Philosophers: Soren Kierkegaard On Believing In Yourself Against All Odds

Summary

This video explores Soren Kierkegaard's philosophy on individuality and self-belief. It delves into his concepts of angst, dread, and the importance of personal responsibility and choices. The narrative follows Kierkegaard's journey from societal expectations to self-discovery, emphasizing the struggle against existential despair. The video outlines a three-step process to finding one's path: from seeking pleasure to embracing ethics and ultimately, religious faith as a means to individuality. It encourages viewers to believe in themselves and live authentically, despite life's challenges.

Takeaways

• 🎭 Soren Kierkegaard was a philosopher who deeply explored themes like angst, dread, responsibility, and morality.
• 🚨 Kierkegaard experienced existential dread and felt a heavy burden of responsibility, which influenced his work and life choices.
• 💔 In a pivotal moment, Kierkegaard broke off his engagement and放弃了 his lucrative career, driven by an inability to bear the world's weight.
• 🧠 After his personal upheaval, he delved into human thought, critically examining the philosophical and religious mainstream of his time.
• 🏛 He was particularly critical of Hegel's ideas, feeling they contributed to the decline of genuine Christian faith and individuality.
• 🌍 Kierkegaard emphasized the importance of being an individual, taking charge of one's reality, and not just following the crowd.
• 🔄 He observed that people often blindly follow trends and opinions, lacking the confidence to form their own views and live authentically.
• 🔮 Life, according to Kierkegaard, must be understood backwards but has to be lived forwards, highlighting the difficulty of making choices with foresight.
• 🌐 Kierkegaard believed that the fear of making wrong choices and the regret they might bring can paralyze us and prevent us from living fully.
• 📚 His work, though challenging, offers a path to gaining confidence and believing in oneself, no matter the challenges life presents.
• 💖 Ultimately, Kierkegaard suggests that love, which sees truths about individuals that others cannot, is what can make life worth living.

Q & A

Who is Soren Kierkegaard and what is his significance?

Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher who significantly influenced the fields of existentialism and theology. He is known for developing modern conceptions of terms like angst and dread, and for his emphasis on individual responsibility, morality, and the importance of subjective experience.

What event in October 1841 marked a turning point in Kierkegaard's life?

In October 1841, Kierkegaard broke off his engagement to the woman he intended to marry and gave up his lucrative career. This event marked the beginning of his great and lonely journey, where he locked himself in his apartment and began to deeply explore human thought.

What was Kierkegaard's view on the philosophy of Friedrich Wilhelm Hegel?

Kierkegaard was unimpressed by Hegel's philosophy of history and spirit, which he felt allowed the Christian faith to continue in its decline. He believed that Hegel's ideas led to a superficial understanding of faith and a loss of individual responsibility.

What does Kierkegaard mean when he says 'only the individual'?

For Kierkegaard, 'only the individual' meant the supreme importance of individuality and personal responsibility. He believed that individuals should form their own opinions and not simply be mouthpieces for popular ideas.

How does Kierkegaard describe the process of self-development?

Kierkegaard describes self-development as a long and arduous process where individuals must move beyond the pursuit of pleasure and ethical norms to form their own opinions and take charge of their reality.

What does Kierkegaard suggest about the fear of making the wrong life choices?

Kierkegaard suggests that the fear of making the wrong life choices can paralyze us and prevent us from living authentically. He emphasizes that life must be lived forwards, not understood backwards, and that we should not let the fear of regret dictate our actions.

What is the significance of the phrase 'losing oneself' in Kierkegaard's philosophy?

In Kierkegaard's philosophy, 'losing oneself' refers to losing one's individuality and becoming lost in the crowd or the expectations of society. It is the greatest hazard because it can occur quietly and without notice, leading to a life devoid of authenticity.

What is the three-step process that Kierkegaard outlines for discovering one's way in the world?

Kierkegaard outlines a three-step process that includes the phase of pleasure, the ethical phase, and the religious phase. This process is meant to help individuals discover their own path and gain the fortitude to live authentically.

How does Kierkegaard define the 'ethical' phase in his three-step process?

In the ethical phase, individuals begin to understand the consequences of their actions and the importance of community and responsibility. However, Kierkegaard points out that ethical norms can change with time and culture, so this phase does not fully represent individuality.

What role does faith play in Kierkegaard's final phase of self-discovery?

In the final phase, faith is crucial as it represents a move beyond the cultural and ethical norms to a personal, unwavering belief in something greater. For Kierkegaard, this meant faith in God, but the concept can be adapted to a personal philosophy or set of values that guide one's life.

What does Kierkegaard say about love and how it relates to individuality?

Kierkegaard suggests that love is an expression of the one who loves, not the one who is loved. It reveals truths about individuals that others cannot see, indicating that love is a deeply personal and individual experience that goes beyond superficial preferences.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Kierkegaard's Existential Crisis

The first paragraph introduces Soren Kierkegaard, a philosopher who grappled with existential dread and the concept of angst. Despite his serious approach to life and work, he felt uncertain about everything. Kierkegaard developed modern ideas around responsibility, morality, and consequences. His life was a constant struggle with these themes, culminating in a pivotal moment in October 1841 when he broke off his engagement and abandoned his career. The paragraph explores the societal pressure to achieve certain milestones for happiness and questions why Kierkegaard chose to reject these norms. It sets the stage for an exploration of his philosophy and how it can inspire confidence and self-belief.

05:01

🌟 The Illusion of Happiness and the Search for Individuality

The second paragraph delves into the idea that happiness is often perceived as a result of achieving societal milestones, but Kierkegaard's life suggests a different path. After ending his engagement, he retreated to his apartment to deconstruct human thought, particularly critiquing the mainstream philosophical and religious ideas of his time. Kierkegaard was particularly critical of Hegel's philosophy, which he felt contributed to the decline of Christian faith and a superficial approach to life. He advocated for individuality and personal responsibility, arguing that people should form their own opinions rather than being swayed by popular ideas. The paragraph discusses the challenges of going against societal norms and the fear of making the wrong life choices, suggesting that life must be lived forward despite only being understood backward.

10:03

🕊️ Embracing Faith and Individuality

The final paragraph discusses Kierkegaard's views on faith and individuality. Unlike the existential movement that emerged from his work, Kierkegaard embraced faith, particularly in God, as a means to find individuality and make personal choices beyond cultural or ethical norms. He believed that faith could provide the confidence to be oneself and live authentically. The paragraph concludes by suggesting that love, as expressed by the one who loves, can reveal truths about individuals that others cannot see, hinting at the transformative power of love and self-discovery. The video ends with a call to action for viewers to like, comment, and subscribe for more content, and to consider becoming a member of the channel's community.

Keywords

💡Despair

Despair, in the context of the video, refers to a profound sense of loss, hopelessness, or disappointment. It is linked to the existential dread that Soren Kierkegaard felt, stemming from the awareness of human finitude in an infinite universe. The video suggests that despair is not merely a passive state but an active force that can drive individuals to seek profound change, as illustrated by Kierkegaard's decision to break off his engagement and abandon his career.

💡Existential Dread

Existential Dread is the overwhelming anxiety or apprehension about the nature of human existence, often stemming from the awareness of one's mortality and insignificance in the universe. The video connects this concept to Kierkegaard's work, suggesting that it was a driving force behind his philosophical explorations and his personal decision to live authentically despite societal expectations.

💡Angst

Angst, a term popularized by Kierkegaard, refers to an inner anxiety or dread associated with freedom of choice and the responsibility that comes with it. The video implies that angst is a universal human experience that Kierkegaard grappled with, and it is a central theme in his work, where he explores the tension between individual freedom and the anxiety it can produce.

💡Responsibility

Responsibility, as discussed in the video, is the burden or duty one feels to act in a certain way or to make certain choices. It is highlighted as a significant theme in Kierkegaard's philosophy, where he argues that individuals must take responsibility for their actions and choices, rather than relying on societal norms or historical progression.

💡Morality

Morality in the video is presented as a set of principles or values that guide behavior. Kierkegaard's work challenges the morality of his time, suggesting that it is too often dictated by societal norms rather than individual conscience. The video uses this concept to discuss the importance of individual ethical decision-making.

💡Consequences

Consequences refer to the results or effects of actions. The video emphasizes the weight of consequences on Kierkegaard's mind, illustrating the difficulty of making decisions when faced with the potential for negative outcomes. It also suggests that fear of consequences can prevent individuals from living authentically.

💡Pain

Pain, as mentioned in the video, is a universal human experience that can be both physical and emotional. It is used to describe the internal turmoil Kierkegaard faced and the suffering that can accompany the pursuit of authenticity and individuality.

💡Individuality

Individuality is the quality of being a distinct entity, separate from others. The video stresses the importance of individuality as a central theme in Kierkegaard's philosophy, where he advocates for personal responsibility and self-determination over conformity to societal norms.

💡Self-Belief

Self-Belief is the confidence in one's own abilities or decisions. The video presents self-belief as a crucial element for personal transformation, drawing a parallel between Kierkegaard's life choices and the courage required to believe in oneself despite external pressures.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity refers to the state of being true to one's own personality, spirit, or character. The video discusses authenticity as a goal to strive for, suggesting that Kierkegaard's break from societal norms was a pursuit of living an authentic life, true to his own beliefs and values.

💡Faith

Faith, in the context of the video, is a deep trust or belief in something, often without requiring logical proof or empirical evidence. It is presented as a key component of Kierkegaard's philosophy, where he argues for a personal, individual faith that goes beyond cultural or institutional expectations.

Highlights

Soren Kierkegaard's existential dread and his development of modern conceptions of angst and dread.

Kierkegaard's struggle with responsibility, morality, choices, consequences, and pain.

The pivotal moment in October 1841 when Kierkegaard breaks off his engagement and gives up his career.

The societal pressure to reach life milestones and the misconception that they equate to happiness.

Kierkegaard's retreat to his Copenhagen apartment to delve into the fabric of human thought.

Kierkegaard's critique of Hegel's philosophy and the decline of Christian faith.

The importance of individuality and taking charge of one's reality according to Kierkegaard.

The superficiality of European thought in the 1800s and the loss of individual identity.

The fear of making the wrong life choices and its impact on our perception of life.

Kierkegaard's view that life can only be understood backwards but must be lived forwards.

The feeling of losing oneself in the modern mechanical world.

The inevitability of regret and its impact on our decision-making.

Kierkegaard's struggle with the fear of regret and the importance of letting go of this fear.

The three-step process outlined by Kierkegaard for self-discovery and gaining confidence.

The phase of pleasure and how it drives our early life decisions.

The ethical phase where Kierkegaard discusses the limitations of ethical norms.

The religious phase where Kierkegaard emphasizes faith over intellect and cultural norms.

The importance of an individual's philosophy on life being almost religious in content.

Kierkegaard's view on love as an expression of the one who loves, not the one who is loved.

Transcripts

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the most common form of Despair is not

being Who You Are

Soren Kierkegaard was a man burdened

with great purpose he took his work and

his character very seriously yet all

along he never truly felt certain about

anything

the feeling of existential dread the

overbearing weight of our minute

finitude in this infinite expanse of the

universe led him to develop our modern

conceptions of terms like angst and

Dread

responsibility morality choices

consequences pain all of these themes

weighed heavily on Kierkegaard each and

every day

while much of his life can be seen as

leading to this moment his great and

lonely Journey began one fateful night

in October 1841.

it was time he was finally set to marry

the woman of his dreams and begin the

career he has worked toward for so long

he has reached the goal so life should

be good right

parents teachers friends co-workers

everyone talks about how important it is

to reach this moment

so it's no surprise that we can't help

but think that this is where happiness

waits for us

but on this day without any warning he

breaks off the engagement and gives up

his lucrative career but why

he doesn't really know why all he knows

is that he can't take it

he can't take the whole world and he

knows he will swallow her up in his

anxiety and constant overthinking so

somehow he conjures up the courage to

upend his whole life and go completely

on his own to take the whole world on by

himself

how did he have the confidence the

belief in himself to do this in this

video we will explore just that

kierkegaard's most important message for

us how to believe in yourself how to

change your life even when you know it

will be hard as hell

but before we get into it it's come to

our attention that most people watching

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after breaking off his marriage he

locked himself in his Copenhagen

apartment and started to unravel the

very fabric of human thought taking

specific aim at the mainstream

philosophical and religious thought of

1800s Europe working in the shadow of

Friedrich Wilhelm Hegel the intellectual

giant of the time Kierkegaard decided to

take his own route

hegel's philosophy of history and

specifically of spirit were Geist left

Kierkegaard unimpressed and he felt that

it allowed the Christian faith to

continue in its decline

while Hagel decided to account for the

various epochs and turns of History to

the lens of a progressing human

consciousness which ultimately has no

duty to God until the end of History

Kierkegaard pushed back hard on this he

looked at The Superficial nature of most

Europeans under this philosophy and felt

like they had all lost touch with what

it means to be an individual that takes

charge of each aspect of their reality

according to him resting our faith in

the natural progression of history is

simply a cop-out from the immense

responsibility placed upon us being an

individual was of supreme importance to

Kierkegaard he even remarked that on his

tombstone he simply wanted it to read

only the individual

Kierkegaard emphasized the long and

arduous process of developing oneself

into a person that can form their own

opinions and not simply be mouthpieces

for the popular ideas that surround them

we see this all around us in pop culture

people consume the latest music food

Trends political opinions and fitness

gimmicks with an insatiable hunger and a

short attention span always dropping one

for the other as soon as something new

is waved in front of their eyes

because of this we have a population of

people that has no idea how to be

themselves so it's no surprise that it

is so difficult for many of us to have

the confidence in ourselves to break

from the path others have told us to

follow

first we need to understand why it is so

hard for us to go against the grain in

the first place

when it comes to how well our life is

going to go it's absolutely terrified to

think that we might make the wrong

choice that 20 years from now we will

look back and wish we took a different

turn

this fear hangs over us at every moment

problem is when we think of things like

this we end up missing what life really

is because as Kierkegaard said life can

only be understood backwards but it must

be lived forwards

the world you find yourself in right now

the problems circumstances fortunes or

misfortunes have a huge impact on what

we feel like we're capable of it often

feels like we have no real free will or

power in this modern mechanical world

this is how we end up losing ourselves

to the speed and dizziness of existence

we are worried and caught up in

possession success in our timeline that

who the hell we are is literally gone

the greatest Hazard of all losing

oneself can occur very quietly in the

world as if it were nothing at all

no other loss can occur so quietly any

other loss an arm a leg five dollars a

wife Etc is sure to be noticed

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when it comes to those big moments those

life decisions we need to learn how to

accept something no one wants to regret

regret is not just the result of some

stupid decision whose alternative would

have brought happiness somehow one way

or another we always manage to regret

any path we take for character guard it

is simply inevitable that we will manage

to twist our story to make it out that

we could have gotten more especially

these days when every time you open your

phone you see someone with more of just

about everything

they say comparison is the robbery of

Joy but really it may just be because we

take ourselves a little too seriously

if anyone on the verge of action should

judge himself according to the outcome

he would never even begin

let go of the fear of regret it

generates a future in your mind that has

not happened and probably never will it

clouds your vision your feelings your

gut instincts that could guide you to a

place where you might actually end up

with some level of happiness or content

with your life

Kierkegaard grappled with this himself

being constantly ridiculed by his peers

and Community he saw little to no

recognition for his work during his

lifetime and despite being one of the

most influential figures in the history

of philosophy now most of his work did

not become widely known until well into

the 20th century despite his death being

in 1855.

he wrote frequently about his

frustrations with those around him even

remarking that they couldn't even

understand his complaints about their

misunderstanding him let alone getting

them to understand his actual work

to their credit kierkegaard's work is

quite difficult works like fear and

trembling and concepts of anxiety can

feel like a maze where one never really

knows how literally to take what is

written

but in these Pages lies the key to

getting the confidence to believe in

oneself no matter what calls on us in

life

from raising children to starting a

company we all have different things we

are meant to do in this life and the

path to being sure about that is

difficult character guard lays out a

three-step process to discovering one's

way in the world on their own and

finally gaining the fortitude and

independent Spirit to enter back into

the world without getting swallowed up

by it the first phase the place we all

start when we are young is the phase of

pleasure even when we think we want

something for righteous reasons it's

usually some kind of pleasure that's

driving us we might pick a career to

impress girls or guys we might join the

military because of the sensation we get

at the idea of being fully committed to

a cause we might decide to become

influencers because we like the

aesthetic we have seen on display

on top of this our desires have a huge

influence on what we value and how we

behave daily

at some point some people later than

others we progress out of this phase

slightly

we see that when we Chase Pleasures it

has consequences for us and those around

us we start to understand what it means

to control ourselves and be part of a

community that has some sense of right

and wrong

and that it's good for us to have some

responsibility in it

this phase is what Kierkegaard refers to

as the ethical

problem with this phase according to him

is that these change depending on the

times culture and context that we find

ourselves in in other words what is

ethical in one group could be considered

unethical in another so we aren't really

being individuals here because we are

beholden to the ethical Norms of the

group or our time in history

the example he uses is a story from

Homer's Iliad where Agamemnon is set to

cross the sea and attack Troy which is

supported by Zeus but when Artemis

demands he sacrifice his daughter to

gain safe passage Agamemnon proceeds to

kill his daughter and Kierkegaard points

out that this was completely ethical

within what people thought at the time

as the state and its success was more

important than any one person

yet in his and our day and age this

would not be considered ethical for this

reason Kierkegaard thought we needed to

move to a higher phase than this

this third and final phase was the

religious one unlike the existential

movement that birthed from character

guards work and differing from Nietzsche

a thinker who shares much with him who

moved away from God Kierkegaard went all

in on the idea of faith he sought to

move past the church the institution the

cultural Beyond even the philosophical

to articulate what it really meant to

live with faith this is because we could

not purely rely on our own intellect to

make the perfect choices the world is

just too big and this will always

torment us

at the same time we cannot rely on the

culture or ethics of our times because

this means we have yet to discover our

individuality what we need is faith

faith in ourselves and for him that

meant discovering an unwavering faith in

God on your own

that said God might not be the path for

everyone and it seems reasonable that we

could still adopt a kind of religious

attitude similar to what Kierkegaard

expresses here

in essence your philosophy on life needs

to be almost religious in its content

the values you choose the choices you

make and the life you want to build

should not conform to this or that group

or culture it should come from you and

only you on top of that it should come

with an immense feeling of

responsibility because as he has taught

us there is no one else to blame no one

else to help you it is only you

so what will you do

ponder that question seriously perhaps

only after this will you have the

confidence to be who you really are to

walk your own path and with that you may

discover the love in this world that

makes it all worth it perhaps then and

only then will you be able to fall in

love with life itself

love is the expression of the one who

loves not of the one who is loved

those who think they can love only the

people they prefer do not love at all

love discovers truths about individuals

that others cannot see

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