desire-and-consumption
The relationship between desire and the act of consuming or possessing, where desire can both create and destroy its objects.
1 chapter across 1 book
Being and Nothingness (1943)Jean-Paul Sartre
In Chapter 2: To Do and To Have, Sartre explores the distinctions and interrelations between action (doing) and possession (having), emphasizing how human existence is shaped by both the pursuit of projects and the attachment to objects. He draws on a wide range of philosophical, literary, and psychological references to analyze how desire, ownership, and identity are intertwined, highlighting the existential implications of how individuals relate to their possessions and actions. The chapter also examines the symbolic and affective dimensions of having, including the ways objects can embody personal meaning and the tension between freedom and attachment.