Many people consider Soren Kierkegaard to be one of the most important philosophers of the modern era. His work was groundbreaking in many ways, but perhaps his biggest contribution was his insight into the human condition. Kierkegaard believed that humans are fundamentally conflicted creatures. We are constantly pulled in two directions: towards the cozy comforts of the familiar and towards the unknown possibilities of the future. This conflict is at the root of much human suffering.
On one hand, we are drawn towards the comforts of the familiar. This is what he called “the aesthetic stage.” The aesthetic stage is characterized by a focus on immediate pleasure and a lack of concern for long-term consequences. This is often how we live our lives – we seek out momentary pleasures without thinking about the future.
On the other hand, we are also drawn towards the unknown possibilities of the future. This is what Kierkegaard called “the ethical stage.” The ethical stage is characterized by a focus on long-term goals and a willingness to sacrifice short-term gratification for greater rewards down the road. This is often how we think about our lives – we make plans and set goals, knowing that we may have to sacrifice some immediate pleasures in order to achieve them.
Kierkegaard believed that this conflict is at the root of much human suffering. We are constantly torn between two competing desires, and this can lead to frustration, anxiety, and despair. But the most interesting thing about Kierkegaard is that he was able to see a deeper meaning in despair. For most people, despair is something to avoid at all costs. But for Kierkegaard, despair is actually the key to understanding life’s purpose. Why did he think that about an emotion as painful as despair? Because despair isn’t something that just happens to people; it’s something that has a deeper meaning.
For example, most people think that the pain of losing a loved one is just a physical pain, but Kierkegaard believed that the pain of losing a loved one is actually a spiritual pain. This pain is a ‘spiritualizing’ of the pain of losing a physical object. It turns the loss of a loved one into a loss of something that has a greater meaning. We are trying to discover the deeper meaning of life. In other words, despair is a sign that we are on the right track because we are looking for something greater than ourselves.
Kierkegaard thought that individuals in despair seek to deny their authentic selves to flee particular aspects of their character, their past, or the world, or in order to deny their “mission.” Thus, despair can also be seen as an attempt to find a new way of life. In short, in despair, we try to escape the present moment in order to find a better future. But this is impossible, because we are stuck in the present moment. Instead, we should recognize that despair is a signal.
Kierkegaard’s Concept of Despair
Kierkegaard defines despair as “the volitional refusal to be oneself.” This does not simply mean that one is unhappy with oneself; rather, it is a deep-seated refusal to accept oneself as a spiritual being. This rejection of the self leads to a state of inner conflict and division, which manifests as feelings of anxiety and depression. In despair, one’s actions are oriented toward escaping this state of conflict and division. Consequently, despair often leads to a state of nihilism. As Kierkegaard writes, ‘Nihilism is the despair of the individual who has lost his sense of purpose or who has lost his sense of himself.’ In other words, the individual who experiences despair is unable to find a sense of identity or purpose in life. As a result, they become completely overwhelmed by their feelings of despair and hopelessness.
Kierkegaard believed that there are two types of despair: necessity and possibility. Necessity occurs when we believe that we are powerless to change our circumstances. We feel that we are trapped in our current situation, and that there is no way out. On the other hand, Possibility arises when we believe that we could change our circumstance but choose not to. In both cases, we are refusing to accept ourselves as we are. We are denying our own spiritual nature, and choosing to live in a state of inner conflict. This conflict manifests as feelings of anxiety and depression. In order to escape these feelings, we may turn to various forms of escapism, such as drugs, alcohol, or gambling. However, these coping mechanisms only serve to deepen our despair, and make it more difficult to find a way out. In other words, they do not help us to find a sense of identity or purpose in life.
The Leap of Faith
In order to overcome despair, Kierkegaard proposed the idea of the “leap of faith.” This does not mean blindly believing in something without evidence; rather, it is about making a deliberate choice to have faith in oneself. It is about taking responsibility for one’s own life and destiny, and committing to the process of becoming one’s true self. So far, all of this sounds really vague and abstract. Stephen Evans, a scholar of Kierkegaard, has described the leap of faith as ‘a decision to trust in divine assistance.’ According to Evans, the leap of faith is not a magical event; it is a decision that we make every day. We simply choose to believe in something, even when we do not have proof. In other words, we trust in the power of God or the universe. Kierkegaard’s writings encourage us to do the same.
We live in a world that is constantly moving and changing. Things that once were commonplace are now difficult to maintain. It can be difficult to stay positive and hopeful in the face of such adversity. Kierkegaard suggests that our lives should be filled with hope and optimism, even when things seem hopeless. He encourages us to think about the potential for good in every situation. By taking the leap of faith, we can begin to believe in the possibility of a better future.
But in our modern world, it can be difficult to have faith. It can be easy to be overwhelmed by the challenges we face. We live in a skeptical world where we are constantly bombarded with negative news. And when we look around, there is nothing to be positive about. Wars and famine and disease and economic depression and inequality are problems that are all around us. And while there are some optimists who will argue that the world is, in fact, improving – it is difficult to agree with them, for it seems that with every boon we are given, a curse is given as well.
And what about spirituality and God? Is it possible to have faith in the absence of hope? And what does it mean to have faith in a world where there is so much suffering? Kierkegaard believes that the answer to these questions is found in our lives. He believes that we are capable of living our lives as though they were eternal. And that by living our lives as though they were eternal, we can find meaning and hope in our lives. And that hope and meaning can lead us to have faith in the world around us.
But it is entirely reasonable to object to Kierkegaard, and to insist that we live in a secular world where faith is a dangerous illusion. What is the point in the ability to believe in the supernatural if we can never be sure that it is real? And if the supernatural is real, then how can it ever be rational to have faith in it? Kierkegaard replies to these objections by arguing that we can never be certain that faith is a dangerous illusion. Because faith is more than just an illusion, it is more than just a belief. Faith is something that we actually do. And we do it by living our lives. And living our lives is something that we can always do. It is only the result of our living our lives that we can never be sure is real. In other words, faith is an illusion if we are never living our lives, but it is a reality if we are always living our lives. And faith in the world around us is a reality, because the world around us is a reality.
The simplistic way of understanding Kierkegaard’s idea is that faith is a psychological condition, like a state of mind. But Kierkegaard argues that faith is more than just a state of mind, because it is not something something some people have and others don’t. Rather, faith is something that everyone can have. It is the ability to live our lives in the face of the unknown. And living our lives is the only way that we can be certain that faith is real. To capture Kierkegaard’s idea in a way, one must see faith as a way of living one’s life. It is like walking or sleeping or playing a sport. These activities are things that we do, but we cannot do understand what they are until we do them. In the same way, faith is not an idea or a concept or a belief that we can talk about in a vacuum. Faith is a way of life, and we cannot understand faith until we actually live it.
Making the leap of faith requires courage, but it also opens up the possibility for growth and transformation. It is only through taking this leap that we can hope to escape the trap of self-imposed isolation and find our way back to connection with others.
Kierkegaard’s thoughts on despair offer a profound insight into the human condition. His concept of the “leap of faith” can help us to understand and overcome our own struggles with self-doubt and isolation. In an age where mental health issues are increasingly prevalent, Kierkegaard’s ideas are more relevant than ever before. If we can learn to accept ourselves as spiritual beings, we can start to heal the divisions within ourselves and find our way back to wholeness.