Single Idea 20760

[catalogued under 23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 6. Authentic Self]

Full Idea

Being sincere [in Sartre] has nothing to do with authenticity because, in committing ourselves to a particular identity, we strip away the possibility of transcendence by reducing ourselves to a thing.

Gist of Idea

Sincerity is not authenticity, because it only commits to one particular identity

Source

report of Jean-Paul Sartre (Being and Nothingness [1943]) by Kevin Aho - Existentialism: an introduction 6 'Bad'

Book Reference

Aho,Kevin: 'Existentialism: an introduction' [Polity 2014], p.101


A Reaction

I take this to mean that sincerity says genuinely what role you are playing (such as a waiter), but authenticity is recognition that you don't have to play that role. I think.