fei75766_ch11_345-376.indd 361  02/06/20 12:38 PM
Chapter 11    May: Existential Psychology361
measures ofexistential freedom. They arefreetotravel across statelines, tochoose 
theirassociates, tovotefortheirrepresentatives ingovernment, andsoon.Onamore 
trivial scale, theyarefreetopush theirshopping carts through asupermarket and
select from among thousands ofitems. Existential freedom, then, isthefreedom to
actonthechoices thatonemakes.
Essential Freedom
Freedom toact,tomove around doesnotensure essential freedom: thatis,freedom 
ofbeing. Infact,existential freedom often makes essential freedom more difficult. 
Forexample, prisoners andinmates inconcentration camps often speak enthusiasti -
callyoftheir“inner freedom,” despite experiencing verylimited existential freedom. 
Thus, physical confinement orthedenial ofliberty seems toallow people tofacetheir
destiny andtogaintheirfreedom ofbeing. In1981, May(1981, p.60)asked: “Dowe
gettoessential freedom onlywhen oureveryday existence isinterrupted?” May’s own
answer was“no.” Oneneed notbeimprisoned toattain essential freedom, thatis,free-
domofbeing. Destiny itself isourprison—our concentration camp thatallows usto
belessconcerned withfreedom ofdoing andmore concerned withessential freedom.
Does nottheengaging ofourdestiny—which isthedesign ofourlife—hedge usabout 
withtheconfinement, thesobriety, indeed, often thecruelty, which forces ustolook
beyond thelimits ofday-to-day action? Isnottheinescapable factofdeath ...the
concentration camp ofusall?Isnotthefactthatlifeisajoyandabondage atthesame 
timeenough todrive ustoconsider thedeeper aspect ofbeing? (May, 1981, p.61)
What Is Destiny?
May(1981) defined destiny as“the design of the universe speaking through the design of 
each one of us ”(p.90).Ourultimate destiny isdeath, butonalesser scale ourdestiny 
includes other biological properties suchasintelligence, gender, sizeandstrength, 
andgenetic predisposition toward certain illnesses. Inaddition, psychological and
cultural factors contribute toourdestiny.
Destiny doesnotmean preordained orforedoomed. Itisourdestination, 
ourterminus, ourgoal. Within theboundaries ofourdestiny, wehavethepower 
tochoose, andthispower allows ustoconfront andchallenge ourdestiny. Itdoes
not,however, permit anychange wewish. Wecannot besuccessful atanyjob,con-
queranyillness, enjoy afulfilling relationship withanyperson. Wecannot erase our
destiny, “butwecanchoose howweshallrespond, howweshallliveoutourtalents 
which confront us”(May, 1981, p.89).
Maysuggested thatfreedom anddestiny, likelove-hate orlife-death, arenot
antithetical butrather anormal paradox oflife.“The paradox isthatfreedom owes 
itsvitality todestiny, anddestiny owes itssignificance tofreedom” (May, 1981, 
p.17).Freedom anddestiny arethusinexorably intertwined; onecannot existwith-
outtheother. Freedom without destiny isunruly license. Ironically, license leads to
anarchy andtheultimate destruction offreedom. Without destiny, then, wehaveno
freedom, butwithout freedom ourdestiny ismeaningless.
Freedom anddestiny givebirth toeachother. Aswechallenge ourdestiny, we
gainfreedom, andasweachieve freedom, wepush attheboundaries ofdestiny.Final PDF to printer