The Existentialist Society’s History by David Miller
The Existentialist Discussion Group, the precursor to the Existentialist Society, commenced in 1970. Its origins were not from academia but from soapbox oratory. I had been spruiking at Melbourne’s Speakers Corner at the Yarra Bank in an attempt to discover whether I was an Individualist, an Anarchist, or even a Nihilist. My confusion had arisen from reading the German philosopher, Max Stirner (1805 – 1856). A number of us would gather at the end of each Sunday session of the Speakers Corner to argue the pros and cons the British ‘Angry Young Man’, Colin Wilson. This group would wander off for a coffee and, perhaps later, a meal.
Social ferment was in the air. The Student Rebellion had hit Melbourne. Demonstrations against the war in Vietnam were taking place. One of the activist groups, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), had organised the 'Free University'. I approached the SDS at Melbourne University and asked if I could set up discussion groups within the Free University. Permission was granted. So our Yarra Bank group became the nucleus for the meetings of the Existentialist Discussion Group in Melbourne University’s Students Union. However, within a short time, the SDS had decided that organising the Free University was much too ‘bourgeois’, and that they should be taking to the streets to participate in the demonstrations.
The Existentialist Discussion Group met of an evening and ran weekly for a few years. Then it became monthly. I had dropped out in 1974. The Group lasted till 1977. Although the participation was usually about a dozen, there was a period in the early seventies when it attracted a weekly attendance of 50 to 60. Perhaps because of its location at Melbourne University, the Group comprised mainly of students.
As a reflection of the 'Student Revolt' we rebels had rejected the god-like authoritarianism of the academic lecturers and demanded our say. The discussion-group format seemed to be the democratic way of achieving this.
One recurrent problem was the in-group jargon of those utilising the verbiage of a particular philosopher or discipline. So we encouraged everyone to have their say, no matter how crudely or inarticulately. Ideally, others would translate these comments into more lucid terms. Unfortunately, this was not always done.
In 1971 the Existentialist Society commenced. It was an attempt to combine a lecture format together with a discussion-group format. Following the lecture, the audience was invited to critically demolish the speaker’s viewpoints, if they could. Alternative viewpoints were presented. Cross-floor disputations were encouraged. The question/discussion periods were not chaired. Admittedly, it did not always work. If things got out of hand, a volunteer chair-person was called for.
The Existentialist Society had an informal structure. It had no constitution. There was no formal membership. It had no committee; people volunteered for tasks. At the monthly lectures ‘begging bowls’ were past around for donations towards the hall-hire expenses from those who could afford it.
The first two of the monthly meetings of the Society took place at the Athenaeum Art Gallery above the Athenaeum Theatre. The Society’s meetings then moved to the Royal Society of Victoria. In 2005, after 34 years at the Royal Society, the Existentialist S ociety relocated to the Unitarian Church Hall. In April 2020, due to the onset of the Covid pandemic, the lectures ceased. The lectures recommenced in an online Zoom format in September 2021.
The Society’s inaugural speaker in 1971 was Max Charlesworth from Melbourne University’s Philosophy Department. Over the ensuing years Charlesworth presented the occasional lecture on existentialist issues. However, by October 1978, his lecture topic somberly pronounced "The Death of Existentialism". Charlesworth’s final lecture to the Society, December 1981, was entitled "After Existentialism". Nevertheless, the Society soldiered on.
The Society’s aim was to provide lectures and discussion on the ideas of those philosophers, authors and playwrights who, for whatever reason, were labelled as 'Existentialist'. Rather than a narrow focus on Existentialism, the Society’s interest area has widened out to such a degree that it has become a hotch-potch of not only philosophy and literature, but also psychology, ethics, theology, ideology, history and science.
Originally, the purpose of the Existentialist Society was expressed as follows:
"For those who question whether life has a meaning and a purpose. For those who despairingly ponder whether one can live without self-deception or without hedonistic escapism; yet who, despite the anguish of life’s futility and meaninglessness, still seek purpose and an authentic existence."