Sartre: Leading an Authentic Life

An introduction to the philosophy and existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre, looking at his phenomenology, his ideas about consciousness as free, as being for-itself.

Are you free? What does freedom really mean? The broadest definition of freedom is to be able to choose, to make decisions that aren’t forced or determined by someone or something else. But aren’t we all born with, into, and are constrained by personalities, skills, character traits, our specific bodies, emotional make-ups, an IQ, an environment, an upbringing?
Don’t all of these things make a me, an I, that constrains my possibilities?

Even if we’re free in the world – free to go where we want and do the things we want to do – surely we’re not free from these personal things. Surely we’re determined by them, they impose themselves upon us. Aren’t we imprisoned by ourselves?

Sartre’s answer is a resounding NO. We’re always free, unconditionally, transcendentally, universally, and more than that, we can choose to create ourselves, to fashion our experience of the world into a beautiful, meaningful, purposeful pattern; a melody.

Through his novel Nausea and his magnum opus, Being and Nothingness, Sartre’s ideas about freedom, anxiety, and the transcendence of the ego are all explored.

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Sources:

Thomas Flynn, Sartre and Marxist Existentialism

Mark Carroll, 'It Is': Reflections on the Role of Music in Sartre's 'La Nausée, Music and Letters

Jonathan Webber, Sartre’s Theory of Character

Sartre, Being and Nothingness

Sartre, Nausea

David Detmer, Sartre Explained: From Bad Faith to Authenticity

Credits:

[AlexBlank]

Like music, we might be confined by a limited number of "notes, " but it doesn't have to stop us from using them to their full potential and creating myriads of unique melodies and sounds. We're always free to experiment with the frameworks we're bound to.

[klausdrako]

you express and paint a narrative around these ideas beautifully, never before has such work been made this easily interpretable and digestible. These videos really motivate me on a day to day basic, keep up the good work!!!

[the.kai.eros.experience]

This mirrors what was illuminated to me after a powerful experience on psychedelics (ayahuasca). The immensity of the freedom led and has led to immense terror at the vastness and infinite nature of choice.

An overwhelming sense of responsibility.

It’s brought me to the brink and edge of madness and suicidality.

Yet I go on, because I do believe in my stumbling I’ll find what I’m after.

[Megaghost_]

This video needs a second part with your criticisms! ;-)

[johndoe-rqpu]

"Your life is like a melody." Explains why I don't get the same joy out of music that other people seem to.

[Falstaff]

Excellent! You have clarified many points about Sartre on which I was vague. Thank you.

[thorlofgren]

What an incredible video! It not only gave me a much better understanding of existentialism through clear explanations and examples, but was also wonderfully edited. Thank you for that! I have never subscribed to a Patreon before, but I'm changing that now and making you the first :)

Also, would love to see even more videos on existentialism!

[rrosaseconda]

Let's examine your doubts. Thanks. Looking forward to more.

[Thewonderingminds]

""👁👁"" What you attend becomes your place of being, of noetic attentiveness, of self wholesomeness, and yet self sense that is sense of consciousness remains transcendent. In all, that is even in transcendence mode, the mind choice is paramount where to stand, how to attend, and why.

[LogicGated]

Always love how much these videos just make me think and appreciate.

[Phi]

That "Me, Myself & I" with the G-Key was rly cool xD

[robertii]

Look fwd to learning more from you @Then & Now, just found your channel and really like this content. Starting to practice little understandings is quite enlightening etc- its intersting to see the change in ones cogniive system - I can get confused though when i try to understan things predominately in thoughts and words- your videos really help to put words to some of my experiences - which is pretty cool/ helpful

[sskpsp]

It's interesting, Buddhist philosophy, and to an extent Hindu philosophy as well, share a lot with the phenomenology, theory of senses, and psychological theories that Sartre talks about. Amazing considering the thousands of years and miles in between Sartre and ancient India.

Yet they split in different ways eg. metaphysically in concluding an existence of souls (or not), ethically in what one must do to achieve (or perhaps more appropriately reconcile with) one's freedom...

[Noms_Chompsky]

Whoah baby, are you spying on my books to read pile? I just started Sarte (see what I did there, with the rhyme, pretty cool huh).

[jasonmitchell]

The problem is that consciousness really does need a definition because at present all we can say is what it does not what it is. That said, maybe a functional description suffices but..? Also, even though I'm still 'trying to get a grip' on Heidegger and hopefully I will at some point, you can tell he made a huge impact on him even though I'm guessing that Heidegger would have a lot to say about his interpretation of his ideas never mind Sartre's own ideas.

[nelsonphillips]

I like these endnotes.
When I was listening to this narrative I was thinking about the idea of invisible design particularly Dieter Ram. Obviously this is a counter point to Sartre in the sense that influence can be embedded into something unnoticeable. I might also say these two positions are complementary, but not explicitly.

[MattStranberg]

Great video as always! Not gonna lie, I was listening with noise cancelling headphones and the dog barking caught me off guard to the point I looked around 🤣 can't wait for more videos!

[thetravelleralone]

This is one of the most lucid accounts of Sartrean philosophy. I would like to interact with you further. Is there an email I can write to reach you? I am from India.
Thanks!

[kelvikpineda]

Have you considered doing a video on Husserl? I am curious on what you thing about him. :)

[isaiolvera]

Can you do one on Michael Walzer "In Defense of Equality"