The connections between freedom, being true to ourselves, absurdity, and how we see things create a rich backdrop for understanding existentialist ideas.

Freedom and Being True to Yourself

• Freedom is really important in existentialism. It means that people can make their own choices.
• But with freedom comes the weight of making choices and being responsible for them.
• Being true to yourself, or authenticity, comes from using that freedom. To be authentic means to act in a way that feels right for you, even when society tries to push you to fit in.
• These two things work together: the more you embrace your freedom, the more you can be your true self. And when you truly express who you are, you feel even freer.

Absurdity and How We See Things

• Absurdity is about understanding that life can feel meaningless. It points out the struggle between wanting to find meaning and facing a universe that doesn’t care.
• This clash can bring feelings of sadness, but it can also lead to important insights about life.
• How we personally react to absurdity is called subjectivity. Everyone experiences absurdity differently, and this influences how we see life, what we believe, and the choices we make.

Thinkers on Existentialism

• Jean-Paul Sartre: He believed that "existence precedes essence." This means we create who we are through our choices, showing how freedom and being true to ourselves are linked.
• Simone de Beauvoir: She looked at freedom as a way to be authentic, especially for women facing societal expectations. She argued that women need to deal with the absurdity of a male-dominated society to find their freedom.
• Albert Camus: He is famous for his idea of the “absurd hero.” Camus said that accepting absurdity can lead to personal freedom and meaningful experiences. He believed that “the struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart,” showing how our individual experiences shape how we deal with absurdity.
• Friedrich Nietzsche: He shared deep ideas about being unique and true to oneself. His statement "God is dead" highlights the sense of freedom that comes from breaking free from society’s rules, leading to personal authenticity and subjective truth.

Existentialism is a conversation about these big ideas. The links between freedom, authenticity, absurdity, and how we see the world encourage us to explore what it means to be human and helps uncover the layers that shape our existence.