Existentialism and Nihilism in Adoption.
An Exploration from the Adoptee, Adopted Parent, and Societal Perspectives, Existentialism and Nihilism in Adoption
Adoption is a complex and multi-faceted process that touches upon a wide range of emotional, psychological, and societal issues. Two philosophical frameworks that can be particularly useful in understanding adoption from different perspectives are existentialism and nihilism. Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes individual freedom, choice, and responsibility, and that stresses the importance of creating one’s own meaning and purpose in life. Nihilism, on the other hand, is the belief that life has no inherent meaning or purpose. In this article, we will explore how these two frameworks can be applied to the experiences of adoptees, adopted parents, and society as a whole, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the complex and nuanced nature of adoption.
Adoptee Perspective
From the adoptee’s perspective, existentialism can be seen as a powerful tool for understanding the unique challenges and opportunities that come with being adopted. For example, adoptees have every right to feel a sense of freedom and choice as they navigate the complexities of their own identity and sense of self. They may also feel a sense of responsibility for creating their own meaning and purpose in life, in light of the fact that they have been separated from their birth family and may have different cultural or ethnic backgrounds than their adoptive family.
On the other hand, the adoptee may also experience feelings of imposed nihilism, as they may struggle to find meaning and purpose in their adopted identity and may neglect the significance of their adopted status. This can be especially difficult for adoptees who feel disconnected from their birth family and culture, and who may feel as though they do not truly belong anywhere.
Adoptive Parent Perspective
From the adoptive parent’s perspective, existentialism can be seen as a way to understand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with raising an adopted child. Adopted parents may feel a sense of freedom and choice as they navigate the complexities of parenting a child from a different background, and may also feel a sense of responsibility for helping their child create a sense of meaning and purpose in life.
On the other hand, adopted parents may also experience feelings of nihilism, as they may struggle to understand the meaning and purpose of their adopted child’s identity, and may reject or neglect the significance of their adopted status. This can be especially difficult for adoptees who feel disconnected from their birth family and culture, and who are made to feel worse when they do not truly understand their own experiences and needs.
Societal Perspective
From a societal perspective, existentialism can be seen as a way to understand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with the institution of adoption. Society may feel a sense of freedom and choice as it navigates the complexities of adoption, and may also feel a sense of responsibility for creating a culture in which adopted individuals can thrive.
Who am I kidding here this has never happened!
On the other hand, society perpetuates feelings of nihilism, through its misunderstanding of the meaning and purpose of adoption, and questions the significance of the adoptee experience. This can be especially difficult for adopted individuals, who may feel disconnected from their birth family and culture and may feel as though they do not truly belong anywhere.
The Existential Experience
It is essential for adoptees to find meaning and purpose in their lives, and this includes understanding and addressing all aspects of their lives, including those that may have been denied to them by other parties. This includes gaining access to information about their birth family and cultural background, as well as understanding the reasons for their adoption.
Adoptees have the right to know their own history and origins and to have a sense of belonging and connection to their birth family and culture. This can be an essential part of forming a healthy identity and understanding one’s place in the world. Denying adoptees this information can have significant emotional and psychological consequences, and can lead to feelings of disconnection, confusion, and a lack of self-awareness.
Furthermore, adoptees have the right to understand the reasons for their adoption and the circumstances surrounding it, including any trauma or abuse they may have experienced. This knowledge can help them make sense of their past and can aid in their healing and self-discovery.
It’s important to acknowledge that many adoptees have been denied access to this information and that it is the adoptee’s right to demand access to it. They should not be denied the right to know their own history, and it is essential for other parties involved to understand and respect this. Adoptees should be able to access their birth records and be provided with any other information that is relevant to them.
Conclusion
The search for meaning and purpose in life is a fundamental human right, and adoptees should not be denied access to the information that is essential for them to understand and make sense of their own lives. It’s important for all parties involved to understand that the adoptee’s right to know their own history and to have a sense of connection to their birth family and culture, is an essential part of their healing and self-discovery process.
Existentialism and nihilism provide important frameworks for understanding the complex and multi-faceted nature of adoption from the perspectives of the adoptee, adopted parent, and society. Existentialism highlights the importance of individual freedom, choice, & responsibility, and the need to create one’s own meaning and purpose in life. Nihilism, on the other hand, highlights the difficulties that can come with finding meaning and purpose.
So why do people insist on standing in the way of adoptees?
Please be kind!
This Article was inspired by the movie — Everything Everywhere All At Once and partly created using #OpenAI Chat GPT
