Beyond the Absurd: A Flipped Learning Journey into Existentialism
Here is the Mind Map of this Blog: Click Here
Here is the Detailed infograph of this blog:
What is Flipped Learning?
The video explains how to transform students from passive listeners into active investigators through Flipped Learning.
The Core Goal:
The educator's "quest" was to make students - even those on the "last bench" - come to class with their own questions rather than just answering the teacher's.
The 3-Step Process
Step 1: Preparation: The teacher shares videos and digital resources on a blog before class starts.
Step 2: Flexible Activity: Students study these materials at their own pace, either alone or in groups, before meeting face-to-face.
Step 3: The Classroom Session: Instead of a lecture, students fill the whiteboard with their own "probing" questions, and the teacher helps "connect the dots" between their ideas.
Key Result:
This method makes learning collective and argumentative, with over 84% of students reporting a positive experience.
Another video for understanding of Flipped Learning:
Video on Flipped Learning Task - Instructions on YouTube: Click here.
Existentialism is Humanism?
Video 1: What is Existentialism?
- Key Figures: While Jean-Paul Sartre popularized the term, the movement's roots are often traced back to Søren Kierkegaard. Other major influences include Nietzsche, Dostoevsky, and Kafka.
- The Three Pillars: The video defines existentialism through a "triangle" of three core concepts: Individuality, Freedom, and Passions.
- The Individual vs. the Crowd: Philosophical thinking must start with the individual subject rather than a "herd" or community.
- The Role of God: Existentialism includes both religious and atheistic perspectives. Some believe faith is only possible after facing the "absurdity" of life, while others, like Albert Camus, view belief in God as "philosophical suicide".
- Universal Themes: The movement is particularly popular with young people because it directly addresses the struggle with angst, despair, death, and the search for meaning.
Video 2: The Myth of Sisyphus: The Absurd Reasoning (Feeling of the Absurd)
- The Problem of Suicide: Camus famously asserts that suicide is the one truly serious philosophical problem.
- The Judgment of Life: Choosing suicide is a judgment that life is not worth living, often triggered by realizing life's inherent absurdity.
- A Personal Act: Suicide is described as an individual act prepared within the "silence of the heart," much like a great work of art.
- The Onset of Thought: The impulse toward suicide often begins when a person pauses to think, which can undermine their previous sense of purpose.
- The Feeling of Absurdity: This feeling arises from a "divorce" between an individual and their life or setting, making daily routines feel useless and suffering feel meaningless.
- The Absurd Reasoning: Camus investigates whether this absurdity dictates death, ultimately proposing a way of living that acknowledges the absurd without escaping through hope or suicide.
- The Absurd: This is the conflict between humans' innate desire for meaning and the "irrational," silent world that provides none.
- Philosophical Suicide: This occurs when a person recognizes the Absurd but tries to escape it by taking a "leap" into religious or transcendental belief.
- The "Leap": Camus criticizes thinkers like Kierkegaard and Shestov for turning the Absurd into a reason to find God, which he calls an "emotional trickster" move to avoid the truth.
- Camus' Solution: Instead of seeking hope or a way out, one should stay faithful to the evidence of the Absurd and live in a state of "conscious dissatisfaction" and "continual rejection".
- Dadaism as a Tool: It was a "quest for change" that used the destruction of old values to make room for new ones.
- Response to War: While Dadaism responded to the absurdity of WWI, Existentialism emerged as a response to the horrors of WWII.
- Nihilism vs. Dadaism: Although Dadaism rejected all existing rules, it is distinguished from Nihilism because its goal was to free the individual to create their own meaning.
- The Individual: Similar to existentialist thought, Dadaism pushed individuals to reject imposed traditions and "become who they are".
- Embracing the Absurd: Dadaists, like Tristan Tzara, did not fear the "Absurd" but rather embraced it as an elevated perspective on life.
Video 5: Existentialism - a gloomy philosophy
Here is a brief summary of the key thoughts from the video, "Existentialism: A Gloomy Philosophy":
Addressing Negativity: While Existentialism is often labeled as "gloomy" due to its focus on anxiety, despair, and absurdity, these subjects are explored specifically to find a solution to them.
Pathways to Relief: Different philosophers offer various ways to find relief from existential struggle, such as believing in God, discovering a personal truth, or embracing the absurd.
Individual Responsibility: A core tenet is that the individual must judge and choose their own meaning in life and take full responsibility for the consequences of that choice.
Individuality vs. Narcissism: The video clarifies that being an individual does not mean one is a narcissist; rather, it is about looking inward to "become who you are" instead of merely being "another brick in the wall".
Historical Context: Existentialism flourished as a post-war movement, offering a "cure" or response to the widespread feelings of meaninglessness and despair that followed World War II.
Existentialism is Not Nihilism: The video explicitly states that Existentialism is not the same as Nihilism and suggests they are no more related than a cigarette is to heroin.
Here are the key thoughts from the video:
Existentialism vs. Nihilism: The video asserts that these two are not the same. In fact, existentialists have consistently worked to combat nihilism in various ways.
Søren Kierkegaard: He viewed nihilism as the loss of individuality. His entire philosophical project was dedicated to promoting subjectivity as a counter-measure.
Friedrich Nietzsche: For Nietzsche, nihilism meant that "the highest values devaluate themselves." He spent his career fighting against this devaluation.
Emil Cioran and Passivity: The video uses Cioran as an example of "nihilistic consent" - a passive acceptance of life. It argues that Cioran's failure to commit suicide was not due to a love for life, but rather a lack of the "active life-affirming attitude" required for rebellion.
Albert Camus and Rebellion: In contrast to passivity, Camus (through works like The Myth of Sisyphus and The Rebel) argued that rebellion is the only proper and necessary response to the absurdity of life.
Video 7: Let us introduce Existentialism again!
- A Movement, Not a System: It is a philosophical movement rather than a rigid set of rules, popularized by thinkers like Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and later, Sartre and Camus.
- The Human Condition: The core focus is on the unique experience of being human, prioritizing individual feelings like anxiety and mortality over abstract "objective" theories.
- Rejection of Pre-made Meaning: Existentialists reject religious or scientific systems that offer "one-size-fits-all" answers, arguing these systems stifle personal freedom and authenticity.
- Existence Precedes Essence: This central idea suggests that humans are born without a predetermined purpose. We exist first, and then define who we are through our own free choices and actions.
- Overcoming Nihilism: Unlike nihilism (which claims life has no meaning), existentialism encourages people to create their own subjective values and personal purpose to overcome the "absurdity" of life.
Video 8: Explain like I'm Five: Existentialism and Nietzsche
This video explains Nietzsche and existentialism using simple terms that a child could understand:
Rules are Made Up: Most of the rules we follow (from parents or teachers) are just things people created. We often follow them without knowing why.
No Universal "Right or Wrong": Existentialism is the idea that there isn't one single set of moral rules that everyone in the world must follow.
The "Superman" (Übermensch): Nietzsche imagined a person called an Übermensch. Unlike a superhero who just saves people, this person is "super" because they decide for themselves what is good or bad instead of listening to others.
Personal Freedom: The main point is that you have the power to make your own rules and decide how to live your life, rather than just doing what society tells you to do.
Video 9: Why I like Existentialism? Eric Dodson
Here is a brief breakdown of the key points from Eric Dodson's video:
Lived Experience over Theory: Existentialism isn't just an academic subject; it's a "vital" philosophy that addresses the actual, messy experience of being alive.
The Weight of Freedom: We are born without a pre-defined purpose (existence precedes essence). This gives us total freedom, but also total responsibility for who we become.
Creating Meaning: Since the universe is "absurd" (meaningless on its own), it is our job to be the architects of our own values and significance.
Authenticity: Living authentically means facing the reality of death and the anxiety of choice without hiding behind societal roles or excuses.
Empowerment through Struggle: Dodson finds the philosophy hopeful. It acknowledges that feeling lost is a natural part of the human condition, encouraging us to embrace the "spark" of our own agency.
Video 10: Let us sum up: From Essentialism to Existentialism
Here is a brief summary of the key concepts from the Crash Course video:
Existence Precedes Essence: Unlike objects designed for a purpose, humans are born first (existence) and must define who they are (essence) through their own choices.
The Absurd: This is the tension between the human drive to find meaning and a universe that offers no inherent purpose or "manual" for living.
Radical Freedom: Because there is no pre-set destiny or divine plan, you are "condemned to be free" - entirely responsible for every action and value you adopt.
Living Authentically: To live truly, you must accept the weight of your freedom. Relying on others (religion, parents, or society) to tell you how to live is what Sartre calls "Bad Faith".
- Creating Meaning: While the world has no built-in meaning, this is empowering; it means you have the total authority to decide what makes your life and the world valuable.
You can watch the video here: Let us sum up: From Essentialism to Existentialism
PART : 2 My favorite video and the reason behind My choice
Personal Spotlight — Eric Dodson’s "Why I Like Existentialism"
Among all the resources, Eric Dodson’s video stood out most to me. While many academic lectures feel like "homework," Dodson’s approach felt like a genuine conversation about the human condition.
Real Talk: Why Philosophy Isn't Just for Old Books
We’ve all had those moments where we look at the world and think, "What’s the point?" or "Am I just following a script I never wrote?" After watching a bunch of videos about existentialism some that felt like being in a fast-paced classroom and others that felt like reading a heavy textbook the one that actually hit home for me was "Why I Like Existentialism" by Eric Dodson.
Why This One Stood Out
Most of the time, philosophy feels like "homework." You hear big words like ontology or teleology and your brain kind of shuts off. But Dodson’s video felt like a real person talking about their actual life. It wasn't just theory; it was human.
The Best Part: It’s About How You Live, Not Just How You Think
The biggest reason I loved this video is that it makes philosophy feel like a way of life rather than just a topic for an essay. Dodson doesn't just talk about abstract ideas; he talks about how these thoughts can help you live with more "verve, passion, and color."
He ends with a "Top 10" list of ways to actually be an existentialist in the real world. One point that really stuck with me was: "Question what you’ve been told." It’s such a simple but powerful reminder. We grow up being told exactly how to live go to school, get a job, buy stuff and we often forget that those are just "stock answers" from society. Dodson’s perspective makes the idea of "total freedom" feel less like a scary, empty void and more like a blank canvas where we get to be the artists.
Wrapping Up
A lot of people think existentialism is depressing, like saying "nothing matters." But as this video shows, it’s actually the opposite. It’s the ultimate "you're in charge" philosophy. It says that even if the universe doesn't give us a purpose, we have the incredible power (and responsibility) to create our own meaning.
In the end, it’s about making a life that feels honest to you, not just a copy of what everyone else is doing.
PART : 3 My learning outcomes from this activity
My Personal Takeaways: Making Sense of the Silence
1. From "Giving Up" to "Stepping Up"
Before this activity, I’ll admit I thought existentialism was just a fancy word for being sad about life. Now, I see it as the ultimate "power move." I’ve learned that the difference between Nihilism (believing nothing matters, so why try?) and Existentialism (believing nothing is pre-written, so I get to write it!) is huge. One is a dead end; the other is a blank check.
2. Reframing the "Scary" Stuff
I used to think that feeling anxious or lost was a sign that I was doing something wrong. After diving into Sartre and Kierkegaard, I realize that Angst is actually the "dizziness of freedom." It’s proof that I’m awake and aware of my choices. It’s not a weakness; it’s the price of admission for living an authentic life.
3. Spotting "Bad Faith" in My Own Life
The concept of Bad Faith really hit home. It’s so easy to say, "I have to do this because society/my parents/the rules say so." Camus and Sartre called me out on that. I’ve realized that whenever I hide behind an excuse to avoid making a choice, I’m committing a kind of "philosophical suicide." I’m learning to own my "essence" rather than letting it be assigned to me.
4. Life as a Work of Art
Connecting Dadaism with philosophy was an eye-opener. Just as the Dadaists tore up old art to make something new, I’ve realized that I don't need a "user manual" for life. Nietzsche’s Übermensch isn't a superhero - it’s just someone brave enough to make their own rules. I’m walking away with the realization that my life is a "deliberate work of art," and I’m the one holding the brush.
In Short...
This wasn't just a lesson in English or Philosophy; it was a lesson in agency. The flipped learning model forced me to stop waiting for the "right answer" from a professor and start looking for my own. I no longer see existentialism as a gloomy doctrine, but as a vibrant, loud, and slightly messy call to live life on my own terms.
PART : 4 Five thought-provoking questions
- Is the "Angst" we feel a sign of our weakness, or is it actually the ultimate proof of our strength?
- When we follow society’s rules without questioning them, are we living authentically or just hiding in "Bad Faith"?
- If the universe has no pre-written meaning, is that a depressing thought or the ultimate "blank canvas" for your life?
- Is finding joy in a repetitive, "absurd" daily routine a form of true rebellion, or just an escape from the truth?
- If you are the "architect of your own values," what is the first rule you would create for yourself today?
Additional Resources:
References:
Barad, Dilip. “Existentialism: Video Resources.” Existentialism: Video Resources, 19 Sept. 2016, blog.dilipbarad.com/2016/09/existentialism-video-resources.html. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
Barad, Dilip. “Flipped Learning Network.” Flipped Learning Network, 24 Jan. 2016, blog.dilipbarad.com/2016/01/flipped-learning-network.html. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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