Comments on: Are You a Transcendentalist or an Existentialist?

By: Casey

Casey — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:25:11 +0000

First of all I think that Existentialism is more about not being placed under restriction of human courtesy than being anti-everything the way you make them sound. Most of them are actually just baffled with the idea of god and have come to agnostic conclusions. Really they just live for the moment.

Personally I believe I am both because I believe in what I can not see if I deeply believe I can feel it. But also I am much to cynical to assume the best in every situation. I go into things with the idea that I’m going into them and not with any anticipation of how they will turn out. I don’t come by this naturally I just have trained myself to do this out of too much dissapointment in life.

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:13:11 +0000

I am deeply a part of both aspects. Empirical understanding allows the acceptance and the ability to freely explore the possibility of unseen entities such as God; but in no means should this alter your human ability to be skeptical of them. You should shape your own destiny and be controlled by nothing but nature and time, and yet be fully able to make sense rationally out of this idiosyncratic world which so frequently deviates from natural order. When situatons of profound meaning arise, rationality should be relinquished and the the order of natural instinct bent in order to achieve the goal. Therefore, i believe that each aspect of thinking negates the other yet both combined are extrememly powerful when one attempts to understand the world around them.

By: bballhawk

bballhawk — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:08:58 +0000

Similar comment as Josh. One of the most influentatial “existentialists” is Kierkegaard. He believed in God (as an everyday subjective leap of faith).

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:05:59 +0000

The definition of existentialism is flawed.

“You don’t believe in God” – does not make sense, as the first existentialist writer is often credited as being Søren Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher who was an ordained minister and believed in an emotional relationship with God/Jesus/whatever.

By: alexmusic

alexmusic — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:00:10 +0000

i like it! love the complete description of the words. i am a dark transcendentalist, like hawthorne or melville.

By: Jared Stenzel

Jared Stenzel — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 01:59:55 +0000

Man such big words, I believe I am more of an existentialist.

By: IcyCucky

IcyCucky — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:27:59 +0000

I think I’m a little bit of both.
Wonderful article, Alexa.

By: Marlene Kelly

Marlene Kelly — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:19:11 +0000

This is a very clear definition of both words!I’m definitely a Transcendentalist!!