Ironic and Immoral

My feelings towards Existentialism are ambiguous, and reading Existentialism and Humanism did not elucidate the ideas a single bit. A part of me wants to support the party of thought. I want to be bad ass and rebel and live for myself, but I can’t wrap my head around the sometimes immoral and ironic aspects of the idea. However, I think part of this is because I am still not too sure what the movement is. I hope that reading the books we are going to this section will clear that up. But for now, I am going to discuss the impracticality, and immorality of the movement. Please don’t get mad at me if I sound totally ignorant because I might, and I feel like I am risking it when I try and sound intelligent when in reality, the answers might be right in front of me, I just haven’t gotten to understand them yet. Let’s do it!
Where would the world be today without organized religion and societies? How could economies and civilizations survive if everyone was an existentialist? If everyone followed their personal path in a search for the truth, what would come of the world? From what I understand of the idea, man should forget everything else and do what he deems necessary to survive. Although a very interesting thought, these people would not be able to support themselves if there was not a working class and a place to work. I think existentialism is impractical nowadays because we are so used to the “normal” civilizations. I have to admit if live started with existentialism and that was the norm, you would meet some pretty interesting people and maybe the world would have adapted to support populations with everyone doing what they feel necessary.
Next, when Jean-Paul Sartre brought up the situation where a student had to choose whether to stay with his emotional ill mother and going to fight in England, I was disgusted. I understand how he would see this to be a good example of following what you want and morality, but any decision other than staying with your mother is immoral. If the woman who brought you into this world is getting hurt, it is outlandish for you, as the son, to leave. The moment that family stops being your number one priority is the moment that I begin to look down on you. No matter how much you believe in self exploration, to have the audacity to leave your mother to explore something for you own, is uncalled for. It is disgusting. This example was really what turned me off existentialism. There are always certain people that need to be in the back of your mind, people that you know that no matter what situation you are in, it is important for you to be there for them in a time of need. The fact that some existentialists would revoke their role as a son makes me look down on them. You cannot forget where you came from.
I want to like existentialism, and I am going to make an effort to see the world from their eyes. The reason I might treat it without such scorn is probably because of the world I grew up in. My mother is very loving, and I was the youngest child so I was babied through most of my youth. Why would I want to leave that!? Also, the fact that my parents want me to go to college and get a good job and follow a sort of pre set path has made me think that I want that to some extent (maybe I do… I will find out eventually). That might be another reason that I am so against the movement. See you!