What is an Existential Crisis?

Existential Crisis is what we experience when we start waking up with an uncomfortable feeling that life is gradually losing its sheen. We begin to wonder why we exist, what is the purpose of life, why should I continue to put one foot in front of the other. In other words, when we begin to ask Existential Questions, we find ourselves in the midst of an existential crisis.

Why do we ask Existential Questions?

The beginning of the existential crisis is often embedded in the passing away of someone who’s been very close, and since most of us experience the death of a loved one in our middle-age, our instance of this crisis is born then. Yet for some, it happens earlier, in their childhood perhaps, or at the cusp of childhood and adolescence…and if we look at history, we’d see some stark examples of what might happen when these questions are asked too early in life.

What is Existentialism?

Existentialism is all about exploring thoughts and discussing issues around the meaning and purpose of life and attempting to answer questions about existence (why the world exists? why we exist?)

I believe that most of us at some point in our lives, turn into existentialists, and most of us have, at some earlier time, scoffed at the existential questions. This transformation is a unique experience, and it has it’s roots in the loss of someone close. Suddenly, the memories associated with that person become painful, and the brain starts injecting itself with cognitive morphine so that the memories may fade. When we watch those memories fading, we realize that this would happen to us too – when we pass away.

This makes us ask the question, “What is the purpose of life?” and with this question, we step into our existential crisis. This is the question that made me write my first novel, “Viral Sin.”

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