Comment to Nick's Zen Vs. Existentialism

I agree with your interpretation of the readings. The Zen Parables have a beautiful way of conversing the message of zen; in a time where you find death lurking above and below you with mice nibbling at the vine that’s holding you above one and below the other, that one should, rather than fear for your life, find peace in the moment and taste the sweet strawberry that is hanging near you. The lessons of zen can be explained through these analogies better than trying to tell someone the message, however the messages I found were; do not fear, leave your worries behind, and that rather than worrying about others and their faults, control what you have the power to control. You stated that existentialism excludes God and projects man as a factor in the way that man thinks. I found that the depiction of existence before essence is incredible; that if “god” or an angel were to come down and tell you what to do, that maybe you should consider it to be paranoia, the devil, subconscious thought or a pathological condition instead of believing it to be an angel and acting on that thought. When you said “improving the human condition,” this is exquisitely explained when in existentialism, the writer tells the reader to essentially make himself all men, rather than just A man. If you can ask yourself the question: “Am I really the kind of man who has the right to act in such a way that humanity could guide itself by my actions?” you will see the bigger picture. People need to lose their selfishness a see the world community as whole.