There are times when our characters are strong enough to drive the plot on their own, regardless of any conflicts. There are times when it seems that our fictional universes revolve around our character. At the same time, our characters have some knowledge of this. They know that they can influence the ending of the story through their own actions. They know they’re free to do whatever they please, all the while understanding that they themselves are responsible for their own actions. This kind of thinking is a well-known philosophy known as existentialism.

Existentialism is the idea that people are in control of their own actions. Because of the uncertain world we live in, we must live authentically. Society doesn’t dictate who and what we are; we must determine for ourselves our roles and meaning. Søren Kierkegaard, widely considered to be one of the first existentialists, even stated that in and of the world itself there is no meaning and that it’s up to us, as humans, to give it meaning. Existentialism validates our worth and bridges the gap between us as individuals and the environment around us.

But while that is a positive message, there’s also an underlying sense of dread. Many people empower themselves by believing in a supernatural force to give them meaning. In fact, a lot of religions, monotheistic or polytheistic, relay the same lesson time and time again; that we must be subservient to a deity in order to have worth. A lot of these individuals tend to worry that humanity has been given too much freedom and that if there is no higher being to keep us in check, then we have no value.

Picture this. There’s a person standing at the edge of a cliff. Because there is no meaning in the world, nothing is stopping them from falling off the cliff, nor is there anything stopping anyone from jumping off that cliff, simply because there’s nothing holding them back. That is the inevitable reality of existentialism. When someone invests so much of their time into their being, whether it is to become a good human being or to excel in their hobbies, according to existentialism, when they realize just how meaningless their own pursuits truly are, they fall into this pit of hopelessness. They don’t know what else to do, or who they even are because they’ve built their identities around concepts they thought would give them meaning, but in reality, don't.

Because of this rather brutal idea, it’s no wonder many books explore it. H.P Lovecraft is known for his existential works, where humanity was confronted with the horrors of the unknown. Other works include Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick, Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, and Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. TV shows like Rick and Morty also delve into existential ideas, however depressing the adventures may be.

There are a lot of good qualities in existentialism. It pushes us to take control of our own situation and to assign meaning to our own lives in an otherwise hopeless and meaningless world. At the same time, there’s nothing stopping us from doing something immoral or illegal. Nonetheless, it’s one way to deal with the difficulties in our lives.