Modern Existential Crisis meets Existentialism

„You and your purpose in life are the same thing. Your purpose is to be you.” – George Alexiou

Start with Temet Nosce – Know thyself – cool, thanks Oracle… but how, exactly?

The ancient philosophers had solitude and stillness.
We scroll, swipe, spiral through apps… podcasts… endless “content”… 173 potential life paths… ask ChatGPT to explain what’s going on like we’re five years old…
… and still have an identity crisis every Monday!

· Go to college. Get a job. Nah, drop out. Follow your passion. No, not art. Build the next unicorn.
· Set goals. But enjoy the journey. Hustle. But detach from outcomes. Trust the universe. But have a backup plan.
· Find the one. Grow together. But don’t lose yourself. Be vulnerable. Not needy. Set boundaries. But stay open.
· Have kids. What about the planet? The economy? Your freedom? Your trauma? Just get a dog. Or a cactus.
· Enjoy life. YOLO. Also pick a cause bigger than yourself. Not enough? What about the other cause, you selfish human?

Welcome to the modern Existential Crisis — where our desire to live authentically and meaningfully gets lost in a world constantly serving us distractions, contradictions, and performance reviews.

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In this event, we’ll explore this inner tension through the lens of Existentialism — the philosophy of “Existence over Essence” — of freedom, responsibility, meaning, and becoming who you are (without personal branding, a niche, or a five-year plan).

We’ll also do a short, simple self-connection exercise — to drop beneath the noise and reconnect with what’s (at least feels) real.

Preparation

Curious? Start here:
Quick guide – Existentialism in a Nutshell
Quicker video – Existentialism in a Shot Glass

Come as you are. No labels. No answers — just curiosity.
(Existential dread optional.)

For Philosophical Minds Zurich theme events in general:
At our theme events, we begin with a brief topic introduction, followed by engaging discussions in small groups. It’s all about conversation, not just listening. Also, please note, we keep the atmosphere relaxed and informal—there’s no pressure to speak in front of anyone or do anything that might cause nervousness.
Important: When you register for the event, please commit to it and don't be a NO SHOW. Presumably, when the ancient philosophers decided to go to an event, they kept to it ;)
We look forward to seeing you