Alright folks, today I tackled something that’s been gathering dust on my shelf: Heidegger and his whole “Being” thing. Honestly? Total head-scratcher at first. Let me walk you through my mess.
The Initial Struggle: Drowning in Words
Pulled out my old notes and Heidegger’s book, “Being and Time.” Cracked it open, started reading… and immediately felt lost. The guy writes like he’s trying to confuse you. Words like “Dasein” kept popping up, and I kept thinking, “Dude, just say ‘human existence’!” I read the same paragraph maybe ten times, feeling dumber each round. Finally slammed the book shut and grabbed my phone, typing furiously: “Heidegger’s Being simple explanation PLEASE.” Found a bunch of articles, but most just made it worse. Got so frustrated I almost gave up and watched cat videos instead.
The “Click” Moment: Breaking it Down
Brewed a massive pot of coffee—needed serious fuel. Went back online, skimming like crazy. Slowly, three things started clicking into place, like puzzle pieces covered in mud:
- Being Isn’t a Thing: Got it! He’s not talking about a rock or a chair’s “being.” He’s talking about the fact that things are. Like, that rock exists instead of not. Seems obvious, but we never actually question that simple “is-ness.” My coffee mug is. How weird is that?
- We’re Always Already In It: This was huge. We don’t usually think about Being. We’re just thrown into the world—dealing with bills, relationships, traffic. This everyday “Being-in-the-world” (part of that “Dasein” junk) is our starting point. Trying to understand Being abstractly? It’s like a fish trying to analyze water while swimming.
- Time is the Secret Sauce: Okay, this bit was tough. From what I pieced together, Heidegger links Being tightly to time. Not just clocks and calendars, but how we experience past (our thrown-ness), present (dealing with stuff), and future (our possibilities). Our understanding of Being unfolds through time. My rushed morning coffee? That’s time and Being crashing together.
Making it Stick: Coffee Cups & Frustration
To really lock it in, I decided to practice. Looked at my coffee cup again. Instead of just “cup,” I tried seeing it being there. Thought about how I use it automatically (Being-in-the-world), how it carries my past experiences (mornings), and points to possibilities (future energy!). Felt a bit silly, but also… kinda profound? Then I got annoyed at the traffic noise outside. Remembered Heidegger might say that annoyance reveals how I’m engaged with the world—part of that whole Being thing. My frustration became part of the lesson. Life, right?
Honestly, I’m still wrapping my head around it. Heidegger’s dense. But breaking it into these three chunks—Being as the ‘is-ness’, our always-practical involvement, and the time connection—made it less terrifying. It’s not some mystical answer; it’s about waking up to the basic, strange fact that things (especially us!) are here at all. Now I need another coffee.
