Existentialism

In our short story unit we read "The Guest" which incorporated many existentialist ideas. This was very hard for me to comprehend at 9 in the morning. I work best with concrete ideas, and the idea that "to do is to be" went right over my head. After getting the packet about existentialism, I was able to understand the ideas better, but not necessarily comprehend them. I believe that a person's actions do not define them. For example, there are many people that would do anything to defend and protect their family, even if that entails them hurting another person. I do not think this makes someone a bad person just by one action.

My beliefs are more like those found in essentialism, which says that everyone has an unchanging "essence" inside them that affects their actions. When I think of "essence", I think of your soul or spirit or your normal personality  I believe some people are born optimistic while others are born pessimistic. I am an optimistic person, which has its positives and negatives. On the positive side I am almost always happy and see the best in people I come in contact with. Negatively, I put my trust in people that don't deserve it. I believe that everyone is good, until they do something to break my trust.