Collage by alicia, 2008
“Given that men are free and that tomorrow they will freely decide what man will be, i can not be sure that, after my death, fellow-fighters will carry on my work to bring it to its maximum perfection. Tomorrow, after my death, some men may decide to set up Fascism, and the others may be cowardly and muddled enough to let them do it. Fascism will then be the human reality, so much the worse for us.
Actually, things will be as man will have decided they are to be. Does that mean that I should abandon myself to quietism? No. First I should involve myself; then, act on the old saying, ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained…’ Suppose I ask myself, “Will socialization, as such, every come about?” I know nothing about it. All I know is that I’m going to do everything in my power to bring it about. Beyond that I can’t count on anything. Quietism is the attitude of people who say “Let others do what I can’t do.” The doctrine I am presenting is the very opposite of quietism, since it declares, ‘There is no reality except in action.’ Moreover, it goes further, since it adds, ‘Man is nothing else than his plan; he exists only to the extent that he fulfills himself; he is, therefore, nothing else than the ensemble of his acts, nothing else than his life….. A man is involved in life, leaves his impress on it, and outside of that there is nothing.”
Jean-Paul Sartre, in Existentialism is a Humanism
This passage has been the inspiration behind the drive I approach life with. Constantly seeking justice can feel dauntingly hopeless amidst humanity’s struggle over the meanings and implications of ‘right’ and ‘wrong.’ We listen as people turn their backs on issues and events in their communities, giving the excuse that they have no power, or that awareness comes at the cost of depression. Jean-Paul Sartre urges an end to this ineffective mentality as he reminds us that no good can come from pitying our uncertain future or hedonistically reveling in our own ignorance. His words send out a call not to hesitate out of fear of the unknown, or to slide into apathy, relying on the strength of others to make up for your own dispassionate weakness. We hold the capacity to empower ourselves and so we must, by becoming involved. Our lives are nothing more than what we create. In the end, each of us is nothing more than the actions we take. Only action carries with it true words and meaning.
It is up to us to create the world that we want to see, up to us to live our lives as we feel they should be lived. And if a model that ressonates with justice does not already exist, it is up to us to create one, to pave that path, putting forth the utmost effort to overcome any challenges and to demonstrate that a life of harmonious ideal is possible, that the establishment and systems in place do not need dictate the capacity and reach of our dreams and actions.
Written by: alicia, editor for Media Roots
