--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When [Jean-Paul] Sartre was asked whether…" description: "\"When [Jean-Paul] Sartre was asked whether or not he would live under a communist regime he said, \"No, for others it's fine, but for me, no.\" He said it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/catherine-camus-12238_communist_when-jean-paul-sartre-was-asked-whether_2878921.jpg" --- # When \[Jean-Paul\] Sartre was asked whether or not he would… ![“When [Jean-Paul] Sartre was asked whether or not he would live under a communist regime he said, "No, for others it's fine, but for me, no." He said it! So it's hard to say just how intellectual his stance is. How can you think that never in your life would you go to live in a communist regime and…” quote by Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/catherine-camus-12238_communist_when-jean-paul-sartre-was-asked-whether_2878921.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/catherine-camus-12238_communist_when-jean-paul-sartre-was-asked-whether_2878921.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/catherine-camus-12238_communist_when-jean-paul-sartre-was-asked-whether_2878921.jpg) > “When \[Jean-Paul\] Sartre was asked whether or not he would live under a communist regime he said, "No, for others it's fine, but for me, no." He said it! So it's hard to say just how intellectual his stance is. How can you think that never in your life would you go to live in a communist regime and still say it's fine for everybody? A very difficult thing, that, but Sartre managed it.” [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sartre rejects living under communism for himself while tolerating it for others, highlighting personal liberty over collective ideology. **In simple terms:** He refuses communism for himself but says it's okay for others. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal freedom over imposed systems. Themes individualism political philosophy ethical dilemmas Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical controversial When to use this quote - personal decision making - political discourse - ethical debates Key Concepts existentialism personal autonomy political tolerance Questions to Reflect On - Is personal liberty more important than collective welfare? - How do we reconcile personal choices with societal effects? A Different Perspective His stance may ignore systemic impacts on others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communist/) [Difficult things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-things/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [ There is an interview given by \[ Jean-Paul\] Sartre in the USA where he is asked what the future of French literature is, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/there-is-an-interview-given-by-jean-paul-sartre-in-the-usa-where-he/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [I would live in a communist country providing I was the Queen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/i-would-live-in-a-communist-country-providing-i-was-the-queen/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [ \[Jean-Paul\] Sartre was a throwback to the existential period. I'm not really so much into that these days. I went through a period of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/jean-paul-sartre-was-a-throwback-to-the-existential-period-i-m-not/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [Jean Paul Sartre says in "No Exit" that hell is other people. Well, our task in life is to make it heaven. Or at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/jean-paul-sartre-says-in-no-exit-that-hell-is-other-people-well-our/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [“I loathe my childhood and all that remains of it. Jean-Paul Sartre, Words”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-seymour-jones/i-loathe-my-childhood-and-all-that-remains-of-it-jean-paul-sartre/) Carole Seymour-Jones > [“A non-religious man today ignores what he considers sacred but, in the structure of his consciousness, could not be without the ideas of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mircea-eliade/a-non-religious-man-today-ignores-what-he-considers-sacred-but-in-the/) [Mircea Eliade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mircea-eliade/) > [“Some 1,300 years later, the French existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre metaphorically spat on the notion of communal bliss by declaring, “Hell is other people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/some-1-300-years-later-the-french-existentialist-jean-paul-sartre/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [“as Jean-Paul Sartre put it, “Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.” What”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eula-biss/as-jean-paul-sartre-put-it-freedom-is-what-you-do-with-what-s-been/) [Eula Biss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eula-biss/) > [I was much influenced by Jean-Paul Sartre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-gunn/i-was-much-influenced-by-jean-paul-sartre/) [Thom Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-gunn/) > [“As an intense, nicotine-stained, Jean-Paul Sartre sort of man, wasn't it simple logic to expect that he'd be limited to intense, nicotine-stained Jean-Paul Sartre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/as-an-intense-nicotine-stained-jean-paul-sartre-sort-of-man-wasn-t-it/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [“One cannot become a saint when one works sixteen hours a day.” JEAN-PAUL SARTRE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-crain/one-cannot-become-a-saint-when-one-works-sixteen-hours-a-day-jean/) Zac Crain > [Jean-Paul Sartre, the existentialist philosopher who celebrated the anguish of decision as a hallmark of responsibility, has no place in Silicon Valley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/jean-paul-sartre-the-existentialist-philosopher-who-celebrated-the/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [“To do is to be – Aristotle To be or not to be – Shakespeare To be is to do – Jean-Paul Sartre Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alannah-foley/to-do-is-to-be-aristotle-to-be-or-not-to-be-shakespeare-to-be-is-to/) Alannah Foley > [ I always remind myself that \[ Jean-Paul\] Sartre and \[Simone\] de Beauvoir didn't have children. And when you don't have children, it might be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/i-always-remind-myself-that-jean-paul-sartre-and-simone-de-beauvoir/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [It is not the same thing if I sign Jean-Paul Sartre or if I sign Jean-Paul Sartre, Nobel Prize winner. A writer must refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/it-is-not-the-same-thing-if-i-sign-jean-paul-sartre-or-if-i-sign-jean/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) ## More by Catherine Camus > [ I couldn't ever act or think on behalf of what my father \[\[Albert Camus\]\] would have said or done. He's an artist, he considers… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/i-couldn-t-ever-act-or-think-on-behalf-of-what-my-father-albert-camus/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ \[Albert Camus\] positions are sensed. So, naturally, those intellectuals who don't have that experience have difficulty in comprehending it. But I think it made… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/albert-camus-positions-are-sensed-so-naturally-those-intellectuals/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ \[Albert Camus\] always held a profound commitment \[engagement\], a real resistance to all totalitarianism. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/albert-camus-always-held-a-profound-commitment-engagement-a-real/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ We can't talk about the book \[Albert Camus\] wanted to write because we have barely its beginnings. He had written hardly any of it,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/we-can-t-talk-about-the-book-albert-camus-wanted-to-write-because-we/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [There's no one who can say 'this person is wrong there and right here', and that 'one is right about that and wrong about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/there-s-no-one-who-can-say-this-person-is-wrong-there-and-right-here/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ Intellectuals of \[Albert\] Camus' age who had previously disliked him now appreciate him. And at that point we come back to literature, and it's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/intellectuals-of-albert-camus-age-who-had-previously-disliked-him-now/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ \[Albert\]Camus had denounced the gulag and Stalin's trials. Today we can see that he was right. To say that there were concentration camps in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/albert-camus-had-denounced-the-gulag-and-stalin-s-trials-today-we-can/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ Politically, \[Albert Camus\] was in favour of a federation, and effectively he considered that like South Africa today (or as they are trying to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/politically-albert-camus-was-in-favour-of-a-federation-and/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [Albert Camus was never abandoned by his readers. Camus is enormously read. He's the highest selling author in the entire Gallimard collection, and has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/albert-camus-was-never-abandoned-by-his-readers-camus-is-enormously/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ \[Albert Camus\] was not an existentialist! ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/albert-camus-was-not-an-existentialist/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ The Outsider isn't \[Albert\] Camus, but in The Outsider there are parts of Camus. There's this impression of exile. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/the-outsider-isn-t-albert-camus-but-in-the-outsider-there-are-parts/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ \[Albert\] Camus' was born in Algeria of French nationality, and was assimilated into the French colony, although the French colonists rejected him absolutely because… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/albert-camus-was-born-in-algeria-of-french-nationality-and-was/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ The Nobel Prize comes from outside, it's a social recognition \[reconnaissance\] in a way. And I think a true artist is driven by interior… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/the-nobel-prize-comes-from-outside-it-s-a-social-recognition/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ Just after the war, the liberation of 1945, \[Albert\] Camus was well known, well loved by \[Jean-Paul \] Sartre and all the intellectuals of that generation. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/just-after-the-war-the-liberation-of-1945-albert-camus-was-well-known/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [ So time passes, and a much more political rather than literary reasoning intervenes, and from the day that \[Albert\] Camus wrote The Rebel, in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/so-time-passes-and-a-much-more-political-rather-than-literary/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) [Explore all 55 Catherine Camus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) ## More Communist quotes > [ Corruption could lead to the collapse of the Party \[Communist Party of China\] and the downfall of the state \[People's Republic of China\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xi-jinping/corruption-could-lead-to-the-collapse-of-the-party-communist-party-of/) [Xi Jinping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xi-jinping/) > [If the director's a communist, whatever, he's a communist. All I care is that he directs. For the actor, the same thing. All you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/if-the-director-s-a-communist-whatever-he-s-a-communist-all-i-care-is/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [The most effective method of propaganda directed at the enemy forces is to release captured soldiers and give the wounded medical treatment... Whenever soldiers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/the-most-effective-method-of-propaganda-directed-at-the-enemy-forces/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [I am like all other atheists only in that I do not believe there are any gods. Beyond that, I may differ dramatically in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carrier/i-am-like-all-other-atheists-only-in-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are/) [Richard Carrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carrier/) > [What we need in South Africa is for egos to be suppressed in favour of peace. We need to create a new breed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hani/what-we-need-in-south-africa-is-for-egos-to-be-suppressed-in-favour/) [Chris Hani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hani/) > [A man who is not a communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still communist at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-who-is-not-a-communist-at-the-age-of-twenty-is-a-fool-any-man/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The ultimate goal of the whole policy of peaceful co-existence was to make progress on the basic goal laid down by Lenin of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-nitze/the-ultimate-goal-of-the-whole-policy-of-peaceful-co-existence-was-to/) [Paul Nitze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-nitze/) > [“Soviet Communism was a fanatical and missionary religion. A devout Communist could not be a Christian or a Buddhist, and was expected to spread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/soviet-communism-was-a-fanatical-and-missionary-religion-a-devout/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [ That's why we had Louis C.K. portray the harder line Communist, to accuse \[Dalton\] Trumbo of being a hypocrite. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/that-s-why-we-had-louis-c-k-portray-the-harder-line-communist-to/) [Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/) > [... what we should be looking for is fresh ideas of how we make moral decisions about our dealings with one another, economic, social,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-mccaughey/what-we-should-be-looking-for-is-fresh-ideas-of-how-we-make-moral/) Davis McCaughey > [My father, Charles Seeger, got me into the Communist movement. He backed out around '38. I drifted out in the 50's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/my-father-charles-seeger-got-me-into-the-communist-movement-he-backed/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [We must protect each other against the attacks of those self-appointed watchdogs of patriotism now abroad in the land who irresponsibly pin red labels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-henry-hildebrand/we-must-protect-each-other-against-the-attacks-of-those-self/) [Joel Henry Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-henry-hildebrand/) > [This time we'll hate, alright - but we'll hate the enemy - the vicious gang of colored scum attackers and Jewish-Communist traitors - rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lincoln-rockwell/this-time-we-ll-hate-alright-but-we-ll-hate-the-enemy-the-vicious/) [George Lincoln Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lincoln-rockwell/) > [Fidel Castro outlasted U.S. presidents determined to overthrow him, survived the collapse of the communist bloc that sustained him and outlived many of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-gjelten/fidel-castro-outlasted-u-s-presidents-determined-to-overthrow-him/) [Tom Gjelten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-gjelten/) > [Communists all seem to wear small caps, a look I consider better suited to tubes of toothpaste than to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/communists-all-seem-to-wear-small-caps-a-look-i-consider-better/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) [Browse all 1,048 Communist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When [Jean-Paul] Sartre was asked whether or not he would live under a communist regime he said, \"No, for others it's fine, but for me, no.\" He said it! 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