Existentialism and the Absurd

[katreeen]

Can somebody please explain in simple terms existentialism and the theory of the absurd, and how these differ/are similar? I'm reading books about them and understand the details but can't seem to get the general jist!

[tadhg]

Existentalism is really just a broad term to describe a group or philosophers who wrote under it( many which rejected the term itself). Its basic premises are that life can only be lived and not become the object of thought, and that man is basically alone and must challene everything around him and is free to make his own decisions. its a pretty broad term basically its individualism.