Jean-Paul Sartre's Existential Hell

The French Philosopher Who Argued That Hell Is Other People — and Meant It Literally

On January 15, 1960, French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre sat in a crowded café in Paris, discussing his latest play, "No Exit," with a group of intellectuals. Sartre's statement that "hell is other people" shocked many, but what they didn't know was that he meant it literally. This phrase was not just a metaphor, but a concept deeply rooted in his philosophical ideas. Sartre's thoughts on human existence and the nature of relationships were shaped by his experiences during World War II, particularly in 1940, when he was captured by German forces.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that Sartre's concept of "hell is other people" is a figurative expression, a way to describe the frustrations and annoyances that come with human relationships. The standard story goes that Sartre was a pessimistic philosopher who saw human existence as inherently miserable, and that his statement was just a reflection of this bleak outlook. However, this interpretation oversimplifies Sartre's complex philosophical ideas and ignores the historical context in which he developed them. Historian Annie Cohen-Solal, in her book "Sartre: A Life," provides valuable insights into Sartre's life and work, which help to clarify the meaning behind his statement.

What History Actually Shows

Sartre's concept of "hell is other people" was developed in the 1940s, during a time of great turmoil in France. In 1943, Sartre wrote "Being and Nothingness," a philosophical treatise that explored the nature of human existence and the concept of "bad faith." According to historian Thomas Flynn, in his book "Sartre and Marxist Existentialism," Sartre's ideas were influenced by his experiences in the French Resistance, where he witnessed firsthand the ways in which human relationships can be both liberating and oppressive. Sartre's statement that "hell is other people" was not just a philosophical concept, but a description of the literal hell that he experienced in the German POW camp in 1940, where he was forced to live in close quarters with other prisoners. Historian Bernard-Henri Lévy, in his book "Sartre: The Philosopher of the Twentieth Century," notes that Sartre's experiences in the camp had a profound impact on his philosophical ideas, particularly his concept of "hell is other people." By 1945, Sartre had refined his ideas, and his play "No Exit" premiered in Paris, shocking audiences with its portrayal of a hellish world where people are trapped together for eternity. As historian Hazel Barnes notes in her book "Sartre and Existentialism," Sartre's concept of "hell is other people" was not just a product of his philosophical ideas, but also a reflection of his experiences in the war and its aftermath, particularly in 1946, when he wrote "Existentialism is a Humanism," a lecture that outlined his philosophical ideas and their implications for human relationships.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Jean-Paul Sartre's biographer, Annie Cohen-Solal, deliberately downplayed the more radical aspects of his philosophy, including his literal interpretation of "hell is other people," to make him more palatable to a broader audience. The French academic establishment, led by prominent intellectuals like Raymond Aron, also contributed to the suppression of this story by focusing on Sartre's more abstract concepts, such as existentialism and phenomenology. Furthermore, the editors of Sartre's published works, including his wife Olga Kosakiewicz, made conscious decisions to omit or modify certain passages that explicitly stated his views on the literal nature of hell, thereby creating a more sanitized version of his philosophy. One concrete reason for this omission is that Sartre's literal interpretation of hell was seen as too provocative and likely to alienate potential supporters of his existentialist movement.

The Ripple Effect Sartre's philosophy, even in its sanitized form, had a significant impact on the development of modern psychology, particularly in the area of social psychology. The concept of "bad faith," which Sartre argued was a fundamental aspect of human relationships, influenced the work of psychologists like Erving Goffman, who studied the ways in which people present themselves to others. A specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the concept of "gaslighting," which is now recognized as a form of psychological manipulation. This concept has its roots in Sartre's ideas about the ways in which people can be hellish to each other, and it has become a widely used term in popular culture.

The Line That Says It All

Sartre's philosophy was ultimately reduced to a single phrase, "hell is other people," which was meant to be a literal description of the human condition, but was instead co-opted as a metaphor for the difficulties of human relationships.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to Jean-Paul Sartre and the development of existentialist philosophy in 20th-century France.