Mauvaise foi or bad faith is a philosophical concept popularized by philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre to describe the propensity of human beings to resist absurdism in order to justify the circumstances in which they live. As an existentialist, Sartre believed that existence was a function of the meaning and values ​​that the individual gives to the world. If this is the case, then there is no valid excuse why an individual cannot change their situation. The idea that individuals who do not believe this to be the case and believe that their lives are dictated primarily by external forces is what Sarte calls bad faith. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay If existence is based on the actions of the individual, then that individual possesses the authority to change his or her circumstances. The lack of this belief is what Sartre called bad faith and he considered this one of the major problems facing modern civilization. He used the example of the bar waiter who sacrificed his entire authentic self to serve customers. Speaking in a tone and moving in a way that objectively transformed him into what he is, in essence, a waiter. There is a point of realization where the waiter understands that being a waiter is not the ideal career choice, but he must persist because it is his only choice in life. This type of existence is the exact opposite of what Sartre believed human beings were. Sartre believed that essence was the result of existence. In the modern world, the concept of bad faith is visible everywhere around us. We are expected to go to college to pursue a career path that we will follow decades into the future. Buying a big house, getting married and starting a family is the standard. We accept these ideals because they are what is considered normal and because of the illusion of choice peppered in these ideals. We can choose which career path we want to take, but in the end they are different paths that follow the same path. Once you travel these roads, it is difficult to deviate from them. It's difficult for someone who has spent twenty years doing one job to change and learn a new profession. The difficulty of these choices is the error that Sartre highlights in the concept of bad faith. Although some of these choices are very difficult, choices can and should be made in order to maximize freedom, which in turn will give us more satisfaction in our lives. The problem of bad faith can be solved by starting with honesty. Even just recognizing the mutability of one's existence is a good start. It is often perfectly justified to mention the difficulties an individual may face as a result of changing circumstances, but recognition of the capacity for change is important. Sartre observed that we are often aware of the changeability of our circumstances of our own free will, but we suppress these thoughts in exchange for the comfort of the status quo. The mistake here is that the status quo represents a discomfort that has led us to contemplate the possibility of changing our circumstances. Whether the change in circumstances leads to a better or worse situation, the right choice is to make a move because the incentive to potentially improve the current situation is strong. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay It is very easy to blame external factors for the problems we face. Even when we recognize that we have the ability to change our circumstances, we are more likely to ignore and put those thoughts aside because change is difficult. The problem with this way of.