Maria Alipova, psychologist at the Higher School of Economics, on existential analysis

April 9, 2020

Hello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. Existentialism is usually associated with a gloomy worldview: life is decay, there is no meaning in it, a person is tragically alone.

Existential philosophy reflected and determined the mood of the 20th century in the West, when humanistic ideas about the greatness of man were greatly shaken.

Two world wars, the invention of weapons of mass destruction, scientific and technological progress that turns daring fantastic ideas into reality - all this became a trigger for the existential perception of life.

What it is?

So, first of all, naturally, it is necessary to give the concept of existential vacuum a definition that will allow you to further navigate the information that you will receive with the help of this article. The first to coin the term was Viktor Frankl, who defined it as the opposite of the peak experience that Maslow had previously described. So what is it?

Existential vacuum is a state of internal emptiness experienced by a person who has lost all the goals of his life and does not see the meaning of his existence. Frankl described this as a “chasm experience,” that is, a person finds himself in the abyss of the meaninglessness of existence, experiencing an existential crisis of the most severe form. It may surprise you, but many people experience this vacuum at one time or another in their lives, and there are various reasons for this. Frankl himself identifies several basic ones that you should focus on if you want to understand this phenomenon completely.

Problems of existentialism

Existentialism in philosophy is a reaction to the crisis of rationalism (what is that?).

Existence cannot be dissected by rationalistic methods of analysis, sorted into shelves and structured.

Human existence is absurd and defies logic. A person himself can only see the light in borderline situations, when consciousness turns off and the true essence of the personality is revealed.

The main problems of interest to existentialists:

1. The uniqueness of the human personality and its existence. Each of us experiences everything in our own way, therefore we are not able to fully understand the other.
2. Scientific and technological progress kills the importance of man.
3. The gap between the inner and outer world.
4. Alienation of a person from society.
5. Human “abandonment”, global loneliness, the meaninglessness of life.
6. Finding yourself and your place in life, the problem of internal choice.
7. The problem of freedom and responsibility for one's life.

Differences from animals

This article began with a description of exactly how animals exist, and this was done for a reason. For them, an existential vacuum is something that cannot manifest itself by nature. Why? The fact is that animals have certain natural instincts and aspirations that are programmed into them at the genetic level. All these desires are basic and primitive, that is, animals want to support their existence with food, water and sleep, they need a safe place to sleep where dangerous predators cannot get them, and they also want to reproduce. They don't have any higher-level values ​​to gain and lose. Accordingly, animals never experience an existential vacuum, since their desires and needs are always satisfied. An animal cannot stop wanting to eat, because if it does, it will die.

For people, things are different. They have values ​​and aspirations of a higher order, without which a person sinks to the level of an animal. But here, too, everything is not so simple, because, once at the animal level, a person retains his developed mind, and therefore feels that there are no higher-order values ​​in his life. It is this feeling of emptiness that is the phenomenon discussed in this article. Unlike the basic instincts that are programmed in the head of every animal and person, higher-level desires are not genetically programmed, so there are no mechanisms in the body that tell a person that without them a person will feel bad. This is why existential vacuum, existential frustration, existential emptiness and so on arise. But this is not the only reason, so you should prepare to deal with several other factors influencing this phenomenon.

Existentialism is...

Existentialism is a direction in which the subject of study is the existence of a person with his ordinary problems, tragedies, and emotions.

The bias towards the tragedy of human existence makes existentialism a “ philosophy of despair .” This is one of the most popular movements in Western philosophy of the 20th century.

The polyphony of existentialists is extremely heterogeneous and diverse, but all are united by an interest in the main themes - human existence, freedom, choice, death, the meaning of life.

“A man died, in front of the gates of heaven he sees the Apostle Peter and said to him: “Excuse me, Apostle, I have one question for you.” I lived for a long time, but I still didn’t understand what was the meaning of my life? - Do you really want to know this? - Very! — Do you remember in 1975 you were traveling on the Vorkuta-Moscow train? - Well... I think I remember. — You and your fellow traveler were still talking. - There was something like that... - And then you and he went to celebrate your acquaintance in the dining car. “Perhaps...” There was a red-haired woman sitting at the next table. - Yes, yes, there was something like that... - She asked you to pass her the salt. - Exactly! I remembered, I asked him to pass the salt shaker! “And you gave her the salt.” - Yes, yes, I did. - Well, here it is...

*Bearded existential Soviet joke

Existentialism formed as a separate philosophical movement before the First World War and existed until the mid-1960s, going through all the disasters of the 20th century.

But the origins of this philosophy must be sought in the 19th century - in the works of F. M. Dostoevsky, the ideas of F. Nietzsche, the teachings of the Danish thinker Søren Kierkegaard, who is called the founder of existentialism.

*Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855)

It was Kierkegaard who derived the concept of existence, which became the central category of existential philosophy.

For the first time in the history of philosophy, the Dane poses the question bluntly - why, in fact, philosophers are concerned with anything - the essence of being, the primacy of matter, God, the knowability of the world, universals, will and other vague concepts - but turn their nose up at the pressing problems of the common man with his experiences, problems, fears?

Kierkegaard turned philosophy towards ordinary people. From now on, it should help a person make an internal choice, feel for his Self, and find an idea worth living for.

It is not surprising that existential questions are often heard in works of fiction. Perhaps this philosophical direction is reflected in literary creativity .

F. M. Dostoevsky, L. N. Tolstoy, Franz Kafka, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Simone de Beauvoir, Rainer Maria Rilke, Alberto Moravia - this is not a complete list of writers who raise existential themes in their works.

*Albert Camus about life

Most people live in conditions of inauthentic existence; they go with the flow, without thinking why and where. “Be like everyone else” is the motto of such a life.

In contrast, Kierkegaard puts true existence - existence , life, where a person makes a conscious choice, controls his destiny, finds himself and his calling.

Thus, the goal of human life is existence, finding oneself. Existential truth is not something that is known, but something that is experienced by each person individually.

Traditions and values

Viktor Frankl's existential vacuum also manifests itself for the reason that modern values, traditions and conventions cannot show a person the right path. This was also briefly mentioned at the beginning of the article. The fact is that in the past the structure of people was very different from what is observed today. Previously, there were clear value systems, various public and unspoken agreements, as well as centuries-old traditions that a person had to adhere to. As a result, he always had a pattern, always had a purpose in life. Now all this has been greatly weakened over the past decades, so traditions and values ​​can no longer serve as a specific guideline for a person. Accordingly, he cannot make independent decisions. According to Frankl, an existential vacuum is a very dangerous condition, as it can lead to serious mental illness. Even on a smaller scale, we can safely say that this vacuum can have a very negative impact on a person’s social life. How exactly? Frankl himself described that the results of this problem are that people turn to conformity or totalitarianism, which greatly affects their lives.

Conformism and totalitarianism

As V. Frankl wrote, an existential vacuum is an emptiness created within a person by the absence of any goals and aspirations. But the person himself at the moment of such weakness is not in a vacuum, so he is influenced by various external factors. And this has its effect on the psyche. The most common direction for a person suffering from such a vacuum is to turn to conformism or totalitarianism.

In simple terms, conformity is a view of life in which a person does the same as everyone around him. Conformity is the most popular movement in the West, and a person who has no goals or values ​​left is likely to turn to it. He begins to look for these values ​​on the side, turning to what is most popular at the moment. Naturally, this is better than the mental disorder that the vacuum discussed in this article can lead to, but a person who turns to conformity gradually loses his personality. He becomes part of the crowd, which is not a full life and inevitably leads to a negative impact on the psyche.

As for totalitarianism, unlike conformism, it is a more popular consequence of the vacuum in the East. Totalitarianism is a view of the world in which a person does what others demand of him. The essence remains the same, but the effect is even less pleasant, since the person actually becomes a slave to others, doing something that he may not even like. But since he does not have his own views and values, he does what others demand of him, since this is exactly how the hierarchy system in the East is structured.

So now you understand how dangerous an existential vacuum can be. In psychology, this phenomenon is considered very actively, since in modern society the spread of vacuum occurs much faster than in any other period of time.

Atheistic and religious existentialism

There are two currents within the philosophy of existentialism , although this division is very conditional:

1. Atheistic movement, whose main ideologists were Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus.
   “When I choose myself, I choose humanity.” *AND. -P. Sartre

   This direction is characterized by the idea of ​​“forsakenness” of a person who follows a freely chosen path of development, regardless of external circumstances.

   But by choosing the path of responsibility for oneself, a person takes responsibility for all of humanity onto his shoulders, like God. Hence the feeling of an unbearable burden, the awareness of freedom as a nightmare.

   “God is dead,” Nietzsche declared, but now his role is filled by man. The starting point of existential philosophy is Dostoevsky’s phrase: “If there is no God, then everything is permitted.”

   Faith for atheistic existentialists is just a way to hide from the terrifying reality in which each of us is sentenced to death from birth. The end of existence is death.

2. Religious movement presented by Nikolai Berdyaev, Karl Jaspers, Martin Buber, Gabriel Marcel.
   Religious existentialists do not see faith as a way to escape reality.

   Faith for them is a test, an attempt to understand the essence of man, to discover a personal God with whom they can have an endless internal conversation.

   Man is a co-creator with God. He himself creates his life and the world around him.

   Faith is not blindly following rituals and studying scriptures. Faith is a truth that cannot be known, but can be lived, proving its validity with your life.

Reductionism

Along with conformism in the West, the cause and effect of the existential vacuum is also such a thing as reductionism. What it is? This is a rather interesting phenomenon that is most common in the United States of America. In reductionism, man is not seen as a rational being, capable of having his own thoughts and ideas, making decisions and doing things to achieve his own goals. It is viewed rather as a set of drives and instincts, that is, they are unable to make independent decisions, and all their actions are dictated by a reaction to external factors, as well as defense mechanisms. Naturally, such an approach cannot cause a positive reaction in people, and stronger individuals are able to abstract themselves from these reductionist opinions of the public, following their own path. But for the most part, people are not strong personalities, so reductionism turns out to be one of the most important and decisive factors in the spread of an existential vacuum in modern society.

Now you know most of the necessary information about what an existential vacuum is: what it is, what the possible reasons for this vacuum may be, and what it may ultimately lead to. But this is not all that can be said about this phenomenon.

Existential psychology

Existentialism came from philosophy to the field of psychology thanks to the works of the German thinker and psychologist Karl Jaspers and the Swiss doctor Ludwig Binswanger, who, in fact, challenged the Freudian model of analysis, declaring the unique existence of each individual.

Existential psychology is built on the philosophical concepts of life and death, loneliness and the meaning of existence.

The names of many famous psychologists are associated with existential psychoanalysis. Viktor Frankl, Rollo May, Alfried Langle, Irvin Yalom - each of them developed their own original methods in the vein of existentialism.

German psychologist Erich Fromm in 1955 in his work “A Healthy Society” writes that a person will never be able to experience the fullness of life by satisfying only his basic physiological needs.

*Erich Fromm (1900–1980)

Fromm derives a formula of five existential needs , satisfying which a person moves along the path of self-improvement.

1. Communication, establishing connections, thanks to which the feeling of loneliness is dulled.
2. Transcendence is overcoming oneself, leaving the comfort zone.
3. Rootedness is the definition of one’s place in the world, a reliable rear that gives a feeling of security.
4. Self-identity is the acceptance of one’s individuality.
5. System of values.

Noogenic neurosis

Now you have an idea of ​​what an existential vacuum is, as well as its causes. Now the time has come to consider its consequences in more detail. It turns out that they can be much more terrible than conformity. Therefore, it is worth taking a look at a new term that you may not yet know - noogenic neurosis. Existential vacuum and noogenic neurosis are strongly linked, and the latter is a negative consequence of the former. What it is? This is a specific neuroticization of a person, which appears not on a psychological basis, like most traditional neuroses, but on a noological one. This means that the disease manifests itself in the spiritual sphere of human existence. Now you know what existential vacuum and noogenic neurosis are, so you should begin to understand how serious this problem can be. The fact is that this neurosis arises from a person’s inability to have goals, high values ​​and, of course, the meaning of life. Accordingly, it can cause serious problems and must be treated medically. If a person was simply experiencing a mild existential crisis, he will most likely be able to get out of it. But if the problem has already reached such a high level, then the intervention of a specialist is necessary.

Why are we experiencing an existential crisis?

Most often this happens when we begin to reflect on our purpose in life. Due to regular routines and monotonous work environment, we become dissatisfied with our lives and start wondering why we keep working so much? Where is all this going? What do I get out of life after all this work?

This raises many significant and profound questions, such as:

- What is life? – What is my goal? – Why do I exist?

Existential thoughts begin to arise and the person ponders all sorts of personal questions.

What is a sense of life? Why live on? These thoughts can be explained by Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Abraham Maslow's hierarchy explains that people are driven by five basic needs. These are psychology, safety, love, respect and self-realization. In the last part, self-actualization is the existential crisis part of discovering your purpose.

Signs You're Currently Experiencing an Existential Crisis

Unfortunately, experiencing an existential crisis can bring up unpleasant feelings. This can make you feel lost and depressed. Your general mood becomes melancholic.

People experiencing an existential crisis feel like they no longer know who they are. They feel powerless and struggle to find motivation. It became a global phenomenon involving record numbers of people.

You feel empty

This can often come from feeling unimportant. The universe is so big that it's easy to feel small.

This creates insecurity within us. When we are born and experience the world at a young age, we enjoy the pleasures and adventures that the universe has to offer.

We just love to climb trees and run through fields.

It's only when we get older and take on responsibility that we begin to question everything.

Learning to cope with the experience of an existential crisis will ultimately help us grow, but for now it is very difficult.

We stop having fun and become more objective about how we spend our time and how we fit into the world.

You feel powerless

When we are young, there is a feeling that the Universe is always working for us, and not against us. The Universe is our friend and mentor.

As we get older, we face new challenges and financial responsibilities, and life becomes more complex. There is more pressure from society and from people to do something with our lives.

The playful relationship with the universe has ended and it begins to seem like it is working against us. We begin to feel that something is being imposed on us. Other people now control our time and our lives.

This makes us feel a strong sense of powerlessness. It's no longer about the entertainment, but how we fit into the experience.

Is all this really worth it? Many people going through an existential crisis don’t feel like this is the case.

You feel completely different from others

Some people do not suffer from existential thinking and can easily live their lives. No matter what they are going through, they can easily focus on their tasks.

However, when you are in the midst of an existential crisis, it takes over your entire life. You constantly feel different. You constantly ponder the existence and immensity of everything.

Because it is such a difficult experience, you are left with a constant feeling of emptiness and powerlessness. It becomes part of your daily emotional makeup. You always feel completely different from others.

4. Your past achievements seem meaningless.

Experiencing a real threat tends to put your life in quite a harsh perspective.

In the grand scheme of the Universe, any big things we achieve in our lives tend to become insignificant and small.

We think, “What did I really do that made a difference in the world?” Many people think so. However, those experiencing an existential crisis feel even worse because they see less meaning in everything.

The problem is that we compare our achievements to the greatness of the Universe. How can you compete with something incomprehensible?

Features of the disease

One of the main features of existential emptiness is the fact that a person may not be aware of its presence. As mentioned above, the emptiness often strives to be filled on its own, but at the same time it is filled far from what it should be. Full-fledged goals, aspirations, values ​​and meanings are replaced with false ones. This happens in a rather primitive way: a person begins to get involved in alcohol, drugs, for some people this manifests itself in the extreme stages of workaholism, while others strive to tickle their nerves in order to feel alive, putting at risk everything that they have. Frankl himself stated that 80 percent of alcoholics and 100 percent of drug addicts go through a state of existential vacuum, which is why their addictions are formed.

How to Overcome an Existential Crisis?

If you understand that you are overtaken by an existential crisis, how to overcome it is the second thought that visits an intelligent person. There are four ways to get out of an existential crisis:

1. You can close this topic for yourself, ban the thought of the futility of existence, and isolate yourself from disturbing thoughts.

2. Turn off critical thinking by fixing yourself on rules and beliefs (moral, religious, social). You can choose those that suit you.

3. Sometimes distraction works. In this case, people immerse themselves in entertainment, travel, and focus their attention on different tasks. This could be a hobby, gambling, extreme sports.

4. Creative people channel their despair and fear into something constructive.

Overcoming an existential crisis is possible when a person realizes that he can control his life. He no longer wants to do what is prescribed and decided in advance. He gains the freedom he sought and is ready to accept responsibility for it. Setting tasks for himself, relying on intuition, evaluates the results. Such a crisis means growing up and maturing of the individual.

Control your thoughts

Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Do everything to put meaning into your life: do what you love, become a volunteer, or simply show compassion for your neighbor.

Gratitude journal

To overcome negative feelings, a person can write down in a diary all the things for which he is grateful (his talents, achievements, family, etc.)

Know yourself

Self-knowledge can also help a person. If it is difficult for him, he can ask those close to him to identify his positive qualities, what positive impact he has had on their lives, what his strongest, most wonderful qualities are.

Don't try to find all the answers at once

This doesn't mean you shouldn't look for them, but some questions won't have answers. A person can try to break global questions into smaller answers. Then work towards being satisfied with learning the answers to smaller questions. They also make up the picture as a whole.

Practices for getting rid of feelings of meaninglessness

What could be worse than an internal emptiness growing every day? A person has nothing to cling to in order to somehow justify his still ongoing life.

1. Allow yourself to completely immerse yourself in a state of helplessness , awareness of the meaninglessness of existence. You are the most unfortunate person. There will be no sympathy.
2. Concentrate on the last phrase, let it be the background of all thoughts. Tested: when you realize this 100%, you will want to do something. And some meaning will appear.
3. Try to find inspiration in some areas . Creativity, volunteer help, etc.
4. Just wait . Some argue that everything passes, and this condition will pass.
5. Concentrate on specific actions , skipping global goals.
6. Choose your life credo and live by it , without fear or reproach. You can find it with the help of philosophy, religious movements, biographies of the lives of some people you respect (however, you should not copy them completely. These people became famous because they went their own, unique path).
7. Seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist. The advice is of course the most obvious, but sometimes you really need a disinterested third party.

Logotherapy - what is it?

But how can one deal with the existential vacuum, since it is so dangerous? Doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists continue to search for better treatment options to this day, but one of the most effective now is the one that was invented by Frankl himself, who defined the very concept of such a vacuum. This method is called logotherapy, and its main goal is to help the patient regain the meaning of life. Simply put, the doctor must help a person gradually discover the lost meaning of life, demonstrating that this meaning has not completely disappeared, but is just lying on the distant shelves of consciousness and waiting for the moment when it will finally begin to be realized. Also, the doctor must help the patient regain the will to the meaning of life, since it is this that plays the most important role in ensuring that the person can function fully again.

Key reading for those interested

If you are interested in the topic of existential emptiness, then you should definitely read the professional literature on this topic. Naturally, first of all, we are talking directly about Frankl’s works themselves, which are the source of this phenomenon, as well as the source of all logotherapy and understanding of noogenic neurosis. Of course, other authors have also contributed to the study of this area. For example, Alexey Bolshanin published a very important book entitled “Emptiness and Existential Vacuum: Prospects for Existential Therapy.” From the title you can already understand what it is about: the author describes this phenomenon in detail, and also expresses his opinion on how such a problem should be treated and, naturally, predicts how this area will develop in the future. So, if you are interested in logotherapy, existential vacuum and noogenic neurosis, then there will be plenty of literature for you to familiarize yourself with.