Human Happiness and The Ethics of Freedom

While reading the third section for Banach's lecture, it seemed that he had no hope and was very pessimistic when he stated " Existentialism is often associated with such themes as the absurdity of human existence and the worthlessness of our lives given our inevitable death". Thus there is no real point to our lives since in the end none of it will matter because we are going to die. This reminds me of a point in Andy's class where most people who believe in the after life, say that once we die we go to a better place so our present lives hold no real meaning. But Nieztsche comes up with a new view of on how to look at our life where the way you live your life now, will be how you forever live your life. Meaning we repeat what we do in the next life, making our lives in the present hold more meaning then the point where our lives are like a vessel in which carry us to a new and better life at the time of our death.  
He also states that we must lose hope in order to find oneself and by extent happiness. The example given is The Wizard of Oz, where Dorothy finally is able to go home but the hot air balloon, leaves with out her and she is unable to think of how to get back home. Just at that moment Glinda the good witch comes and tells her she had the power to go home the whole time but she didn't mention it because it would hold more meaning when she finds the answers within herself. "The despair and rebellion we feel at the loss of our external sources of value are the necessary price of a greater value and happiness that comes from within ourselves." This kind of states that when we try ourselves to find meanings to our life and other things it holds more value then when you get outside sources to help you. The existentialists view of happiness "is to get ones value from within oneself". Thus we find our value, through our own struggle and in achieving our definition of ourselves it cannot be taken away from us. This can also relate to his point where the struggle is important not the result. For once you have your answer its done but the journey to achieve it holds all the meaning to whether you looked inside yourself or went to outside help.
I think its interesting that Banach says that we should only choose things that are good for everyone. This is because what ever we choose will wind up effecting someone or something in its course of action. Though I am confused because before he had stated that we are alone and that we are the only ones who can feel what we feel and that to be an individual is to be free from outside influences. But here he says that our actions have consequences and that we should choose according to that reasoned outcome. I sort of agree with this but what if in thinking of others you detain yourself from being happy or living a good life. If you have to keep in mind other people and in a way put them first, then our lives would only be important in view of their lives, we would come second and then looking back there would be no real values. I believe that everyone is free to a certain degree. Even though some may argue that others restrict them, I believe we ourselves are the only ones who can stop ourselves from being free. Humans have a tendency to restrict themselves and blame it on others. But I can kind of see his point in to be free we have to live for everyone. It goes back to point where we cannot control how we are made but the decision of how we shape ourselves is still up to us to decide. Certain rules and guidelines are given to us but it is indeed our right and freedom to choose how to act on those rules how we best see fit.