Definitions HQ

Angst (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a fundamental mood directed toward being as a whole rather than toward specific beings.

Angst (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠always with us, but most of the time it is asleep in us.

Angst (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a confrontation with nothingness, a confrontation which reveals the finitude of being, and leads us to wonder: “Why is there something rather than nothing at all?”

Angst (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠uncanny, Un-heimlich, not at home (un = not + home = Heim + -lich = -ish).

Angst (n.) neither ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠grasps nothingness in conceptual terms, nor views it as some sort of object. We remain calm in the mood of Angst, despite its sheer uncanniness. We shrink back, but do not flee.

Angst (n.) places ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠us into a kind of hovering or suspension.

Angst (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠revealing of our authentic future and our authentic past as well. It clears away all the insignificant possibilities that distract us, and frees us for an authentic repetition.

Angst (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not given by some particular thing, but rather being-in-the-world as such; we have Angst about Dasein’s own potentiality for being.

Angst (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a characteristic of authenticity (because it frees us from our absorption with things) while fear (which benumbs us) is inauthentic.

Angst (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the true state of Dasein; it is simply concealed from us most of the time.

Angst (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a mood in which everything sinks into a sort of indifference that lies beyond our grasp. Reality does not disappear, but presses upon us all the more.

Angst (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠distinguished from fear in that whereas fear runs away from entities, Angst flees toward them, as a way of escaping the dread of our own being.

Angst (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠what hits us when suddenly it dawns on us that being-in-the-world cannot itself be correspondingly relevant or purposeful. Angst discloses—preconceptually—that the world that makes the handiness of things possible is itself “nothing” handy.