This analysis will examine Kierkegaard's Despair is the Deadly Illness and, briefly, Stages on the Path of Life, to explore conceptions of the self and despair. Kierkegaard often uses pseudonyms in his texts to explore a particular point of view or to better relate to his readers. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Despair Is Disease Unto Death is written using the pseudonym Anti-Climacus, which is a reference to the early medieval monk Johannes Climacus who wrote Scales of Paradise. Kierkegaard does not agree with Johannes' idea that one can ascend to heaven by one's own efforts, which is why this pseudonym is Anti-Climacus. Kierkegaard and Anti-Climacus share similar views, however, Anti-Climacus is a more refined version of Kierkegaard. Kierkegaard was aware that he did not live up to the Christian ideal, so it was necessary to create a perfect Christian pseudonym to bring his ideas to life. Stages on Life's way is written under the pseudonym, which happens to come across three letters in his chest of drawers. Ermita is used to explore three different stages of life. The most pertinent is Judge William, who represents the ethical view and was created so that Kierkegaard could better relate to his readers. Distinguishing Kierkegaard from his pseudonyms is important because, although he created them, they do not always share his beliefs. In Anti-Climacus's Despair is the Deadly Sickness, the 'self' is defined as “a relation that relates to itself…”. A relation of ideas is a discussion of individual opposites. In the case of human beings, this refers to the finite and the infinite. So the self is this relationship that then relates to the self. Anti-Climacus thus clarifies that the human being is not born with a self, although all human beings have the potential to become a self. The human being is the synthesis of the finite and the infinite, yet something is missing. There is the implication that it is not enough to simply possess these relata, one must also actively relate to them to become a self. Considering that human beings are stuck between two orders, the finite and the infinite, they struggle between necessity and possibility. This is partly what causes the despair. Some aspects of human life, such as mortality, are impractical. These limitations must be recognized and embraced to live authentically. In contrast, some aspects of human beings are open to change. The self is not just the synthesis of these two halves of existence, but the continuous achievement of new syntheses throughout life, evident in every choice one makes. Anti-Climacus' use of the word "relationship" to define the self implies a degree of interdependence in selfhood. The authentic self does not just relate to itself and others, but must relate to itself and others to be a self. Anti-Climacus states that the formula that describes the non-desperate self is: “in relating to itself and wanting to be itself, the self rests transparently in the power that established it.” What is meant by this is not only that the self relates to itself and others, but also refers to the absolute, or God. The first sentence of Despair is the Deadly Illness is: “the human being is spirit”, which makes clear the obligatory connection between God and human choice. The relationship between the self and God is the ultimate relationship and foundation of the self's being. The self has the ability to transform only thanks to God. The awareness that God is possibility is what helps the individual overcome their desperation and allows self-transformation. The purpose of individuality is to become acertain kind of self, guided by the eternal. One form of desperation that Kierkegaard describes in a variety of works is desperation resulting from an inauthentic belief in God. He believes that practicing Christianity, the corrupt version of Christianity, will lead to desperation. Authentic Christianity requires the individual to strive towards self-transformation and the death of the ego, for one is not born a Christian. An authentic Christian must be faithful to the radical model of Christ, who stands for what he truly believes and dies with dignity. On the other hand, the individual who falls into Christianity finds comfort in institution, conformity and power. Kierkegaard argues that this individual betrays Christ's challenge to become an authentic self by failing to stand out from the crowd and stand up for what he truly believes. Not accepting Christ's challenge is one of the ways individuals can find themselves in despair. Anti-Climacus defines other forms of despair by creating an analogy between the doctor and the patient. He states that just as a doctor would say that a perfectly healthy human being does not exist, anyone can see that there is no human being who does not feel some degree of desperation. Anti-Climacus states that despair is the bad relationship in the relationship of the self, which means that an individual cannot relate to either the finite or the infinite. It is precisely because the human being possesses this synthesis that he despairs. The first form of despair detailed by Anti-Climacus is the absent or lost self. This individual is in a state of unconscious desperation and uses various coping mechanisms to hide it, such as distracting himself. However, when they experience a great loss, these coping mechanisms fail. In these cases, the individual will blame their despair on the external situation, failing to realize that they are actually despairing of themselves. The second form of desperation is the desperation of weakness. This individual is unable to answer the call to become the self that existence calls him to assume. Anti-Climacus states that this individual is in conscious desperation, but has no will. The third form of desperation is the desperation of defiance. This individual is trying to become a self on his own terms and fails to realize that the foundation of his being is the absolute. In defying the calling, this individual usurps God's position and fails to see that the self is not something he exclusively possesses, for individuality implies interdependence. Since the human condition produces desperation and anxiety, the tendency is to "escape" these states. The first way individuals try to escape is what Anti-Climacus calls the desperation of infinity. This individual has an idealistic personality and cannot see the limits of his existence. Since they are constantly tied to their imagination, they constantly dream about what they could do without accomplishing much. In contrast, there is the desperation of finitude, which comes from the idea that there is no greater purpose in life. This individual is focused on material existence and is satisfied with what is handed down to him by society. Anti-Climacus's problems with the conventional view of desperation are that it assumes that every person knows whether or not they are desperate, sees desperation as an unusual condition, and does not understand what "spirit", "illness", or "health" is ". I really am. An individual is considered healthy by the public if that individual says he or she is not sick, however, doctors have a different view of illness because they have a fully developed conception of what "healthy" is. Doctors know that the possibility of imaginary illnesses exists and, in general, do not take the statements ofan individual about their health. Individuals who claim to be desperate may not actually be desperate and vice versa. Furthermore, conventional wisdom overlooks that despair is different from other illnesses because it is an illness of the spirit. When a doctor has made sure that someone is well and that person later becomes ill, then the doctor can say that this person was once healthy but is now ill. This is not the case with desperation. As soon as it becomes apparent that an individual is in despair, it is clear that the individual was in despair all along. Despair is not temporary like a rash or a cold; despair is a “qualification of the spirit,” which is eternal, therefore despair is eternal. The symptoms of despair present themselves differently from other illnesses because they can oppose each other. For example, not being desperate can signal being desperate, yet never feeling desperate is also being desperate (Marino 68). The first step to “cure” despair is to recognize that you are desperate. Curing despair also requires that humans recognize both their finite and infinite existence. Many people live without recognizing their infinite potential, which is why they feel secure. Some individuals live only in the realm of infinite potential and cannot recognize their own finiteness. While recognizing both halves of this synthesis is no easy feat, one cannot become an authentic self without doing so (Marino 84-87). Despair is simultaneously our worst misfortune and our saving grace. It signals that something is wrong and yet helps people realize their authentic selves. The wasted life is one in which the individual never realizes their infinite potential because they are so caught up in earthly life. An even greater loss is to the individual who never has the impression that there is a God before he exists. So another solution to despair is faith. Although Anti-Climacus specifically means Christian faith, it is possible to conceive of faith as a kind of trust in this context. With this trust in the ground of one's being and trust in the "calling," the individual can become the self they are meant to be without despairing in the process. Although it is important to keep in mind that the individual must remain aware of their relationship and dependence on God for this transformation. In Stages on Life's Way, Judge Williams assumes that the aesthetic individual is more prone to despair because he seeks continuous pleasure, however, pleasure has limits like pain. Anti-Climacus confirms this view, stating that "this self... would have been in seventh heaven (a state, after all, which is another sense is equally desperate). Furthermore, the aesthetic individual is similar to a hedonist ; lives life according to their own impulses and emotions. Therefore, they are not only at the mercy of their own whims, but also have a very limited vision of their own existence Anti-Climacus points out that desperation can thrive in happiness Even the person who seems not despair is desperate, but may simply not be aware of this fact. Because the general public believes that people are healthy when they say they are, this individual's desperation may never be addressed and may never live a fully authentic life recognition that this worldview leads to a vicious cycle, leading to despair, is what drives Judge Williams to ask the either/or question of the aesthetic individual in Stages on Life's Way. This individual may get stuck in this cycle or may decide to live more meaningfully. In our current age, desperation is fueled by the increasing use and dependence on technology,..