A Existential Perspective of The Illusions That Define Us

Humans are creatures of meaning. Unlike animals that navigate life through instinct, we create elaborate stories, structures, and frameworks to give our existence direction. Human constructs—morality, time, success, money, identity, reality—are the invisible blueprints we live by. They dictate how we measure progress, define relationships, and understand the world around us.

From an existential psychological perspective, these constructs are not fundamental truths. They are shared illusions, collectively agreed upon to provide order and predictability in a universe that offers no inherent meaning. This is not to say that constructs are useless. Quite the opposite. They are necessary for survival and social cohesion. But they are not absolute.

If we are the architects of these illusions, why do we remain bound by them? What purpose do they serve? And what happens when we begin to see through them?

The Origins of Human Constructs: Making Sense of the Chaos

Imagine waking up in an infinite, pitch-black room with no walls, no markers, and no sense of direction. You are floating in nothingness, untethered to any familiar framework. This is what raw existence would feel like without constructs.

At its core, existential psychology suggests that humans struggle with three unavoidable truths:

1. Life has no intrinsic meaning.
2. Death is inevitable.
3. Absolute freedom is paralyzing.

Left unchecked, these realities can send a person spiraling into existential dread—a profound anxiety that comes from realizing there is no grand cosmic blueprint (Yalom, 1980). To ease this discomfort, humanity has spent millennia constructing mental scaffolding that gives life shape, much like drawing lines on a blank canvas to create an image.

The Fear of Meaninglessness: Creating Stories to Fill the Void

A world without constructs is a world without a script. There is no predefined role to play, no guidelines to follow. And for most people, this is terrifying.

Throughout time humans have created narratives to combat this uncertainty, —stories that impose structure on the chaos of existence. These narratives are often embedded in:

• Some Religious beliefs, which offer moral direction and answers to life’s biggest questions.
• Some Cultural traditions, which provide identity and continuity.
• Some Philosophical systems, which attempt to define what it means to live a "good" life.

These constructs act like lighthouses in an endless ocean, guiding people toward purpose even when the waters are dark and uncertain. Without them, many feel lost, directionless, and adrift in meaninglessness.

The Need for Social Cohesion: Rules of the Game

Imagine trying to play a game where everyone follows different rules. It would be impossible to coordinate, and chaos would ensue. Society functions in much the same way—without agreed-upon constructs, large-scale cooperation would collapse.

From laws to currency, social constructs provide a set of rules that allow civilizations to function. But these rules are not universal, nor are they fixed. What was once considered a moral absolute often shifts over time:

• Slavery was once a social construct, now universally condemned.
• Gender roles were rigidly defined for centuries, yet today they are increasingly fluid.
• The concept of "success" has evolved, from land ownership in feudal societies to wealth accumulation in capitalist economies.

This proves that constructs are only real because we continue to believe in them. They are written in sand, not stone.

The Illusion of Control: Chasing the Uncontrollable

Human beings crave control over their surroundings. Without it, we are vulnerable to forces beyond our understanding. Constructs give us the illusion of mastery over life’s uncertainties (Frankl, 1946).

• Time turns the vast, flowing nature of existence into neatly measured increments.
• Money assigns value to objects and labor, creating predictability in trade.
• Scientific laws help us categorize and make sense of the natural world.

But these constructs do not eliminate uncertainty. A financial collapse, a sudden illness, or a natural disaster can strip away these illusions in an instant. And when they crumble, many are left feeling betrayed by a system they once trusted.

Human Curiosity and the Need for Growth

Despite our reliance on constructs, humans are not content with simply following a script. We are seekers, driven by an insatiable curiosity and a deep desire for growth. Unlike other species, which operate on instinct, humans continuously question, innovate, and expand beyond their limitations.

Curiosity as a Catalyst for Construct Creation

Curiosity is not a mere byproduct of intelligence—it is the engine of human progress. It is what led our ancestors to explore new lands, invent language, and develop technology. The need to understand the world is hardwired into us (Kashdan et al., 2004).

But curiosity also brings discomfort. When we question things too deeply, we are confronted with the fragility of our constructs. This tension between exploration and existential fear drives us to create temporary answers—constructs that provide stability while we continue searching.

For example:

• Religion was developed to explain existence and mortality.
• Scientific theories are constantly revised as new knowledge replaces old paradigms.
• Philosophical constructs help individuals grapple with the uncertainty of ethics and free will.

Each construct is a stepping stone toward a deeper understanding, but none provide absolute answers.

The Desire for Growth and Purpose

Humans do not just seek to understand the world; they also seek to improve it. This is where the concept of purpose emerges.

Frankl (1946) argued that meaning is not found—it is created. Without purpose, people feel unfulfilled, stagnant, and detached from life.

This need for purpose is deeply tied to constructs:

• Career paths provide a sense of achievement.
• Relationships offer connection and belonging.
• Art and creativity allow for self-expression and legacy.

However, the existentialist challenge is not to confuse constructs with intrinsic purpose. True meaning must be personally defined, not passively inherited.

Escaping the Illusion Without Losing Your Mind

Realizing that human constructs are illusions does not mean rejecting all structure. Instead, it means becoming aware of which constructs serve you and which imprison you.

1. Question the narratives you have accepted. Are you living according to your own values, or those imposed upon you?
2. Embrace uncertainty. Life is not a puzzle to be solved, but an experience to be lived.
3. Create your own meaning. If constructs are invented, then you have the power to build new ones that align with your authentic self.

Existentialists remind us that freedom is both exhilarating and terrifying. If everything is a construct, then we are free to rewrite the script of our own existence.

After all, if reality is a stage, why settle for being an actor when you can be the playwright?

References

Baumeister, R. F. (1991). Meanings of life. Guilford Press.

Frankl, V. E. (1946). Man’s search for meaning. Beacon Press.

Heidegger, M. (1927). Being and time (J. Macquarrie & E. Robinson, Trans.). Harper & Row.

Kashdan, T. B., Rose, P., & Fincham, F. D. (2004). Curiosity and exploration: Facilitating positive subjective experiences and personal growth opportunities. Journal of Personality Assessment, 82(3), 291-305.

Sartre, J.-P. (1943). Being and nothingness (H. Barnes, Trans.). Philosophical Library.

Yalom, I. D. (1980). Existential psychotherapy. Basic Books.