Are You Trying To Make Sense Of Life? Learn From Sartre!

Jean-Paul Sartre (1908-1950) was a famous French philosopher, avid reader of the great classics and strongly influenced by the thought of Husserl and Heidegger. Of atheist inclination, he became interested in Marxism in the last period of his life.

If there is something for which Sartre is famous, it is for the profound search for the meaning of the existence of the human being, which, although it presents complexities, is something very fascinating. Man, in fact, is characterized by his perfection.

Perfection that resides in individual freedom, in the freedom to establish transcendent personal goals, in the freedom to be and to choose. It is on the subjectivity of man that the universe is based, but not as if it were something cold and selfish, but on the basis of the consideration that “man chooses himself during his life”.

The unique and non-transferable life of man is what will affect the universe and the divine (and not vice versa).

Sartre’s work is very interesting and very vast, but perhaps through some of his most famous aphorisms you could take an interest in this writer and draw inspiration from him.

Let’s look at some of Sartre’s aphorisms and a possible relationship with current circumstances:

“Let’s not waste our time. Maybe there have been better ones, but this is ours ”.

How much did you complain about being born in this era? We are certainly not living in the best period from a work, social or creative point of view. It does not seem the ideal time for young people who see how their future is projected in areas and places that they had never imagined (and / or desired).

However, reading these words we realize that this same feeling of loss, pessimism and disillusionment with the present has accompanied many people in different eras or perhaps it is a transcendent void necessary for the generations to come. Each age has its function and we live in this one. Do your part !

“Like all dreamers, I confused disenchantment with truth”.

Yes, that’s for sure. Many of us feel nostalgic and our minds have a processor that is not very benevolent regarding the facts that surround us. Do not forget that all scientific disciplines begin with a doubt and perhaps your pessimism can help you to ask yourself questions that others do not ask themselves and consequently answers can be generated that no one has ever had.

We live in the age of “keep calm” and “be happy”, which are good advice if you understand that, to experience these two states, it is necessary to experience other human and necessary ones such as anguish, disbelief, disillusionment, sadness or fatigue.

Stop judging your pessimism and make a creative return from it. Maybe that’s exactly where your “be happy” can come from.

“Man is condemned to be free, because once he comes into the world, he is responsible for everything he does”.  

Stop apologizing. For the system, the pain of the breakup, the perversion of your parents. Stop thinking that you have not been free to be what you really wanted to be.

Freedom is a consciousness of the human being that does not depend on external agents, but on how the spirit, which by definition is free, takes it and transforms it on the basis of what it thinks of itself. It is the clearest definition of freedom and responsibility they can give us.

This ties in with another statement by this brilliant writer, namely “

“.

“Everything has been understood, except how to live”.

Yes, you are right. This life is such a confusion, tremendously complex. But don’t be presumed to know how to live or to tell others how to do it. The only way to get out of this chaos is to follow the instinct, which is often canceled by the impositions of others or of society itself.

Look for a formula that helps you to live a concrete situation better, but be careful: it will not be the same for life and it will not apply to other people who are in the same situation as you.

As they say in the movie “Casino”, “there are three ways of doing things here:

“.

“

“.

Et voilà… here is one of the most difficult phrases to accept given the times that many of us have been forced to live.

How can I be happy being a dishwasher with two degrees behind me? Well, the question has its own why, but according to Sartre’s philosophy it is not a question of giving a dry answer, but of understanding the importance of this activity for your life project.

Maybe you are a writer looking for stories, you are in love with languages ​​and you want to learn new ones, Marxists who are looking for theory starting from daily work practice, children who are committed to improving the quality of life of their sick mother.

Do not focus on the activity itself, but on the importance it holds in view of your life project and your values, perhaps it will have a certain weight, perhaps it does not make sense to do it. In any case, look for an activity that allows you to love what you do based on the life you want for yourself and those you care about, you may already be in that life or you are planning it. But find meaning in everything, because perhaps what you want is what you are letting yourself escape and which is a fundamental step for your personal fulfillment.

“Compromise is an action, not a word”.

Stop behaving like many politicians who talk only about their programs, like conquerors who make promises and then prove nothing, like revolutionaries who have never read a book and have never taken part in a conflict. May your actions be all you have to say, because as Woody Allen said, “things are not said, they are done, because when they are done, they speak for themselves”.

“In theory, dreaming is a bit like living, but living dreaming means not existing”.

Are there too many situations in which you seem absorbed in your thoughts? It is clear that there are certain circumstances that leave no way out, but as an adult you have to try to establish relationships, look for people and situations that are pleasant to live, those that you will later remember during a congress or a conference that you don’t care about.. Look for them, find them and repeat them in a thousand ways, this is life, your achievable dream and your earthly paradise.

“Existentialism is not a form of atheism, we say rather that, even if God existed, he would not change anything”.   

Agree, many people who find themselves in difficult situations seek some spirituality to help them overcome something unpleasant that has managed to overcome all their physical and emotional resources. But looking for mystical causes and solutions to a problem that concerns you closely at this moment could perhaps distract you too much from your path and from the resources you have available in life and that perhaps you have never been able to use to the best (friends, sport, reading, love for nature, etc.).

We don’t know what’s further on, but don’t worry too much because your problems don’t seem to be solved immediately by appealing to this. That’s how history was made, so don’t waste too much time and enjoy life. Live as best you can and know how to do it!

We hope these quotes and aphorisms have made you reflect on your life, especially if you are going through dark times. Do not forget that at times the human being is lost and at other times he finds himself and that the philosophers, like Sartre was, have worked hard to leave an important trace, giving us the light with their thoughts so that they can help us in moments where the darkness becomes more dense.