Beyond fatigue: love as a narrative of salvation

Relevance. The article is devoted to the philosophical analysis of fatigue as a modern existential condition. Within the framework of this work, the authors explore the possibility of overcoming this state through narrative reflection, faith, and ultimately through love as the highest value of humanity. Thus, the study shows that it is precisely through the experience of fatigue and despair that it becomes possible to restore genuine connection with the world and with other people.

The purpose of the study is to analyze the phenomenon of fatigue as a modern existential condition and its anthropological mechanisms.

Objectives: to characterize fatigue as an existential experience associated with the loss of meaning and the rupture of connection with the world, and to substantiate the possibility of restoring the wholeness of the “Self” through narrative identity.

Methodology. This work employs existential analysis, an anthropological approach to studying personality as narrative identity, and an interpretive approach to religious philosophy and Christian anthropology.

Results. In this paper, we attempted to reveal fatigue as an existential state associated with total freedom, selfexploitation, and a value vacuum. Contemporary performance-driven culture creates a new form of power – selfexploitation – which leads to chronic exhaustion. Cynicism becomes a protective reaction, leading to inner emigration and the loss of connection with the world. The concept of narrative identity enables individuals to restore the wholeness of their “Self” through reflection and retelling their own story. Based on this, we conclude that love can become a moral and spiritual choice capable of restoring authentic humanity.

Conclusions. Based on the analysis of existing works, we concluded that fatigue is not merely tiredness, but a symptom of the times, indicating a crisis in human identity and meaning-making. When a person finds themselves in a state of objectified existence, recovery is only possible through love understood as a moral and spiritual choice. Thus, through fatigue and despair, one can find a path to authentic life – not away from the world, but through it, in order to once again learn to love it.

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