The Burden of Freedom
"We are condemned to be free." This famous quote from the philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre has always stuck with me. It captures an essential truth about the human condition that is both empowering and daunting.
What does it mean to be "condemned" to freedom? Sartre was getting at the idea that as human beings, we are fundamentally free creatures. Unlike objects or animals acting on pure instinct, we have the capacity to make choices and decisions that shape our lives. We are not bound by a predetermined destiny or divine cosmic plan. Our lives are a blank slate that we etch with each action and choice we make.
This may sound liberating at first. And in many ways it is. Our radical freedom means we get to author our own stories and decide our own values and beliefs. We can craft purpose and meaning for ourselves instead of having it dictated to us. The world is full of open possibilities. But herein lies the "condemnation" - with great freedom comes great responsibility. Since we are the ones calling the shots, we are utterly responsible for the consequences of our choices, both good and bad.
There is no higher power or force to blame our circumstances on. The anxiety is all on us. Every decision we make, from the monumental to the mundane, is a pivotal moment where we get to express our freedom. But those same choices also define who we are and the paths our lives take.
No pressure, right?
This is part of what Sartre meant by stating we have "no essence before our existence." We aren't born with an innate, unchangeable nature or purpose. We define our essence through the accumulated choices and actions we take to exist authentically. So we are "condemned" to shoulder this burden of freedom. It can be scary to realize the precariousness of the human condition and how much is riding on the decisions we make.
But it can also be energizing and empowering to realize you are the master of your own destiny. Sartre didn't intend "condemnation" in an entirely negative sense. He simply wanted to highlight the weight and responsibility that comes with being truly free. It's up to each of us to embrace that freedom boldly and live with radical authenticity and ownership over our lives. It's not easy, but that's the price of being human.
