Existentialism and Romantic Love: An Alternative Valentine’s Day Afternoon

Modern romantic ideals about finding “the one” and living happily ever are being brought into question by websites that encourage infidelity, wider legal and social acceptance of relationship variations, and the fact that almost one in two marriages don’t make it to their 30-year pearl anniversary. Drawing on the existential philosophers and lovers Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre, including Sartre’s famous lecture ‘Existentialism is a Humanism,’ this talk will explore the role of loyalty, commitment, monogamy, and honesty in humanism and humanist values. Are these, de facto, things that are aligned with humanism? Should they be? What role does communication play?

An alternative Valentine’s Day afternoon with Skye Cleary PhD MBA, philosopher and author of Existentialism and Romantic Love and writer for The Huffington Post, ABC Radio National, YourTango, Actualise Daily and others.