View of RETRACING EXISTENTIALISM DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATION IN ENGINEERING RESEARCH & MANAGEMENT ISSN: 2348-4918 Peer Reviewed and Refereed Journal

VOLUME: 08, Special Issue 03, (IC-NCOCS-2021), Paper id-IJIERM-VIII-III, June 2021 RETRACING EXISTENTIALISM DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Ms. Sushma Kumari, Research Scholar

School of Basic & Applied Sciences, Maharaja Agrasen University, Baddi, H.P.

Abstract- Whatever may be the nature of catastrophes, natural or man-made they affect human beings equally and drastically. Many lives get affected in terms of loss of lives. But the most affected ones are those who get through these critical conditions and have to survive with the forever disturbing memories. Any catastrophe does not affect human life alone but also strongly affects it psychologically. The whole of humanity witnesses the drastic consequences of the recent pandemic covid-19. The global pandemic has engulfed many lives and still poses a threat to nations worldwide. It would not be an exaggeration to assert that all are worst affected irrespective of infected or not infected. Such situations are not uncommon in the world. Humankind has experienced such a crisis of existence for ages. But it is not denying the truth that such critical situations force us to rethink the most fundamental questions of our existence. That's why latent philosophies like existentialism come to the mainstream to assist us to understand and cope up with such situations. An existential crisis is the most necessary phase of existentialism and a necessary condition of all human beings. Therefore in this paper attempt is being made to understand the existential crisis in the context of the covid-19 pandemic and how the current situation intensifies the experience of existential crisis and its impact on the human psyche.

Keywords: Existentialism, Existential Crisis, Pandemic.

1 INTRODUCTION

Throughout history, various societies have shown that crisis is a fairly pervasive phenomenon that transcends time and space. Because no society can attempt to escape its clutches, it becomes everyone's responsibility to actively involve with the various crises and try to cope with them. Crisis in any form either man-made or natural catastrophes destroys mankind. Any type of crisis, whether man-made or natural, results in the annihilation of humanity. The current pandemic of covid-19 is not a new situation in the world. Since the dawn of time, the human race has been confronted with and subjected to certain calamities. However, in human lives, such events are a once-in-a-lifetime event. As a result, we should draw on previous generations' best practices and information gathered during times of crisis. The most pertinent questions that confront us in these challenging circumstances are: How do human beings persevere in the face of such enormous losses and never lose hope for a better future? Therefore, an effort has been made in this paper to interpret Existential theory from a different angle to rejuvenate our optimistic outlook more towards life and positivity.

2 PANDEMIC SCENARIO

We have witnessed that Covid -19 pandemic conditions have been one of the hardest and the critical phases of recent history and are still in the process of experiencing it. The psychological consequences of the covid-19 epidemic are unfathomable. The suffering, pain, chaos, hopelessness, and death are explicit. It develops the feeling of passivism in the face of crisis. It is one of the most critical phases on the face of the earth where human beings experiencing life-threatening conditions helplessly. Health mechanism has been crashed in most of the countries, the explosive pace of the pandemic completely failed government machinery to understand how to cope up with the catastrophe, and common man who is not only struggling with the pandemic situation but also grappling with the problem of earning bread and butter for the survival. Lockdown, on the one hand, aggravates the problems of those who work on daily wages, and on the other hand, the quarantine situation affects human being's psychology. Therefore, everyone is in utterly miserable condition. A sense of isolation, depression, and loneliness, as well as the fear of death, are greatly intensified in such circumstances.

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VOLUME: 08, Special Issue 03, (IC-NCOCS-2021), Paper id-IJIERM-VIII-III, June 2021 3 EXISTENTIAL CRISIS

The word crisis coming from the Latin ‘decision’ and Greek ‘krisis,’ refers to an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty; a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something, that affects an individual, group, community, or even a whole society. A personal crisis tends to occur when catastrophic events cause intense tension and stress in an individual, necessitating major decisions or actions to overcome. When a culture is caught off guard by unforeseen events, it will find itself in a crisis as it tries to find ways to cope with the changes. According to psychologists, a crisis does not always have to apply to a stressful situation, but rather to how an individual responds to an incident.

According to existentialists, “an existential crisis differentiates from other crises in that an existential crisis includes the inner conflicts and anxieties that accompany human responsibility, independence, freedom, issues of purpose and commitment.”(Gilliland and James,1993).

This existential crisis comprises of some significant tenets which are taken to ponder over the miserable condition of human beings in this pandemic. These tenets will define the mental condition of human beings during the existential crisis as:

1. Meaning lessness: Existentialism believes that human beings are always haunted by the feeling of emptiness because this meaninglessness is present behind all human activities. Human beings are afraid of this emptiness and find no escape from it.

Therefore, existentialists acknowledge the presence of meaninglessness and they admit it readily. This meaning lessness leads to the feeling of nothingness and consequently generates helplessness, anxiety, anguish, alienation, and finally the fear of death. This meaning lessens specifically alludes to the absurdity and purposelessness of human existence in this irrational world. The belief of the absurd comprises the ideal that the world has no meaning other than what meaning we human beings give to it. Existentialists believe that since this human existence is full of insecurity, therefore, anything absurd or threatening can happen to anyone.

Subsequently, these tragic occurrences may lead human beings to confrontation with the absurd. It renders everything useless and aimless. This existential meaninglessness is quite evident during covid-19 pandemic conditions. Ugly and horror truth of disease and death forces human beings to raise existential questions about the meaning of their existence. During this pandemic human beings are leading miserable lives where uncertainty and insecurity hover over them persistently. These dreadful and gloomy living conditions infuse the feeling of emptiness in life. This meaninglessness is intensified when social connectivity is merely reduced to social media sources. People are forced to be in separate confinements for indefinite period which obviously aggravates negative emotions in them. This meaninglessness leads to the existential feelings of alienation and loneliness.

2. Alienation: Alienation is one of the underlying principles of existentialism. It is well defined by the feeling of loneliness. It is an internal manifestation that springs from one’s deepest self. Alienation, according to Kierkegaard, who is considered the 'father of Existentialism'; is a continuous process in one's inner self, an internal experience dependent on one's attitude towards oneself. However, according to famous existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre, this condition of alienation can be identified by the way man is distanced from his self, from God, from nature or material world, and society, and this alienation are earned at the expense of human existence which is indeed a mandatory condition. Loneliness is an emotional aspect of existential crisis.

It is the most essential phase of existential crisis, which is characterized by the feeling of losing help and emotional vulnerability that generate the feeling of despair and helplessness. As far as the pandemic situation is concerned this alienation is evident not only among infected patients but those who are not infected, are more affected with the feeling of despair and helplessness. Since they do not find the security and help they expect in such situations. Failure of government machinery, the crash of the health support system, and Seeing Chaos everywhere naturally generates the feeling of despair and helplessness. This helplessness and despair are characterized by the feeling of anxiety, alienation, and fear. Affected people feel lonely and alienated. This alienation on the contrary allows understanding and reflecting upon to see things

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VOLUME: 08, Special Issue 03, (IC-NCOCS-2021), Paper id-IJIERM-VIII-III, June 2021

from a different perspective. The realization of one’s end is an essential characteristic of existential crisis. The existential crisis occurs in individuals mostly when they have suffered a loss. That's why in a pandemic situation why everyone is experiencing the same crisis of existence and therefore shares the same feelings of loss, despair, fear, and, anxiety.

3. Existential Angst: As Existential crisis generates existential agony due to the mentally and physically vulnerable existence of the individual. A similar kind of existential agony is endured by the victims of pandemics. Mentally they become vulnerable as they experience and witness the brevity of life. This emotional agony leads them to the feeling of losing hope and instills the feeling of despair and helplessness. So we cannot deny the fact that this vulnerability towards life is not evident in our psyche. But how to cope up with this vulnerability is a challenging situation.

4. Suicide and Fear of Death: Fear of death is another pertinent theme explored by existential thinkers. Death is the inevitable and inescapable part of human existence.

Illustrating the concept of death, Existentialist thinkers view death, not merely as an external phenomenon, but on the contrary, they consider it quite a personal and internal experience. Existentialists recognize death as an important factor that motivates in the process of attaining essence and authenticity in one's life. To make the concept of death and its significance more comprehensible, Heidegger states, "to freely accept death, to live in its presence, and to acknowledge that for it there is no substitute and into it, one must go alone, is to escape from all illusions and to achieve genuine dignity and authentic existence." (Fuller, 1955). Existentialists claim that in pursuance of being oneself, one must acknowledge death as a crucial and inseparable part of human life. Therefore, death should be acknowledged as a part of life that provides the sum and substance to one's existence. Human beings must accept and readily embrace the truth that one day everything is going to end. Everyone during such a pandemic crisis undergoes a strong sense of fear of death. This is the moment of existential crisis where the individual either fails to cope up with the crisis or to realize what to do next to overcome the crisis. If an individual fails to recognize the required and demanding choice and thereby the action made; he or she suffers deep frustration which may lead to committing suicide also. Fear and death loom everywhere and everyone is full of negative ideas rational decisions of choosing life and seeing an optimistic and hopeful approach supports them to sustain their survival. Those who acknowledged the situation as a part of Greater phenomena must understand that quitting is not the solution but to transcend the situation as a reality.

This is exactly what we witnessed during the pandemic crisis. Many people commit suicide in this quarantine confinement or in case if they are found infected. Therefore the anxiety and frustration engulf adversely not only to those who took such severe steps but it has been contemplated by many.

5. Authenticity or Good Faith: But as existentialism asserts to be authentic the real meaning of acquiring authenticity is to accept the situation, take responsibility, and try to overcome the situation even when there seems to be no end to the problem.

That is truly called the process of individualization where a person psychologically awakes of his or her strengths and weaknesses but still makes a balanced persona ready to face challenges calmly. Therefore having good faith during the crisis is the only remedy to cope up the adverse circumstances with positivity. Pandemic situation makes us understand that life doesn’t end so easily even when everyone around is struggling to survive. Thus positive perception and good faith towards future and hope for better conditions can help us to keep ourselves integrated and to make the right choices that may help resolve an existential crisis.

6. Reflection/Introspection: knowledge of self should always be the first and foremost task of any person. Introspection allows realizing one's genuine self, not deceptive one.

Reflection is a state of mind, in which a person enters while passing through different experiences. It includes one's close examination of one's past actions, thinking over their consequences, and observing the self. One gets a better understanding of one’s being. In the process of self-realization, one knows one's sufferings, strengths, and weaknesses and understands others also. Thus it brings refinement and balance to

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VOLUME: 08, Special Issue 03, (IC-NCOCS-2021), Paper id-IJIERM-VIII-III, June 2021

one's life. Every individual goes throw a harrowing experience either as a victim or under the threat of becoming a victim of the pandemic. Those who survive don't mean they didn't lose anything; every individual goes through a sense of loss, their lives reduced to hopelessness and despair. A pandemic manifests the general condition of every human being who suffers pain, loss, alienation, despair, and consequently; amid distress, chaos, and helplessness, many of them are forced to contemplate suicide but somehow realize that meaning lies only in living and not in embracing death voluntarily. Therefore, they struggle to come to terms with the normal course of life.

4 CONCLUSION

The global pandemic tends to spread to all realms of life encompassing social, economic, and personal lives, posing the threat of dire consequences. At the same time, this pandemic has forced us to reassess our beliefs, reflect on our lives, choices, and the consequences we are facing as a result of our unthinkable habits, way of life, and thinking.

As a result, we recognize that those things that were previously overlooked as insignificant suddenly become the highest priority in order to produce something more sustainable in terms of health and relationships. We have seen death so closely that we must learn the value of life and acknowledge it as the most precious treasure. So we should try to liberate our mind from all these bondages and should try to live every movement of it meaningfully.

Because, chaos in any form, whether it be meaninglessness in life, catastrophe, evil, or failure in life, does not define the trajectory of our lives, but how we respond to the circumstances does. Human beings must find purpose in their gloomy, insignificant existence in the greatest possible way. The existential view underlines the reality that crisis is an inevitable element of life that affects everyone, and the only way to deal with it is to explore ways to cope.

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