Introduction
Many philosophies are trying to provide their own, unique explanation of the world and humans’ place in it. One of them, existentialism, suggests that people “exist before there is the essence and cannot but create or construct essence and meaning” (Vandekerckhove, 2020, p. 130).
Discussion
According to that philosophy, being a human means having endless choices and possibilities, though the correlated responsibility is inescapable. Existential everydayness is indifferent, which makes it difficult for humans to live an authentic life. Finally, existentialism suggests that the primary meaning of human life is death, which is why it is the most significant part of being a human (Vandekerckhove, 2020). Life itself may vary during a person’s existence, but there is only one possible ending.
As it is known, the coronavirus pandemic has been torturing our planet and the people inhabiting it for more than two years now. COVID-19 has become a widescale issue that has affected the entire world, which is why it appears interesting to evaluate the virus from an existential viewpoint. According to Vandekerckhove (2020), one of the core tenets of existentialism is associated with people being “thrown into the world” (p. 130). Humans can create and build their lives, but they cannot change the place in which they have to live. Existential philosophy suggests that the coronavirus pandemic is an unavoidable circumstance of living, and people have no other choice but to embrace it and adjust to it.
Conclusion
However, the philosophy of existentialism may help people deal with the pandemic issue because of such an attitude. Once humans can consider coronavirus from an existential viewpoint, they may take it easier, accepting the situation and not being overly nervous about it.
Reference
Vandekerckhove, W. (2020). COVID, existentialism and crisis philosophy. Philosophy of Management, 19(2), 127-132.