Overview

‘Hell is other people!’ So said the great French existentialist philosopher, novelist and playwright Jean-Paul Sartre. The Reality of Others explores Sartre’s infamous maxim in detail—when, where and why he said it, what he really meant by it, and what it means for us today. In comprehensively answering that crucial question, author Gary Cox provides an in-depth account of what Sartre and other philosophers and psychologists have said about the human condition, the nature of the self, and the intricate ways in which that nature shapes the interpersonal dynamics of our relationships with others. A genuine guide to lowering the temperature of our interactions with others, the book offers invaluable philosophical advice on how to establish more amicable, constructive and productive human relations, both with the people we know intimately and with the strangers we have to deal with each day. Ultimately, the key to not seeing hell in others lies in being calm, rational, moderate and authentic in our own person, while always treating others with consideration and respect—especially when they are making it most difficult for us to do so.

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9781538193488

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Reviews

"In this rich, penetrating, wide-ranging and very accessible study, Gary Cox starts from the famous line in Sartre's In Camera, ""Hell is other people"", discussing ideas from Being and Nothingness, ""sexistentialism"", and drawing on Plato, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, social media and much, much more. A remarkable and very rewarding book. --Nicholas Dent, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Birmingham This brilliant book unpacks one of the most famous phrases of Western philosophy. Delving into the depths of how other people are hellish and heavenly, Cox masterfully reveals the complexities of Sartre's existential thinking about relationships in language that is highly accessible, intellectual, and excellent fun to read. --Skye Cleary, Columbia University"

Author Information

Gary Cox is a British philosopher and biographer and the author of many books on Jean-Paul Sartre, existentialism, general philosophy, ethics and philosophy of sport, including the best-selling How to Be an Existentialist. Find Gary on X @garycox01.

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