Sartre

EXISTENTIALISM AS A HUMANISM

Sartre uses three words to describe the state of humans struggling to live in an absurd world where existence comes before essence, and all three are a result of the overwhelming responsibility of being totally responsible for ourselves, our thoughts, decisions, and actions. He discusses the fact that ‘freedom’ comes with the steep price of accepting abandonment, and living with anguish and despair.

Abandonment refers to our not having an superior being or force, such as a God, to dictate our morals, to be our steadfast compass in the world. Sartre says that human existence determines human essence, therefore free will and consciousness are the tools in which we depend upon to navigate the world and bring meaning to our existence. This non-optional freedom places a tremendous burden of responsibility on us as we are expected to make rational decisions in an irrational world. We are born into a world where we must give meaning, create value, and determine a hierarchy of expected or good behaviors right on down to those we deem despicable and punishable. A daunting, impossible task considering the fact that we are each free to decide upon our own values. In Sartre’s words, “People are condemned to be free.” This casts a heaviness on the otherwise carefree word ‘free.’ This is because we are relegated to the state of having no one but ourselves to blame for our actions, quite a frightening place to be. I try to imagine being blindly dropped into a game of polo with absolutely no idea of the rules. Charging horses carrying men with long sticks are coming from all directions and there’s little time to figure our what to do without being wiped out. In life we don’t get to pick and choose what we will be confronted with, yet we must somehow develop a set of values and behaviors which will guide us. And when they fail us, in the absence of a higher power to call upon, we can only look to ourselves. We are responsible for our lives, the good and the bad.

So it’s no surprise that frustration, even to the point of mental and physical anguish is a common trait of the existentialist and Sartre tells us that, “People can either confront or choose to ignore their anguish,” and that, “Anyone who fails to interrogate their decisions is therefore acting in ‘bad faith.’” This dispels the idea that existentialism is a selfish or easy path for there is a great responsibility in suggesting that a behavior that is good for the subject is also for the good of all. For there is no guarantee that any given decision will yield the desired outcome, no statistics that can account for the myriad of variables in any situation. Objects are impermanent and can’t always be depended on to react in exact patterns, and humans, with their varied emotions, levels of rationality, and imperfections make it near impossible to predict how one’s decisions will pan out. Think about how many decisions we make in just one day! It follows that anguish would be almost a constant state of mind, heavy burden. While teaching elementary school with needy students I felt anguish on a daily basis when I had to make decisions that weren’t written in stone. Trying to do what I felt was best for each student, which would also be approved of by administration and parents was a juggling act where rarely all three were happy. It wasn’t long before the impossible pressure led me to feel despair. I was just beating my head against a wall with no hope of changing the failing system. The odds seemed to be against the child and directed more toward the success and glorification of useless ‘programs’ that existed only on paper. I came to understand why classroom teachers took ‘mental health’ days, days in which we weren’t sick, but needed to decompress and prep for battle upon returning. It shouldn’t be that way. It was time to let go and retire.

I agree with Sartre that, “Existentialism is a humanism.” In certain situations it isn’t even a question of choice. When we have a strong belief based on experience or facts, we naturally feel it’s good for others. It goes beyond ego or emotions. It’s about being a productive part of a group, community, nation, or world. It’s a way of connecting with others in a belief that, “Existence comes before essence.” We are continually trying to define and become the best versions of human beings we can through our behaviors. In defining who we are and what we value, we hold up those standards for others. It’s certainly not the easiest path, but one where responsibility isn’t shrugged and crappy behavior can’t be erased with a few Hail Mary’s.