How the Way You Respond to Anxiety Changes Your Life - Søren Kierkegaard on Angst

Summary

This video script delves into the profound ideas of 19th-century philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, often called the father of Existentialism. It explores his reflections on existential anxiety, the tension between freedom and responsibility, and the uncertainty of human existence. Kierkegaard believed anxiety was an inherent part of life but also saw it as a path to personal growth and meaning. By confronting anxiety and embracing subjective truth, individuals can live more fulfilled lives, guided by passion and purpose, even amidst life's inevitable uncertainties.

Takeaways

• 🤔 Søren Kierkegaard, a 19th-century theologian and philosopher, is considered the father of existentialism.
• 📚 Kierkegaard’s work challenges traditional philosophy, religion, and psychology, addressing the disconnect between people’s true selves and their actions in the world.
• 💀 Kierkegaard's early life was marked by tragedy, with five of his six siblings passing away by the time he was 22, influencing his focus on the uncertainty of existence.
• 😨 One of his key contributions was his concept of 'angst'—an existential anxiety stemming from the freedom and responsibility of choice in an uncertain world.
• 🌀 Kierkegaard described anxiety as 'the dizziness of freedom,' the paralyzing feeling of having to make choices without sufficient knowledge or certainty.
• 🎯 He believed that living a fulfilled life meant embracing and acting in the face of anxiety, rather than succumbing to inaction or despair.
• 🔥 To combat anxiety, Kierkegaard emphasized the pursuit of 'passion' based on subjective truths—personal beliefs or commitments that give life meaning, even without objective grounding.
• 🛑 Kierkegaard warned against conformity, distraction, and escapism, which he saw as ways people avoid facing the anxiety of existence and making meaningful choices.
• 🌀 He viewed anxiety as an inevitable part of human consciousness, essential for personal growth and self-realization.
• 🙏 For Kierkegaard, faith in God was his ultimate solution to dealing with anxiety, but his philosophy offers broader insights for finding subjective meaning and purpose in life.

Q & A

Who is Søren Kierkegaard, and why is he significant?

Søren Kierkegaard was a 19th-century Danish theologian and philosopher, considered the father of Existentialism. His work explored themes of philosophy, religion, and psychology, challenging conventional thought and addressing deep human concerns like anxiety, despair, and individual freedom.

What major life experiences influenced Kierkegaard's philosophical direction?

Kierkegaard was deeply influenced by personal tragedy, including the deaths of five of his six siblings by the time he was 22. These experiences, along with early exposure to philosophical discussions by his father, led him to confront themes of uncertainty, anxiety, and the fragility of life.

What is Kierkegaard’s concept of 'angst' or existential anxiety?

Kierkegaard's 'angst' refers to a deep existential anxiety caused by the freedom and responsibility individuals have in shaping their lives despite the inherent uncertainty of existence. It’s the feeling of dread when facing life’s unknowns and the overwhelming possibilities of choice.

How does Kierkegaard describe the feeling of existential anxiety?

Kierkegaard describes existential anxiety as 'the dizziness of freedom,' a feeling that arises from recognizing one’s freedom to choose in a world filled with uncertainty. It’s the emotional response to the overwhelming possibilities of life and the lack of clear guidance on how to live.

What role does anxiety play in the development of the self, according to Kierkegaard?

Kierkegaard argues that anxiety is essential for personal growth. It forces individuals to confront their freedom and responsibility, and by working through this anxiety, they can develop a meaningful self. Without anxiety, there would be no possibility of growth or self-actualization.

How does Kierkegaard suggest we deal with anxiety?

Kierkegaard suggests that rather than avoiding anxiety, individuals should embrace it and pursue their passions based on subjective truth. By committing fully to what they believe in, even without certainty, they can find meaning and live authentically.

What is the 'leap of faith' in Kierkegaard’s philosophy?

The 'leap of faith' refers to Kierkegaard's idea that individuals must commit to their subjective truths and passions, despite the lack of objective certainty or rational justification. This act of faith is essential for living a meaningful life in an otherwise uncertain and anxious world.

What consequences does Kierkegaard see in succumbing to anxiety?

According to Kierkegaard, succumbing to anxiety leads to despair, apathy, and an unrealized self. It results in a life of inaction and emptiness, as individuals fail to engage with their freedom and responsibility, thus missing the opportunity for personal growth.

How does Kierkegaard’s philosophy of anxiety relate to modern views on mental health?

Kierkegaard’s view of anxiety as a fundamental and necessary part of existence contrasts with modern perspectives that often see anxiety as a disorder or weakness. He believed that anxiety was unavoidable and, when properly confronted, could lead to a more authentic and meaningful life.

What is Kierkegaard’s ultimate solution for finding meaning in life?

Kierkegaard’s solution for finding meaning in life involves embracing anxiety and taking a leap of faith by committing to one’s subjective truths. While he personally found meaning in faith in the Christian God, his framework can be applied to any personal belief system or passion that gives life purpose.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 The Father of Existentialism and His Early Life

Søren Kierkegaard, a 19th-century theologian and philosopher, deeply questioned life's absurdities and challenges. Considered the father of existentialism, Kierkegaard’s work critiqued tradition, the dissonance between people's true selves and their actions, and the prevalent despair and anxiety. Born in Copenhagen in 1813 into a wealthy family, Kierkegaard was introduced to philosophical thinking early on. He studied philosophy and theology but grew disillusioned with intellectualized views disconnected from lived experience. Tragedy struck in his early life, as five of his six siblings passed away by the time he was 22, influencing his views on life's uncertainty and fragility. He would go on to write prolifically about existential themes, before his death in 1855 from spinal tuberculosis.

05:01

😨 Kierkegaard’s Concept of Anxiety

One of Kierkegaard's key philosophical contributions is his exploration of 'angst' or existential anxiety. In his book *The Concept of Anxiety*, he describes this feeling as a universal part of the human condition, emerging from the uncertainty of life and our freedom to make choices. This anxiety is not a disorder but a natural response to the vast unknowns of existence. Kierkegaard likens it to the 'dizziness of freedom,' where we are constantly confronted with infinite possibilities and the weight of responsibility, without ever having sufficient knowledge to make perfectly correct choices. Despite our efforts to avoid it, anxiety remains an inherent part of life, and while we may hope for clarity, it never fully comes.

🚶‍♀️ The Paralysis of Existential Anxiety and the Search for Passion

Kierkegaard acknowledges that the dizziness of anxiety can often lead to paralysis, making it difficult to act or make decisions. This inaction stems from the overwhelming pressure of life's many choices. However, he stresses that to live a meaningful life, one must move forward despite anxiety. Kierkegaard believed that anxiety is essential for self-development and that without it, there would be no possibility for growth. To counteract the paralysis, he suggested that individuals pursue passion, rooted in subjective truth—personal convictions that may not have objective merit. By committing to such truths, one takes a 'leap of faith,' living authentically despite the uncertainties and responsibilities of existence.

💡 The Role of Anxiety in Personal Growth and Escaping Despair

Kierkegaard saw anxiety as an unavoidable aspect of life, but one that offered the potential for growth. He cautioned against avoiding anxiety through distractions, conformity, or escapism, as these lead to despair—a state of unfulfilled existence and self-loss. The only way to develop a meaningful self is to face anxiety head-on, using it as a driving force for making decisions and moving forward. Kierkegaard’s solution, rooted in his Christian faith, proposed that meaning could be found through faith in God. However, his ideas on subjective truth and the necessity of facing anxiety can apply to any belief system, suggesting that anxiety is not something to eliminate but something to live with and learn from.

🤯 Anxiety: A Fundamental Aspect of Human Existence

In the modern world, anxiety is often viewed negatively, but Kierkegaard argued that it is an intrinsic part of human consciousness. To feel and think deeply is to be anxious, and the more choices and freedoms we have, the more anxiety we experience. Kierkegaard emphasized that while anxiety may never be fully overcome, learning to live with it and move forward into the unknown is essential. He believed that life, full of uncertainty and impossible decisions, is best navigated by taking leaps of faith toward what one believes is worth living and dying for, using anxiety as a guide rather than an obstacle.

Keywords

💡Existentialism

Existentialism is a philosophical movement that emphasizes individual freedom, choice, and the search for meaning in an often chaotic and absurd world. In the context of the script, Kierkegaard is referred to as the father of Existentialism, as he explored themes like the individual’s responsibility in making choices despite the uncertainty and anxiety of life.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety, as defined by Kierkegaard in the script, refers not to a mental disorder, but an existential feeling of dread and uncertainty that stems from human freedom and the responsibilities that come with it. This anxiety is tied to the endless possibilities of life and the pressure of choosing the right path. Kierkegaard calls it the 'dizziness of freedom,' and it permeates the human condition.

💡Freedom

Freedom in Kierkegaard’s philosophy is both liberating and terrifying, as it comes with the burden of making choices without full knowledge of their consequences. The script discusses freedom in terms of how humans must navigate life with limited information, forced to act in an uncertain world, which creates anxiety.

💡Despair

Despair is described in the script as a state that arises when individuals fail to confront their anxiety and the responsibilities of life. According to Kierkegaard, despair occurs when one becomes paralyzed by the fear of uncertainty and fails to act, leading to a life of emptiness and unrealized potential.

💡Subjective truth

Subjective truth, in Kierkegaard’s philosophy, refers to beliefs and values that are true to an individual based on their personal experiences and feelings, rather than objective, universal truths. The script explains that one must find a truth they are willing to live and die for, emphasizing the importance of passion over intellectual reasoning.

💡Leap of faith

A 'leap of faith' is a key concept in Kierkegaard’s philosophy, symbolizing the act of committing to one’s subjective truth despite the lack of objective certainty. The script mentions that Kierkegaard advocated for embracing life’s uncertainties and acting with passion and commitment, even when reason cannot provide clear answers.

💡Passion

Passion is presented as a guiding force that helps individuals move through their anxiety and live meaningful lives. The script emphasizes that Kierkegaard believed passion—whether in love, creative endeavors, or personal growth—was essential for overcoming despair and actualizing the self.

💡Despair vs. fulfilled life

This concept contrasts the outcomes of avoiding or confronting existential anxiety. Despair represents inaction, paralysis, and a wasted life, while a fulfilled life is achieved by embracing anxiety and continuing to act in pursuit of one’s subjective truth. The script explains how Kierkegaard saw anxiety as unavoidable but also as an opportunity for growth and meaning.

💡Conformity

Conformity, according to the script, is a way individuals avoid facing their anxiety by following the status quo. Kierkegaard argued that by conforming, people try to escape the responsibility of making their own choices, but this only leads to a loss of self and deepens despair.

💡Faith

Faith, particularly in the Christian God, is central to Kierkegaard’s solution to existential anxiety. While the script acknowledges that this faith is Kierkegaard’s personal resolution, it also notes that his broader philosophy can apply to various subjective views of meaning and purpose, encouraging individuals to find their own beliefs to live by.

Highlights

Søren Kierkegaard explored profound new ideas challenging traditional philosophy, religion, and psychology.

Kierkegaard is considered the father of Existentialism.

His work examines themes of existential anxiety, individual authenticity, and despair.

Kierkegaard was born in 1813 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

He was exposed to philosophical thinking from a young age due to his father's interest.

Kierkegaard studied philosophy and theology at the University of Copenhagen.

He disliked overly intellectualized philosophical works, seeking a more practical understanding.

By age twenty-two, five of his six siblings had passed away, influencing his philosophical orientation.

Kierkegaard began writing prolifically in his mid-twenties.

He produced many books under various pseudonyms and his own name.

Kierkegaard died in 1855 at the age of forty-two, likely from spinal tuberculosis.

Angst, or existential anxiety, is a central concept in Kierkegaard's work.

Anxiety is described as the dizziness of freedom, a response to the unknown and uncertainty.

Kierkegaard believed anxiety to be a necessary part of life, not entirely negative.

He argued that individuals must pursue passion based on subjective truth.

Kierkegaard emphasized the importance of taking leaps of faith into one's subjective truth.

Avoidance of anxiety through conformity and escapism leads to a failed, lost self.

Kierkegaard's philosophy suggests faith in the Christian God as a solution to existential anxiety.

Anxiety is seen as a fundamental ingredient of human consciousness.

Kierkegaard encourages learning to live with anxiety and moving forward into the unknown.

Transcripts

Deeply perplexed by the absurdities and troubles  of existence, nineteenth-century theologian  

and philosopher Søren Kierkegaard explored  and wrote of profound new ideas that would  

ultimately challenge the way humanity thinks about  philosophy, religion, and psychology. Considered  

by most to be the father of Existentialism, his  work examines themes common to this school of  

thought, prodding, mocking, and attempting to  resolve falsities of tradition and convention,  

the inconsistency between people’s true  selves and how they act in the world, and the  

despair and anxiety so entrenched in it all. Kierkegaard was born in 1813 in Copenhagen,  

Denmark as the youngest of seven children to  a very well-off family. Early on in his life,  

he was exposed to philosophical thinking, as his  father was very interested in philosophy himself,  

often reading and having conversations related to  it around young Kierkegaard. In early adulthood,  

he would go on to study philosophy and theology  at the University of Copenhagen. Here, however,  

he would soon find himself disliking and turning  away from the historical and philosophical works  

he was being exposed to, finding them often overly  intellectualized and incongruent with how life is  

actually lived. “What I really need to do,” he  wrote, “is to get clear about "what am I to do",  

not what I must know." This assessment would  ultimately define the orientation in which  

Kierkegaard would direct his philosophical  efforts. Also arguably significant to this  

orientation, by age twenty-two, five of  his six siblings had already passed away,  

engulfing his child and early adult life with  the unsettling shadow of tragedy and transience,  

reminding him five times over that life is  synonymous with uncertainty and that the worst  

case might be just around the corner. Around  and following this time of his mid-twenties,  

Kierkegaard began writing at an immensely  productive rate, producing many books during  

his lifetime under various pseudonyms as  well as his own name before dying in 1855  

at the age of forty-two, likely from a  horrible case of spinal tuberculosis. 

In terms of his philosophical work,  one of Kierkegaard’s most notable and  

profound contributions, the one that we will be  mostly focusing on here, was what he would term  

angst. In his book The Concept of Anxiety,  he would describe this term as a particular  

feeling of anxiety and dread—not any  sort of anxiety disorder, but rather,  

the underpinning existential anxiety that  pervades the entire human condition in general. 

Generally, anxiety is the heightened emotional  response to a perceived threat or challenge,  

especially one that is unknown or uncertain. And  so, anxiety of this existential sort, which moving  

forward will just be referred to as anxiety, is  the response to the threat, challenge, or fear  

of the unknown and uncertainty of existence as  a whole. More specifically, it is the feeling of  

freedom and responsibility that one has within  this uncertainty. In the words of Kierkegaard,  

“Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.” In every  moment, we are possessed by an awareness of our  

freedom (or at least the sense of freedom) to  choose and be accountable for how the nearly  

infinite unknowns and possibilities of life become  known and real through our choices and actions.  

But yet, we are given very little if  not none of the insights and information  

needed to do so properly. Worse yet,  there is perhaps no way of ever truly  

making decisions correctly in the way we hope,  even when we do make them so-called correctly.  

In large part, we are driven by our anxiety to  make choices that will eliminate our anxiety,  

but arguably, if we have lived and  thought long enough about this,  

we realize we have and will remain condemned to a  life inescapably pervaded by at least some form of  

it. It is as if we are always at an intersection  of the past and future, given a steering wheel,  

a dashboard of dials, and a kill switch, but not  given a brake, an accelerator, a reverse gear,  

a map, or a navigation system. We are continually  forced to drive through the world in this vehicle,  

but the world is covered in an immense, thick fog.  Naturally, we hope that in some of directions,  

the ones we choose, the fog will clear,  but it never does—not completely at least.  

"…[A]nyone who really knows mankind might say that  there is not one single living human being who  

does not despair a little, who does not secretly  harbour an unrest, an inner strife, a disharmony,  

an anxiety about an unknown something or  a something he dare not even try to know,  

an anxiety about some possibility in existence  or an anxiety about himself…” Kierkegaard wrote. 

Recognizing the inevitability of anxiety and  dread, Kierkegaard sought to make sense and use  

of it. Despite how bleak everything might sound  up until this point, he didn’t believe anxiety was  

totally a bad thing. Rather, he believed anxiety  was a necessary part of life, and our response  

to it was what made the difference between a life  lived fully and a life of emptiness and despair. 

Understandably, the dizziness felt by anxiety can  often be paralyzing. Walking forward while your  

head is spinning is hardly ideal. And so, this  feeling of the freedom to choose and do anything  

in life can sometimes keep us from choosing  or doing anything at all. If we imagine how  

the anxiety of a large, intimidating item on our  to-do-list might keep us from getting to it, the  

anxiety induced paralysis felt by the to-do-list  that is our entire life—one with a deadline not  

yet revealed and the consequence literally being  our existence—is certainly understandable. But our  

head will never really stop spinning, and if we  wish to achieve a potentially more fulfilled life  

and actualize who we really are and could be, we  must not succumb to the inaction of this anxiety.  

In order to retain any sense of power over  our life and derive any meaning of self,  

we must retain an ability to move forward  and act in the face of this anxiety.  

Moreover, it is arguably this anxiety (or perhaps  the source of this anxiety) that allows for any  

possibility of developing and deriving a unique,  meaningful self at all. Without any possibility,  

there would be no anxiety. But without  anxiety, there would be no possibility. 

Kierkegaard suggested that in order to best  make use of anxiety and live well with it,  

the individual must pursue what he would  refer to as passion. This could take the  

form of things like a love, a creative  endeavor, a family, personal growth,  

a career, an ideology, a belief, and so on.  What’s important for Kierkegaard, however,  

is that one orients their passions based on  subjective truth. In other words, truths that are  

deemed to be true by the individual, not truths  with which there is necessarily objective merit  

or ultimate reason to ground them in. It is  not purely a matter of intellectualization,  

but also a matter of emotional, subjective  experience. “…[T]he crucial thing is to find  

a truth which is truth for me, to find the  idea for which I am willing to live and die,”  

Kierkegaard wrote. The individual must discover  their subjective truth and then throw the full  

weight of their being in its direction,  committing to it fully regardless of reason  

or intellectual certainty—to do something for  the sake of itself, to take a leap of faith. 

Often through conformity, distractions,  addictions, and any other forms escapism,  

individuals attempt to avoid the anxiety  and responsibility of their existence.  

By universally conforming to the status  quo, one attempts to absolve themselves  

from the responsibility of their choices.  And by means of things like substance abuse,  

chasing social status, superficial action,  materialism, and so on, one attempts to  

distract themselves away from the fact that  there is no way to truly absolve themselves.  

For Kierkegaard, the development of self is  dependent on the ability to face up to the anxiety  

of existence and move with and through it. For  him, in an otherwise meaningless existence, this  

is where the meaning can potentially be found. The  consequences, rather, of succumbing to anxiety and  

inaction, for Kierkegaard, is much, much worse. It  results in despair—a depressed, apathetic state;  

a failed, lost, and unrealized self; a frictional  experience of existence. In the words of modern  

psychoanalyst James Hollis, “Anxiety is the price  of the ticket to life: intrapsychic depression  

is the by-product of the refusal to climb aboard.” One must realize that life will never become more  

sturdy or less scary; there will never be  a perfect optimal time to climb aboard.  

If life is a sequence of impossible  decisions veiled by uncertainty,  

we might as well attempt to justify it by at least  making decisions that pursue the greatest and most  

interesting heights and depths of the unknown we  are capable of traveling. Kierkegaard’s framework  

and solution to this problem was faith in the  Christian God, but his philosophy, in some part,  

can arguably provide a premise that is applicable  to any subjective view of meaning and purpose. 

Especially nowadays, anxiety is often seen  as something wrong and negative—a weakness  

or an illness. But anxiety is arguably  a fundamental ingredient entrenched in  

the experience of human consciousness.  To feel and to think is to be anxious.  

Perhaps added to the list of terms we ought  to be called is Homo anxietatem, anxious man.  

How could we not be anxious? It is a natural  response to an intensely disquieting,  

confusing, and uncertain existence that we are  given an unrequested role in. And the more choices  

we garner access to in the modern world, we are  only left with even more reasons to fret and turn  

in anxiety over more ways we hope can quite  it, as well as more ways to feel responsible  

when we inevitably don’t. But we must, like  Kierkegaard suggested, try our best to learn  

how to live with and through it, to keep  moving forward into the unknown, and take our  

leaps of faith into what we truly and personally  believe makes it all worth living and dying for.