{"id":5980,"date":"2025-03-19T15:08:24","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T15:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/?p=5980"},"modified":"2025-11-15T22:04:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T22:04:10","slug":"why-kierkegaards-philosophy-is-your-secret-weapon-for-navigating-lifes-big-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/2025\/03\/19\/why-kierkegaards-philosophy-is-your-secret-weapon-for-navigating-lifes-big-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Kierkegaard\u2019s Philosophy is Your Secret Weapon for Navigating Life\u2019s Big Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hey future philosophers! If you\u2019re reading this, you\u2019re probably knee-deep in A-levels, pondering university choices, and maybe even stressing about what comes next. Sound familiar? Let\u2019s talk about how S\u00f8ren Kierkegaard (a 19th-century Danish thinker) might just become your new guide for tackling life\u2019s chaos with purpose. Spoiler: His ideas are way<\/em> more relatable than you\u2019d think. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. \u2018Becoming You\u2019 Isn\u2019t Automatic – It\u2019s an Adventure<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kierkegaard\u2019s big idea? You aren\u2019t born a \u2018self, you become one through choices. Think of it like crafting your personal playlist: you can\u2019t just hit shuffle on society\u2019s expectations. Choosing your uni course, hobbies, or even your values? That\u2019s you creating your identity. Scary? Sure. But Kierkegaard would high-five you for it: \u2018The hardest task? Becoming you<\/em>.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Stop Overthinking\u2014Just Jump In!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ever read 10 reviews before watching a show? Kierkegaard warns: Life isn\u2019t a Netflix synopsis. He uses a killer analogy: You can\u2019t learn to swim by reading about it. You gotta dive in. Applying to philosophy? Don\u2019t just obsess over grades or job prospects – ask, \u2018Does this feel<\/em> right?\u2019 Your gut matters more than any \u2018objective\u2019 checklist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Faith \u2260 Religion (But It Is About Trusting Yourself)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kierkegaard\u2019s famous \u2018leap of faith\u2019 isn\u2019t just for saints. It\u2019s about committing to choices without guarantees. Choosing a degree in philosophy over, say, law? That\u2019s your leap. It\u2019s not irrational – it\u2019s courageous.  As Kierkegaard says, true passion lies in \u2018subjective commitment,\u2019 not cold, hard logic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Anxiety is Your Superpower <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stressed about uni offers? Future uncertainty? Kierkegaard gets it. He calls anxiety \u2018the dizziness of freedom.\u2019 But here\u2019s the twist: That pit in your stomach? It\u2019s proof you\u2019re alive, not just coasting. Every time you panic about \u2018getting it wrong,\u2019 remember: Growth happens outside comfort zones<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Ditch the Crowd\u2014Be Weirdly You<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instagram making you feel like you\u2019re \u2018behind\u2019? Kierkegaard roasts conformity: \u2018The crowd is untruth.\u2019 Your life isn\u2019t a TikTok trend. Philosophy isn\u2019t about memorizing dead guys\u2019 quotes, it\u2019s about asking, \u2018What do I<\/em> think?\u2019 Whether it\u2019s defending a controversial essay point or picking a niche uni course, own your weird. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Death? Think of It as a Motivational Coach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morbid? Maybe. But Kierkegaard says confronting mortality isn\u2019t about gloom, it\u2019s about clarity. Imagine asking, \u2018If I died tomorrow, would I regret playing it safe?\u2019 Harsh, but effective. Choosing a path that matters<\/em> to you (not just your parents or peers) is what Kierkegaard calls \u2018authenticity.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why This Matters for Your Future<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studying philosophy isn\u2019t just about dusty books. it\u2019s training to navigate life\u2019s messiness. Kierkegaard teaches you to embrace uncertainty, make bold choices, and build a life that\u2019s uniquely yours. And guess what? Uni is the perfect lab for this. Whether you\u2019re debating existentialism or just trying to adult, his ideas turn confusion into curiosity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, ready to leap? Kierkegaard\u2019s waiting, and trust me, philosophy departments love<\/em> students who ask, \u2018But why?\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hey future philosophers! If you\u2019re reading this, you\u2019re probably knee-deep in A-levels, pondering university choices, and maybe even stressing about what comes next. Sound familiar? Let\u2019s talk about how S\u00f8ren […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":541,"featured_media":5981,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46,47,4,43],"tags":[45],"class_list":["post-5980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kierkegaard","category-backup-2025","category-blog","category-philosophy","tag-kierkegaard"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/541"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5980"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5980\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5983,"href":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5980\/revisions\/5983"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.glos.ac.uk\/rpe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}