It’s hard to deny that we live in a world that can often seem chaotic, indifferent, and even meaningless. Whether it’s the unpredictability of global events, the confusion surrounding personal purpose, or simply the overwhelming flood of information and choices, the question of life’s meaning can feel daunting. For many of us, this sense of meaninglessness leads to a kind of existential despair.
Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, often called the father of existentialism, tackled this feeling of absurdity head-on. In his writings, he dealt with the absurd nature of existence and how we, as individuals, must confront it. Kierkegaard’s thoughts offer a powerful framework for anyone who has ever grappled with despair or the seeming lack of meaning in life. While many of his insights were born from his own struggles with faith and self-identity, they are surprisingly relevant to the challenges we face today.
The Absurdity of Existence
Kierkegaard’s approach to life’s absurdity begins with a simple yet challenging idea: there is no inherent meaning waiting to be discovered in the world. Life, at its core, can appear random, unfair, and unyielding. Natural disasters, illness, death, or even everyday struggles can shake our understanding of the universe as a just and ordered place.
But Kierkegaard didn’t see this as the final word on life. Instead, he believed that confronting the absurd was an essential step in the process of self-discovery and personal growth. It’s in this space—where life doesn’t provide easy answers—that we are given the opportunity to create meaning for ourselves.
Despair: The Starting Point
Kierkegaard described despair as the “sickness unto death”—a deep, internal struggle in which a person feels trapped between the reality of their life and the possibilities that seem forever out of reach. According to Kierkegaard, this despair arises from the tension between who we are and who we feel we could be.
For him, despair wasn’t something to be dismissed or avoided. Instead, he viewed it as an integral part of the human experience. Despair is the moment where we confront the absurdity of life. It’s that sinking realisation that there are no guarantees, that life doesn’t always unfold as we plan, and that many of our aspirations may remain unfulfilled.
But—and this is crucial—despair is not the end of the road. In fact, for Kierkegaard, despair was an invitation to step into a more authentic relationship with life. It’s a wake-up call that can propel us toward greater self-awareness and a more meaningful existence.
Taking Responsibility for Our Own Meaning
One of Kierkegaard’s core insights is that meaning isn’t handed to us on a silver platter. We don’t find it in a job title, a relationship, or societal approval. Meaning is something we must actively create, and this requires us to take responsibility for our own lives.
In Kierkegaard’s view, this is where many people falter. We often avoid taking responsibility for our own meaning-making because it’s difficult, and it requires confronting uncomfortable truths. We might distract ourselves with endless activities, conform to societal expectations, or blame external circumstances for our dissatisfaction.
But for Kierkegaard, the only way out of despair is to face the fact that we must choose who we are and what our life will stand for. No one else can do it for us. It’s in this act of choosing—of committing to a purpose or direction, even in the face of uncertainty—that we begin to overcome despair and find real meaning.
Faith as a Leap
While Kierkegaard’s philosophy is deeply personal, he saw faith as a vital component of this meaning-making process. For him, faith wasn’t about blind belief or rigid adherence to dogma. Instead, faith was a “leap”—an act of embracing life’s uncertainties while still choosing to believe that there is value and meaning beyond what we can immediately see or understand.
Kierkegaard famously used the term “leap of faith” to describe this act of trusting in something bigger than ourselves, despite the lack of clear evidence. In his case, this leap was centred on a belief in God and the ultimate meaning of life beyond earthly suffering. But even outside of a strictly religious context, Kierkegaard’s notion of faith can be applied more broadly. It’s about believing in the value of living authentically and in the power of our choices to shape our destiny, even when we can’t control every outcome.
Faith, in this sense, is an act of courage. It’s the recognition that we don’t have all the answers, and that life’s absurdity will always be there. But instead of succumbing to despair, we can choose to live with purpose and conviction.
Finding Meaning in the Modern World
In today’s world, where uncertainty and chaos are ever-present, Kierkegaard’s insights feel especially relevant. Many people today find themselves in a state of existential limbo, unsure of how to make sense of their place in a world that feels increasingly fragmented. The rise of social media, economic instability, and global crises can contribute to a sense of powerlessness and disconnection.
But Kierkegaard’s philosophy reminds us that the chaos of the external world doesn’t define us. Instead, meaning comes from within—from the choices we make and the values we commit to. While we can’t control everything, we do have the power to choose how we respond to life’s absurdity.
This process of meaning-making requires us to ask hard questions: What do we value? What are we willing to stand for? How can we live authentically, even when life doesn’t provide easy answers? These questions don’t have quick or simple solutions, but that’s precisely the point. It’s through wrestling with these questions that we begin to carve out a meaningful life.
Kierkegaard’s wrestling with the absurd wasn’t about finding a neat solution to life’s big questions. Instead, he saw the absurd as an essential part of the human experience—one that we must confront if we’re to live authentically.
In a world that often feels chaotic, meaningless, or indifferent, Kierkegaard’s message is one of hope and empowerment. While we may not be able to find meaning in the world around us, we can create meaning through our choices, our faith, and our commitment to living authentically.
Rather than avoiding despair, Kierkegaard encourages us to confront it head-on, knowing that it’s only by doing so that we can break free from the grip of meaninglessness and move toward a life of purpose and fulfilment. In embracing life’s absurdity, we find not defeat, but the opportunity to define who we are and what we stand for.