Existentialism

Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the key figures in the philosophy of existentialism and phenomenology, and one of the leading figures in 20th-century French philosophy and Marxism. Wikipedia

Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes individual existence, freedom and choice. It is the view that humans define their own meaning in life, and try to make rational decisions despite existing in an irrational universe.

A central proposition of Existentialism is that existence precedes essence, which means that the most important consideration for the individual is the fact that he or she is an individual—an independently acting and responsible, conscious being ("existence")—rather than what labels, roles, stereotypes, and definitions are placed upon the individual.

An example of existentialism would be when a person makes a decision about their life, follows through or does not follow through on that decision and begins to create their "essence." ... It is said in existentialism that existence comes first and essence comes second.

Existential Themes:
Importance of the individual. ...
Importance of choice. ...
Anxiety regarding life, death, contingencies, 

and extreme situations. ...
Meaning and absurdity. ...
Authenticity. ...
Social criticism. ...
Importance of personal relations. ...
Atheism and Religion.