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Sitaram · Site Admin Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 1079

Eighth Grade Existentialism

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Date: Sat Jul 13, 2002 9:03 am

When my stepson was in 8th grade, I saw a copy of Camus' novel, "The
Plague," on his desk, and I was startled to think that such a book
was required reading for an 8th grader, so I asked him "are you
reading this for school?"

He became alarmed and said "Is it a bad book?" (he was worried that
it was something he shouldn't be reading).

I said, "No, it's a fine book. I'm just surprised if they require you
to read it." He explained that it was not required reading. He
simply chose it on his own because it seemed interesting.

He then asked me "What is surprising about an 8th grader reading
Camus,.... what sort of writer is he?"

I said "Well, Camus is an Existentialist of sorts."

Then he asked, "What is an Existentialist?"

I answered, "Aha, that is a very interesting question! Let's look up
Existentialism in the encyclopedia. But I guarantee you that when we
are done reading the article, you will see that basically, it will
say that it is hard to define Existentialism."

We read the article on Existentialism together, and when we finished,
he agreed that it didn't really explain what Existentialism is.

I tried to explain, "If you keep reading lots of books by
Existentialists like Camus, Sartre, Kierkegaard, etc., then, very
slowly, you will perhaps change and see the world through the eyes of the
Existentialists, and you too will be Existentialist in your thinking.
Similarly, if you read lots and lots of Plato's dialogues, you will possibly
slowly change and begin to see the world in Platonic terms. You are
Roman Catholic and have always gone to Catholic schools, so you see
the world through the eyes of Catholicism.

So, then he asked, "Well, is that GOOD?" (i.e. is it good to see the
world through the eyes of Existentialism.)

I answered, "It is not a matter of being good or bad, as if there is
only one right way to see the world. BUT, I will say, it is far
better to see the world through SOME kind of eyes, with some kind of
perspective, be it Existentialist, Platonic, Roman Catholic, etc.,
then to not look at the world at all, and go through life with your
eyes closed."

That was an eighth grader's first venture into existentialism.

vangshardt · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 3

Well, you teach him, what all parents should teach their childeren:

"it is far better to see the world through SOME kind of eyes,"

Im 17, and all most everyone around me reamains incapable of doing that. That leaves me in a position of feeling different (in a good way tough), but i can't help asking myself, why people don't start going through some kind of search for a pair of eyes.

And why aren't ther encouraged to do so? I guess it's 'cause their parents weren't either.

SFG75 · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:38 am Post subject:

I couldn't think of a more perfect book for young adults. That is a time in your life where you are trying to figure out who you are, what you believe, as well as trying to figure out the general goal of life. While many don't become existentialists because of existential work, it is enough to slog the long-silent slumber of beliefs that have been inherited, rather than worked through, by youth.

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