033: How To Conquer Existential Despair - Søren Kierkegaard

Lessons from ‘Sickness Unto Death’ by Søren Kierkegaard.

Søren Kierkegaard (May 5, 1813 - Nov 11, 1855) is the father of existentialism. His work laid the groundwork for later existentialist thinkers. In 'Sickness Unto Death', he argues that your despair arises from your misrelation between the finite and the infinite aspects of ourselves. Despair is not simply an emotion but a true dread beyond dying because you aren't living per your true self. This is worse than sickness unto death. And finally, in the book, he gives his solution to overcoming despair.

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Shownotes

00:00 - Excerpt from ‘Sickness unto death’

04:40 - All suffer from despair

7:35 - Man’s relationship to self

12:55 - Three types of despair for Kierkegaard

15:50 - What is sickness unto death?

19:45 - Harmonize the Infinitude and finitude

24:30 - Don’t be ignorant of your state of mind: the man who lives in a basement

28:14 - Don’t avoid defeating your despair by living a life of distraction

42:00 - The drunkard who loses his legs

43:20 - The role of sin in magnifying your despair

48:27 - Defeat despair by acting out of love and in love

53:35 - Challenge