Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986)

[Philosophy Now]

by Terence Green

https://philosophynow.org/issues/135/Simone_de_Beauvoir_1908-1986

[Ansiktsburk]

Not a big fan... having read her autobiography. Cherry picks the unjustices that makes her own position agreeable. Being seriously spoiled as a kid( I can see my grandmother dealing out the spanking sentence to be executed by my grandfather coming home from the factory work at the kind of insubordination she showed. Twigs of birch was the instrument in scandinavian workers home for her generation non-posh) and taking her privileges as a rich kid for granted. And thinks she can speak for women in general...

The article does not mention her her childhood. And the quote “she accepted Sartre’s belief that we’re all posessed of absolute freedom. Yeah right, most people are free to sit on Cafe de Flore on working hours to be worshipped.

But ok, she probably strengthened the position for bright and ambitious girls from white/blue collar background, indeed breaking free from their positions as objects. Each person should be given a fair chance to find the proper place in their competence hiearchy. Equal opportunity, sex as well as class and parent wealth should not give you a unfair start.

[duszek]

I also read "Mémoires d´une jeune fille rangée" and I remember that she lived in modest conditions because her family was impoverished. They had to save heating. Her whole pleasure was learning. Not much fun available.

The person who seemed to have fun was Stépha. I don´t remember the spelling of her name. She was a girl from Poland or Ukraine and she was in a wild relationship with some painter. Her daddy had a factory of candy.

Any examples of Simone as a spoilt kid ? I still have the book and could reread the passages.