How to Be Authentic: Simone de Beauvoir and the Quest for Fulfillment

The ideas of French existentialist Simone de Beauvoir ground the advice in this thoughtful guide by philosopher Cleary (Existentialism and Romantic Love). To be authentic as de Beauvoir understood it, Cleary suggests, one must “create our essence through our choices” and think critically about “mystifications,” or the common cultural narratives that shape how people view and interpret the world: “It can be exceedingly difficult to tease apart what is influenced by outside forces and what one authentically wants.” Cleary updates de Beauvoir’s critique of instant gratification for the digital era, lambasting “fast fashion, slot machines, [and] social media feeds” for providing fleeting satisfaction that leads to enduring discontentment, and she urges readers to instead “take control of our own projects so that we can be free to create our own happiness.” References to Lizzo and The Good Place help make de Beauvoir’s jargon-heavy philosophy accessible to lay readers, but some of Cleary’s colloquialisms might elicit some groans (“Gouges foresaw that the haters were going to hate”). This lucid introduction to de Beauvoir and existentialism has some worthwhile insights. (Aug.)