Existentialist View of Human Condition



Two of the main principles of Existentialist Human Condition are:  That man exists and then creates 
himself and what man chooses for himself he chooses for everyone else as well.  Lets examine the first 
principle: man exists and then defines himself.  What it means is that man is created on this earth and is 
nothing but a body, blood and guts.  What he chooses to do and to be is what makes him a man.  If a man 
comes into this world and chooses to steal, cheat, kill and lie then that is what that man has made himself to 
be.  While society may see him as a "evil" person, that is what is right for him.  Now on the other hand if a 
person chooses to be generous, kind, honest and loving, society may see him as a "good" person while it is 
still right for him.  According to the Existentialists, a person is placed on this earth with no predisposed 
"good" or "evil" values, one man is not created with any more good or evil than the next.  By the decisions 
we make in life we create oursel!
ves.  Next the second view, what man chooses for himself he chooses for everyone else.  This is a view I 
really believe in.  Everything we do in life effects someone else, whether we no it or not.  Every time we 
drive our car. Every time we eat something, spend money, go for a jog someone else is effected.  For an 
example: a man goes to the store and buys a stereo.
First of all the clerk the clerk is effected because they have to check you out, so you have taken some of 
their time.  The store is effected because they are minus one radio from their store.  The manufacturer now 
has to make one more to replace the one that was bought from the store.  The manufacturing employees are 
effected because put the radio together, and so on.  On the other hand a man who chooses to steal that same 
stereo will effect even more people. If he get caught the store, the manufacturer, the police, the courts, the 
jails and all the people who are involved with those organizations.  So now the question is raised "what if 
everyone acted the same way that man did?"  Well there could be nothing but anarchy, no laws, or 
government.  Basically we would revert to a type of Neanderthal type state.  This is why many classic 
philosophers have problems with the Existentialist point of view, because of the "what if" questions.