Entering

Chapter 1: What is an Existentialist?

Chapter 2: What is Existentialism?
Overview and History of Existentialism
Existentialism and Consciousness
Temporariness
Substitute existence
Freedom and Responsibility
Freedom and Disability
The limits of freedom
Freedom and Anxiety

Chapter 3: How Not to Be an Existentialist
Self-deception is not self-deception.
A light woman and a woman who is passionate
Employees and actors
Representatives of homosexuality, integrity, and transcendence
deliberate ignorance
An existential digestive that digests contingency, vomiting, and self-deception.
Mustache and 'Salo'

Chapter 4: The Path to Authenticity
Authenticity, Facing Reality
existence in a situation
Freedom as a value
The Problem with 'Truly Existing'
Authenticity and intelligence
Authenticity and Others
Nietzsche's Authenticity: Regret Nothing
Heidegger's Authenticity: Being Toward Death

Chapter 5: Existential Counseling

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Why existentialism now?

Perhaps because it encompasses such a diverse spectrum that it is difficult to define in a single word, few philosophies are as misunderstood as existentialism.
Because it defines meaninglessness and absurdity as essential, it is sometimes misunderstood as a gloomy and pessimistic philosophy, and because of Sartre's Marxist tendencies and Camus's rebellious human type, it is sometimes misunderstood as a dangerous ideology.
But in this book, Gary Cox reveals the true nature of existentialism as a philosophy with hopeful and life-changing potential.

Existentialism is ultimately a positive, optimistic, and anti-nihilistic philosophy! No kidding, really.
How could that be?
Because existentialist philosophy argues that we can live with integrity and worth, despite the inherent meaninglessness and irrationality of human existence, and it teaches us how to do so (p. 33).

It doesn't stop at revealing the true face of existentialism.
Gary Cox distinguishes between existentialists and existentialist philosophers.
Just because you know a lot about existentialist philosophy doesn't mean you can be called an existentialist.
And it tells us how to live as a true existentialist.

Life is terribly unfair.
Even a person who exerts himself to the point of shaking heaven and earth and tearing every tendon in his body can still be defeated by an opponent with innate talent.
Impossible communism, situations beyond your control, and sometimes even that damn weather can cause you to lose.
But that doesn't matter.
The important issue here is not whether it is fair to everyone.
It's not that I avoid harsh words because I'm worried about hurting the other person.
It is important to determine a desirable attitude toward life.
Living a desirable, dignified, and existential way does not involve making excuses like, “I did my best.”
Maybe I didn't do my best, but I can do much better next time.
Maintaining dignity and respect is a true existential virtue. (p. 174)

Our society is facing a more dire reality than ever before: college entrance exam competition, youth unemployment, job insecurity, extreme income disparity, the world's highest suicide rate, and the world's lowest birth rate.
People who are driven into a terrible reality tremble with anxiety and look for a place to lean on.
A society in need of healing is an unhappy society.
Comfort is important, but isn't the attitude of facing reality as it is and confronting it what our society really needs?

The reason most people fail to see the existential truth surrounding human reality is not because they lack knowledge, but because they do not want to see it.
Of course, the fact that people do not want to see the truth implies that they have seen the truth.
Having witnessed the existential truth surrounding human reality, and so disturbed by its appearance, people desperately seek to avoid it by resorting to self-deception, hoping to avoid facing it again. (p. 180)

Existentialists believe that the ability to know the truth, to understand the way things exist, and to face life as it is requires not so much intellectual ability as courage and sincerity to face reality.
I hope that through this book, our young people will gain the courage and sincerity to face reality.