With the 2016 presidential election quickly approaching, a popular conversation has been voter fraud and voter suppression. Voter suppression reached headline news with the Arizona state primary, and has been a controversy in the lead up to the presidential election since then. The act of suppressing votes, from both party lines, infringes upon the most fundamental American right; the right to vote in those who will speak on our behalf. It also brings up in interesting existentialist dilemma. Simone de Beauvoir believed that humanity can only ascertain its freedom if others choose it as well. IN the case of voter suppression, because others have denied the freedom to vote, it implies that there is no true freedom to choose. Additionally, the destruction of an individual’s responsibility recreates Kierkegaard’s
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Existentialist philosophers believed that the “individual must be returned to the central position of honor and focus” (Pearson 9.4). This shift in view point allowed them to explore our relationship to other humans and our freedom. This perspective shift was popularized at the time when “pressures to conform to homogenous social standards” we 're at an all time high. Additionally, the social impact and disparity from both World Wars played a part in popularizing this philosophical idea. Throughout the twentieth century the philosophers confronted the issue of responsibility in our choices. Sartre stated that we are “condemned to be totally free” meaning that we cannot blame anyone, not even God, for our choices in life. This statement had an important social context as at the time many Nazi’s claimed they were just following orders. However, if humanity is free to make choices then the choice to follow Hitler is their responsibility
Existentialist philosophers believed that the “individual must be returned to the central position of honor and focus” (Pearson 9.4). This shift in view point allowed them to explore our relationship to other humans and our freedom. This perspective shift was popularized at the time when “pressures to conform to homogenous social standards” we 're at an all time high. Additionally, the social impact and disparity from both World Wars played a part in popularizing this philosophical idea. Throughout the twentieth century the philosophers confronted the issue of responsibility in our choices. Sartre stated that we are “condemned to be totally free” meaning that we cannot blame anyone, not even God, for our choices in life. This statement had an important social context as at the time many Nazi’s claimed they were just following orders. However, if humanity is free to make choices then the choice to follow Hitler is their responsibility