The 'Good' Life for Kierkegaard

Subjectivity versus truth and moving forward with faith.

A lot can happen in a week, but a lot can happen in a lifetime.

What makes a ‘good’ life, as we’ve established throughout this series, is worth contemplating, especially when we consider the vast expanse of time each of us are responsible for throughout our lives.

We are fortunate to live in an era of unprecedented abundance. Technology and innovation have gifted us with more time—for ourselves, loved ones, leisure, work, travel, productivity, entertainment, and countless ways to spend our finite days. There’s never been a better moment in human history to consider what creates a ‘good’ life, given the time we each now have at our disposal.

Among the great philosophers, Søren Kierkegaard stands out in my mind—partly because of my introduction to his ideas by a markedly distinctive professor. While his name escapes me, the memory of his fiery red beard resting on his sternum remains etched into my memory. I even recall where I sat in class—to the back right hand corner of the room. Though my mind sometimes wondered, if I’d recognise him without his beard walking down the street, his lectures are memorable, also for the remarkably beautiful cursive he wrote with across the white board. Slightly slanted, grandly eloquent, and visible even as I sat towards the back of the room.

This professor embodied Kierkegaard's philosophy of authentic living, whether intentionally or not. Undeterred by conventions, he wore his distinctive beard, with no indication of insecurity, and then transformed the mundane of whiteboard writing into artistry. His teaching style itself was a testament to his authentic and subjective expression of Kierkegaard’s philosophies.

This was my introduction to Kierkegaard.

Subjectivity authenticity as truth. 2024.

While Kierkegaard was recognised as a theologian, he rejected the idea of institutionalised religion and its rigid prescriptions and structures. Though his views aligned with Christian beliefs, he disputed the idea that any single system—religious, cultural, or social—could definitively answer the complicated question of life’s meaning for all. Yet he maintained his belief in God and emphasised the necessity of a personal relationship with the divine.

Regarded as the father of existentialism, Kierkegaard pioneered examining human existence through individual freedom and responsibility. This philosophy believed that creating personal meaning is a subjective endeavour in an apparently meaningless universe.

Central to the existentialist thought are the subjectivity and authenticity to living—making conscious choices while embracing consequences. Rather than accepting predetermined meanings of universal truths, it places the burden of purpose on the individual.

For Kierkegaard, a meaningful life requires balancing two dimensions: one’s worldly existence and eternal purpose. He saw a necessary tension between the finite (material existence) and infinite (spiritual, eternal life). A ‘good’ life is one that navigates and retains these tensions.

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