongly opposed the idea of objective or subjective meaning imposed by any external system, including religion or societal expectations. He believed that in order to truly live authentically, individuals must build and live by their own values, creating meaning for themselves.

Nietzsche’s philosophy emphasizes personal growth and individuality. He suggests that those who create their own virtues will face resistance from society, especially from those who cling to traditional values.

"Injustice and faith throw after the lonely one, but my brother, if you would be a star, you must not shine less for them because of that. And beware of the gods and the just, for they like to crucify those who invent their own virtue for themselves. They hate the lonely one."

Video 8 Explain like I'm Five: Existentialism and Nietzsche

The video is about existentialism and Friederich Nietzsche. The speaker explains existentialism to a group of children. They discuss how existentialism is the idea that there is no universal morality and that individuals should decide for themselves what is right and wrong. The speaker also talks about Nietzsche's concept of the Übermensch, which is a person who can create their own values and live according to their own will.

Video 9 Why I like Existentialism? Eric Dodson

The video is about existentialism and why the speaker likes it. The speaker discusses how existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes individual freedom and responsibility. They also talk about how existentialism can help people to live more meaningful lives. The speaker concludes by offering some practical suggestions for how people can apply existential thinking in their own lives.

Video 10

Plato and Aristotle believed in an inherent essence that defines the nature and purpose of things. In contrast, Jean-Paul Sartre argued that existence precedes essence, meaning that individuals must create their own essence through the choices they make in life. Existentialism, similar to atheism, rejects the idea that life has an inherent purpose or meaning, emphasizing that there are no universal truths or absolutes.

Existentialists argue that without external guidelines, individuals are forced to design their own moral codes and values. Sartre highlighted that the meaning of life is something each person must define for themselves, as there is no ultimate authority to provide answers. A key example of this would be a soldier grappling with a moral dilemma, like choosing between loyalty to their country or responsibility to their family.

Ultimately, existentialism asserts that if values like justice and order are to exist, humans must create them. These values won’t exist unless individuals actively work to bring them into being.

Reflection on Video 10

I found Video 10 particularly compelling because it encapsulated a core tenet of existentialism: while the universe may lack intrinsic meaning, individuals possess the profound ability to imbue their lives with purpose and values. This autonomy in defining one’s existence is a crucial aspect of existentialist thought and is a theme that resonated deeply with me.

Learning Outcomes:

Enhanced Understanding of Existentialism: The videos have provided me with a much deeper insight into existentialism as a philosophical framework centered on personal responsibility, freedom, and the self-construction of meaning. Sartre’s declaration that "existence precedes essence" is particularly striking, as it firmly rejects any notion of a predetermined purpose, asserting that individuals are the architects of their own lives and destinies.

Appreciation of Absurdity and Accountability: I now recognize the existentialist concept of absurdity more clearly—the inherent contradiction between humanity’s unrelenting quest for meaning and the universe's indifferent, purposeless nature. This paradox deepens my understanding of the weight of personal responsibility that comes with human freedom, as Sartre suggests. It’s not simply about the freedom to choose, but the accountability to create one’s own values and make authentic choices in an otherwise indifferent world.

Real-World Applications of Existentialism: The second video offered a practical lens through which existentialism can be applied to daily life. It illuminated how one can fully embrace existence by confronting both its joys and sufferings. The importance of conscious decision-making, of living deliberately and authentically, was a point that particularly stood out, reinforcing that existentialism is not merely a philosophical abstraction but a way of living in a complex world.

Fostering Critical Thinking: The third video’s exploration of teaching existentialism to children demonstrated the universality of philosophical inquiry—it is accessible and applicable at any stage of life. By illustrating the power of questioning societal norms and authority, the video reinforced the notion that true personal growth arises from challenging external expectations and cultivating one’s autonomy.

Questions

How does Camus’s view of absurdity in life differ from the concept of existentialism presented in Video 3?
(Video 3)

In Video 6, what does Camus suggest is the key difference between nihilism and existentialism when confronting the absurdity of life?
(Video 6)

How does Nietzsche’s perspective on creating meaning in life, as discussed in Video 7, challenge traditional religious or societal values?
(Video 7)

In Video 8, how does Nietzsche’s concept of the Übermensch encourage individuals to define their own values and live authentically?
(Video 8)

What are some misconceptions about existentialism, as mentioned in Video 5, and how does the philosophy differ from nihilism in terms of meaning and purpose?
(Video 5)

This Activity was designed by Dr. Dilip Barad to help Students to understand Existentialism . To get information about Thinking Activity

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