The Potential Stupidity of Existential Thought
Good Thought Food
Questioning the fundamentals of existence, freedom, and meaning is a profound and intellectually rigorous process everyone experiences to some degree. Engaging with these questions is important for development and mental health as it leads to a better understanding of oneself. When the self is understood, it enables a more authentic life, opening the door for inner peace. The purpose and meaning found in the pursuit of this deep questioning is a critical step in trauma recovery and protecting a healthy mind. It is a normal part of human existence to seek an understanding of human existence.
A way to state the obvious, right? As if such an introduction is a profound epiphany that someone must share with an unknowing world. But, the direct acknowledgment of reasons to soul search is important because, without it, the rest of what will be said here would seem to discredit its engagement. So, disclaimer first: existential thought is beneficial to mental health, helps the wounds of trauma heal, and allows the individual to live as themselves. The criticisms presented next are most prevalent when swimming through the ocean of souls becomes more like a tar pit that is very difficult to escape.
Common criticisms of existential questions, like paralysis by analysis, anxiety, detachment, and isolation, are all valid counterpoints to the abstraction of the philosophy of existence. However, they are not what I see in myself. The potential stupidity of existential meaning is the paradox that I find when my focus becomes so absorbed by the meaning of life that I miss out on life. Too much time spent trying to decipher the meaning of life and a heavy focus on the abstract can absorb focus to such an extent that what is happening here and now is missed. It preoccupies the mind with intellectual rumination and prevents engagement with tangible present experiences.
The answer, if there was a question, is the balance between the pursuit of profound truth and appreciation of the immediate. Full engagement with the present moment does not prevent abstract questions.
It’s just food for thought.
