Anxiety, Time, and Authenticity

Three major thinkers — Martin Heidegger, Martin Buber, and Søren Kierkegaard — have explored this existential condition.

The experience of anxiety has been tied to our struggle to find meaning in life, particularly in the face of death, uncertainty, and the limitations of time. Three major thinkers — Martin Heidegger, Martin Buber, and Søren Kierkegaard — have explored this existential condition, each providing unique insights into how anxiety shapes our understanding of Being. More than just psychological discomfort, anxiety, for these philosophers, is a window into the depths of human existence. It forces us to confront the transient nature of life, the potential for authentic relationships, and the leap of faith required for a meaningful existence.

This confrontation with finitude and nothingness is not simply a source of despair. Instead, it can serve as a path to authenticity, pushing us toward living in a way that reflects our deepest values and potentials. With the complexities of time and human relationships, the role of anxiety becomes crucial in determining whether we live authentically or fall into inauthentic modes of existence. Furthermore, the recurring phrase in the Bible, “fear and trembling,” which Søren Kierkegaard famously explored in his book Fear and Trembling, can…