Existential Responsibility -

Jean-Paul Sartre, in Being and Nothingness, discusses a phenomena he labels bad faith. Sartre thought people deceived themselves, usually unconsciously, in order to hide the potential meaninglessness of their, quite often, menial life. One way bad faith manifests itself is in societal role playing, Sartre describes a person playing waiter. Playing waiter means to be subservient and polite. But, being a waiter is generally a banal, though sometimes hectic, task, which does not give one’s life meaning. No one is born to be a waiter and prestige is not granted to the one fulfilling the role of waiter. Yet, the person playing waiter feels more meaningful within society and their individual life by simply fulfilling a role, which contributes to society. Another often used manifestation of bad faith is external meaning. Rather than acknowledging the lack of ultimate meaning in the universe, people will seek out systems (i.e. religions, cults, nationalism, etc.) which will assign an overarching meaning to life. Bad faith helps mask the anxiety and forlornness arising out of the true human condition; humanity is thrown into freedom and choice.

In Being and Nothingness, Sartre claims humanity is “condemned to be free.” Usually when we think of being condemned, we think of being not free, we think of a certain unfreedom which is impossible to avoid. Being condemned to freedom means to always be presented with a choice. Human-beings have the freedom to choose anything in their lives, without consequence from false moralities (going to hell), as long as it is physically possible and not met by an overcoming external force. When one has freedom, one has responsibility. Responsibility is defined simply as the direct cause for any given effect. So, the one who murders another is responsible for the death of the other, as the direct cause, not as some mystical disturbance of the universe which will cause an imminent death strike from a god, thereby setting the scale of justice at zero. The problem of bad faith is it allows people to ignore their responsibility by giving the freedom in life away to external systems and roles.

To realize existential responsibility is to accept the freedom thrust upon each human at birth. Each individual is responsible for how each of their decisions and actions affect the world. Again, that is to say that humans are causes in the world. Even if, say in the military, a soldier is ordered to attack a group of enemy soldiers, the soldier is still responsible for the death of the enemy. The soldier must go beyond, out in front of, the order. The soldier must act as an individual. If that soldier is practicing bad faith, they can claim the responsibility for the death of the enemy falls on the commanding officer who had ordered the kill. In that case, the soldier accepts the role “soldier” and subscribes to the meaning and structure of the military, heaving their personal responsibility onto an institutional body.

Furthermore, if each individual is completely free and responsible for their choices and actions and human-beings exist within society, then each human has an equal responsibility for society. Granted, in the current power structure, some individuals have a greater power to impact society, usually in accordance with personal interests. But the current hierarchy only exists because people continue to shrug responsibility, people continue to give away freedom. (In America’s case, citizens give an increasing power to corporations and corrupt politicians.) In a truly egalitarian and democratic society, each individual could claim freedom. But, despite how oppressive societies may deny freedom, certain choices remain, although more extreme choices, so responsibility remains. Inaction is a deliberate choice as well.

In order not to practice bad faith, one must realize their freedom and responsibility. Part of the realization is the acceptance and claiming of absolute choice and responsibility. One must choose responsibility, this responsibility defined as the claiming of one’s choices and actions.

-Eric Virzi