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Sartre’s idea that we are free to shape
our own lives influenced the students
that took to the streets of Paris in May
1968 to protest against the draconian
powers of the university authorities.
Because Sartre’s philosophy
releases us from the constraint of
a human nature that is preordained,
it is also one of freedom. We are free
to choose how to shape ourselves,
although we do have to accept
some limitations. No amount of
willing myself to grow wings, for
example, will ever cause that to
happen. But even within the range
of realistic choices we have, we
often find that we are constrained
and simply make decisions based
upon habit, or because of the
way in which we have become
accustomed to see ourselves.
Sartre wants us to break free
of habitual ways of thinking, telling
us to face up to the implications of
living in a world in which nothing
is preordained. To avoid falling into
unconscious patterns of behavior, he
believes we must continually face
up to choices about how to act.
Responsible freedom
By making choices, we are also
creating a template for how we think
a human life ought to be. If I decide
to become a philosopher, then I am
not just deciding for myself. I am
implicitly saying that being a
philosopher is a worthwhile activity.
This means that freedom is the
greatest responsibility of all. We
are not just responsible for the
impact that our choices have upon
ourselves, but also for their impact
on the whole of mankind. And,
with no external principles or rules
to justify our actions, we have
no excuses to hide behind for the
choices that we make. For this
reason, Sartre declares that we are
“condemned to be free.”
Sartre’s philosophy of linking
freedom with responsibility has
been labelled as pessimistic, but
he refutes that charge. Indeed, he
states that it is the most optimistic
philosophy possible, because
despite bearing responsibility for
the impact of our actions upon
others, we are able to choose to
exercise sole control over how we
fashion our world and ourselves.THE MODERN WORLD
Sartre’s ideas were particularly
influential on the writings of his
companion and fellow philosopher
Simone de Beauvoir, but they also
had a marked impact on French
cultural and daily life. Young people
especially were thrilled by his call
to use their freedom to fashion
their existence. He inspired them
to challenge the traditionalist,
authoritarian attitudes that prevailed
in France in the 1950s and 1960s.
Sartre is cited as a key influence
on the streets protests in Paris in
May 1968, which helped to bring
down the conservative government
and herald a more liberal climate
throughout France.
Engagement with political
issues was an important part
of Sartre’s life. His constantly
changing affiliations, as well as
his perpetual movement between
politics, philosophy, and literature,
are themselves perhaps testament
to a life lived in the light of the idea
that existence precedes essence. ■As far as men go,
it is not what they are that
interests me, but what
they can become.
Jean-Paul Sartre