Happy birthday, Jean-Paul Sartre! On this special day, we celebrate the man who brought us the concept of “existential dread” and made it fashionable to be depressed.

Yes, Sartre may not be the first person that comes to mind when you think of birthday cheer, but that’s exactly what makes him so special. After all, what better way to celebrate the day you were born than by contemplating the inherent meaninglessness of life and your own freedom to create your own purpose?

But seriously, Sartre’s contributions to philosophy and literature cannot be understated. His concept of “existentialism”—the idea that individuals are responsible for creating their own meaning in life—has had a profound influence on thinkers and artists alike.

And let’s not forget about Sartre’s talent for bringing complex philosophical ideas to the masses. His plays and novels, such as “No Exit” and “Nausea,” have captivated audiences for decades with their exploration of themes like freedom, responsibility, and the human condition.

But despite his philosophical prowess, Sartre was no stuffy academic. He was known to be quite the character, with a love for cigarettes, chess, and women. In fact, his long-term relationship with Simone de Beauvoir (who was also a philosopher and feminist) is the stuff of legends. The two were inseparable and even referred to each other as “the one who came before the other.”

Sartre’s personal life wasn’t all fun and games, however. He was arrested and imprisoned in Germany during World War II for his involvement in the French Resistance, and he was also a political activist who supported Marxist ideology.

But perhaps the most impressive thing about Sartre was his refusal to be “institutionalized.” When he was offered the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964, he declined the honor, stating that he did not want to be “turned into an institution.” How’s that for sticking it to the man?

So here’s to you, Jean-Paul Sartre, on your birthday. You may have brought us the concept of “existential dread,” but you also gave us the freedom to create our own meaning in life. And for that, we thank you.

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