Jean-Paul Sartre is often associated to the idea of ​​existentialism, but what exactly is it ? We tell you more about It.

“To act is to change the face of the world”

For Sartre, existentialism is a humanism based on freedom. It is a philosophical and literary current which considers that the human being forms the essence of his life by his own actions, these not being predetermined by theological, philosophical or moral doctrines. It considers each individual as a unique being master of his actions, his destiny and the values ​​he decides to adopt.

– “Each man must invent his own path”, Sartre

Existentialism is a philosophy of action. As the individual is free, he defines himself; in acting, he invents himself; it is the project that he determines for himself. “Man is not only as he conceives himself, but as he wants himself, and as he conceives himself after existence, as he wants himself after this impetus towards existence, man is not nothing other than what is being done. […] man is nothing other than his project, he exists only insofar as he realizes himself, he is therefore nothing other than the sum of his acts, nothing other than his life,” said Jean-Paul Sartre. Sartre’s thought appeals to everyday experiences in order to draw lessons from them. And here is a famous quote from Sartre: – “We always die too soon – or too late. And yet life is there, over. You are nothing but your life”