According to Engler (2009) existentialists seek to understand anxiety, despair and alienation as it relates to our society today. Existentialists argue that there is no truth or reality, and thus our goal as humans is to exist. Rollo May’s view of health and neurosis, suggests that healthy people have predictable and consistent behaviors, whereas neurotic individuals have predictable compulsive behaviors. May theorized that personality dysfunctions are instigated by a perceived powerlessness, anxiety, and a loss of previously held values. May argues that humanity has a choice and a responsibility in developing a new better society that is free from factors which escalates anxiety, fear of loss of values, and powerlessness (Engler, 2009). Engler (2009) explains
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Existentialists deny the existence of objective or absolute truth. Truth and right and wrong are determined by the individual, whose view of truth may be distorted. Although May advocates for new myths that give new meaning and possibility to our existence, how can we have meaning when we hold that ‘nothing has meaning’, ‘nothing has value’ and ‘nothing matters’ since our end goal is to just exist. The theory does not give humanity a sense of hope, since nothing matters as long as one lives life with a passion and has the capacity to choose, love and create.
Explain how this information impact how you view clients? If it will affect your view, explain
I had a hard time accepting some of the philosophical assumptions behind May’s theory, thus, I am unlikely to incorporate his theory in understanding personality development. However I do agree with the Existential theory that powerlessness, anxiety and loss of value contribute to personality dysfunction. I also appreciate the theory’s assertion that freedom and personal responsibility are inseparable, a concept that many humanistic approaches do not stress.
Existentialists deny the existence of objective or absolute truth. Truth and right and wrong are determined by the individual, whose view of truth may be distorted. Although May advocates for new myths that give new meaning and possibility to our existence, how can we have meaning when we hold that ‘nothing has meaning’, ‘nothing has value’ and ‘nothing matters’ since our end goal is to just exist. The theory does not give humanity a sense of hope, since nothing matters as long as one lives life with a passion and has the capacity to choose, love and create.
Explain how this information impact how you view clients? If it will affect your view, explain
I had a hard time accepting some of the philosophical assumptions behind May’s theory, thus, I am unlikely to incorporate his theory in understanding personality development. However I do agree with the Existential theory that powerlessness, anxiety and loss of value contribute to personality dysfunction. I also appreciate the theory’s assertion that freedom and personal responsibility are inseparable, a concept that many humanistic approaches do not stress.