The Thirst for Authenticity: How Simone de Beauvoir's Ideas Help Us Become Ourselves

The book by American philosopher Sky Cleary is not just a story about one of the prominent representatives of French existentialism. It is an attempt to view one's own life through the lens of Simone de Beauvoir's philosophy. Sky Cleary recounts how existentialist ideas helped her cope with difficulties and find a way out of many life dead ends. The key concept of this philosophy is authenticity — what everyone should aspire to. However, finding oneself is a complex task, especially for a woman. Growing up, love, marriage, motherhood, aging — each of these states can be the beginning of self-realization or, on the contrary, a reason to give it up. “Authenticity empowers us to remove the masks we wear to protect ourselves,” writes Sky Cleary. “It allows us to build the future we choose.”