Existential Angst
There is a term "Existential Angst", coined by the philosopher Søren Aabye Kierkegaard, to describe a fear of failing in one's responsibilities to God. This was later broadened to cover a fear of failing to reconcile one's responsibilities with one's abilities and principles. But I don't think that the description really does justice to the term "Angst".
I feel that the term Angst refers to something much more than mere fear. Munch's painting The Scream, which conveys to some extent the essence of angst, shows the sheer depth of the feeling. Mere fear, say of something physical, like the fear of dentists, is a real fear, but is not in the same league as angst. Mere fear does not include the feelings of helplessness, valuelessness and powerlessness, or lack of the prospect of any sort of respite, and the terror that induces in one, that characterise angst as portrayed in the painting. Did I leave out hopelessness?
When people talk about depression they talk about being "down" or "feeling worthless". While these are components of depression, they are relatively minor, I feel, compared to the angst. The feeling, which feels like knowledge, that you are worthless and that there is no hope to allieviate your helplessness is a strong part of depression that the usual definitions do not really bring out. Though they may touch on these matters.
Did I say no hope? The concept of hope finds no place in the sufferer's mind, his surroundings, the universe. Hope does not exist for him.
The Wikipedia entry for clinical depression is typically lacking. In part it says "A person suffering a major depressive episode usually exhibits a very low mood that pervades all aspects of life and an inability to experience pleasure in activities that formerly were enjoyed. Depressed people may be preoccupied with, or ruminate over, thoughts and feelings of worthlessness, inappropriate guilt or regret, helplessness, hopelessness, and self hatred".
All good stuff, but it leaves out the terror and the dread, the existential angst that is part of depression. It leaves out the very part that characterizes a depressive illness and the part that leads people to suicide as the only exit open to them. It leaves out the part where one looks into one's own soul and finds a festering pit, or a miasma.
But mere words do not convey the feeling and state of depression. They never could.
I feel that the term Angst refers to something much more than mere fear. Munch's painting The Scream, which conveys to some extent the essence of angst, shows the sheer depth of the feeling. Mere fear, say of something physical, like the fear of dentists, is a real fear, but is not in the same league as angst. Mere fear does not include the feelings of helplessness, valuelessness and powerlessness, or lack of the prospect of any sort of respite, and the terror that induces in one, that characterise angst as portrayed in the painting. Did I leave out hopelessness?
When people talk about depression they talk about being "down" or "feeling worthless". While these are components of depression, they are relatively minor, I feel, compared to the angst. The feeling, which feels like knowledge, that you are worthless and that there is no hope to allieviate your helplessness is a strong part of depression that the usual definitions do not really bring out. Though they may touch on these matters.
Did I say no hope? The concept of hope finds no place in the sufferer's mind, his surroundings, the universe. Hope does not exist for him.
The Wikipedia entry for clinical depression is typically lacking. In part it says "A person suffering a major depressive episode usually exhibits a very low mood that pervades all aspects of life and an inability to experience pleasure in activities that formerly were enjoyed. Depressed people may be preoccupied with, or ruminate over, thoughts and feelings of worthlessness, inappropriate guilt or regret, helplessness, hopelessness, and self hatred".
All good stuff, but it leaves out the terror and the dread, the existential angst that is part of depression. It leaves out the very part that characterizes a depressive illness and the part that leads people to suicide as the only exit open to them. It leaves out the part where one looks into one's own soul and finds a festering pit, or a miasma.
But mere words do not convey the feeling and state of depression. They never could.
Labels: angst, Depression, existential
posted by Barzoomian at 3:14 AM
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