Søren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher and theologian who is known for his influence on the field of existentialism, a philosophical movement that emphasizes individual freedom and choice, the inherent meaninglessness of life, and the search for meaning and purpose in the face of this worthlessness. His works always fascinate me, especially his most essential work, Either/Or, published in 1843, which is why he is known as the father of existentialism.
When I first
read this delightful work by this Danish man, I was young and had a hot blood
and yet I tended myself more to the 'Moral' theme, say, to the 'Or' part. My brother
might remember that I was mad about 'Avyakt' when I was writing my first novel.
I tried to follow the path of 'Moral' of Avyakt, which I defined as
"predetermined clues in nature". In my book, the protagonist Sunyata
(my idea was 'emptiness’, so I named him Sunyata, but my few humble readers did
not catch the clue and even they raved about my book as an 'English movie
type') tried to define his life as a way of 'Avyakt' (clues or predetermined
fate of human nature) to find the meaning of his life, love, and coincidences.
At that time, I strangely believed that nature had this innate idea of 'moral'
and it was supposed to be everywhere—in people's faces, empty houses, lonely
roads, spikes of grass, vaginas, art, yokes of the bull, cities, buses, and...
everywhere as this 'Avyakt'. I went sort of mad about this natural 'moral-ness'
and splashed my mind everywhere to find Avyakt, and I did not realize that I
was forgetting the most precious part of God's nature—'pleasure' in the name of
Avyakt. Later, these days, I am mending my own mind to the 'Either' part of
this existential query, but still, I seek this sick concept of Avyakt. When I
go out, I carefully watch people's faces, their fingers, how they walk and what
clues they are leaving behind, I watch girls' cleavages to search for unknown
Avyakt, I try to find how the trees are aligned and what they are trying to
convey, I count tiles in the toilet floor so that I can find some clues, but
what clues? I don't even know. I count my fingers repeatedly and stop somewhere
and utter bashfully, "This is it, it's a clue." But what clue? My one
eye looks moral and the other full of futile existential boredom. I blended my
'Or' part with absurd Avyakt, but never tried to sieve that aesthetic 'Either'
parts from it. I still go out and see the wisp of smoke to find the rhythm of
Avyakt. I go out and drink and see people's faces as ridiculous because they
are hiding their essential Avyakt part, aren't they? I am waiting for nature to
reveal this blissful Avyakt to me. I always feel like I am drowning in Viraja
while crossing it; its powerful vortex drags me down to an endless abyss, it is
so fearful, I scream with fear, my body trembles, my hands shake, I feel like
vomiting, it's dreadful! And I ask with my own eyes, did I miss something, some
clues on the way to this atrocious path? Enough of this. Let's dive into
Kierkegaard.
In
Either/Or, he responds to two intellects of philosophers—Hegel and Kant—in
simple terms, Either 'pleasure' Or 'Moral' can define the individual. He felt a
lack of individual essence in Kant's too-rational opinion and did not feel good
about Hegel's Historical Philosophy, so he took a behemoth attempt to define
individualism, but in one point I am not quite satisfied with his nonbelieving
attitude of 'pre-determined' human purpose. Humans have always been determined
by their fate, as Nietzsche says—Amor fati.
Kierkegaard's
philosophy can be compared to the themes addressed in the Upanishads in a
number of ways:
Individual freedom and choice: Both
Kierkegaard and the Upanishads place a strong emphasis on individual freedom
and choice. In Kierkegaard's philosophy, the individual is responsible for
choosing their own path in life and finding meaning and purpose in their own
way. Similarly, the Upanishads emphasize the importance of individual choice
and free will in determining one's own destiny.
The inherent meaninglessness of life: Both
Kierkegaard and the Upanishads recognize that life can often seem meaningless
or purposeless. For Kierkegaard, this sense of meaninglessness is a result of
the inherent absurdity of existence, and it is up to the individual to find
meaning in their own life through their choices and actions. The Upanishads
also recognize that life can seem meaningless at times, and offer guidance on
how to find meaning and purpose in life through spiritual practices such as
yoga and meditation.
The search for meaning and purpose: Both
Kierkegaard and the Upanishads encourage individuals to seek meaning and
purpose in their lives, even in the face of the inherent meaninglessness of
existence. For Kierkegaard, this means making choices that align with one's own
values and goals, and for the Upanishads, it means seeking spiritual
enlightenment and understanding of the ultimate nature of reality.
The
concept of the self: Both Kierkegaard and the Upanishads explore the concept of
the self and the role it plays in the search for meaning and purpose. In
Kierkegaard's philosophy, the self is seen as a complex and multi-faceted entity
that is constantly in flux and that must be constantly examined and
re-evaluated. In the Upanishads, the self (atman) is seen as being intimately
connected to the ultimate reality (brahman) and the ultimate goal of life is to
realize this unity.
Fundamental
question: Both Upanishads and Kierkegaard's philosophy address fundamental
questions about the human condition and offer insights into how individuals can
find meaning and purpose in life.
The Self
in Upanishadic and Kierkegaardian Thought: Upanishads view the self as eternal
and infinite, and the goal of human life is to realize this ultimate truth.
Kierkegaard emphasizes the importance of the individual self and the need to
choose and commit to a particular way of life in order to find meaning and purpose.
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