Existential guilt descends from the form of human life as such. Heidegger maintains that human life—at all points and without fail—consists of pressing into certain possible ways of life. But this means our existence is responsible for a lack: when following a certain path, we inevitably cut ourselves off from others. The paths we choose, for Heidegger, determine who we are. Thus, since we cannot but follow certain paths, the burden of being somebody and not someone else, of taking a stand on who we are, is built into existence.

¶ 7:04 PM