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Bigelow's Views On The Concept Of Existentialism

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Existentialism The concept of existentialism has so many contradicting and difficult to grasp components that it is much easier to put in terms of philosophy at its most fundamental. Synonyms of philosophy include: thinking and reasoning, namely the understanding of nature and existence of a person. Although several versions of existentialism exist, there are no set themes that could possibly encompass them all. This philosophy is valid to an individualistic level, however, it does not hold up to modern society as a whole. The argument that each individual is defined by their own notable path is perfectly concrete. People are defined by distinct moments in their short lives. According to a professor on the understanding of life and the self, …show more content…

Bigelow tries to argue that society alienates a person, but until people realize that separating oneself from a community actually creates that disconnect between common experiences he is so afraid of, we cannot successfully continue as a species. He states, “existentialists worry about the walls of industry and technology which shut us off from nature and from one another” (Bigelow). On the other side, it seems as though people fear relying on the safety nets that society has actually made for us in order to build up relationships and stay connected. This universal truth shows how society does not strip someone of their self, it actually allows for it. Life is so much more free in modern times than it was in the past, all thanks to the reforms society has made in order to let individuals thrive. Unfortunately, we have been conditioned to think we have to be quick to find a cause to fight against, but why is society deemed the common enemy? Bigelow also makes a point of saying the Industrial Revolution was step backwards, yet it sustains all life on Earth today. He mentions the negative side effects of this global revolution, such as crowding and subdivision of labor, and how “these tings drive us asunder by destroying individuality and making us live on the surface of life” (Bigelow). What he fails to understand is that we are no longer

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