The supposed intuition of freedom is a constructed evasion of anguish

Evidence

People will say that all these considerations are merely utopian because to “remake woman,” society would have had to have already made her really man’s equal; conservatives have never missed the chance to denounce this vicious circle in all analogous circumstances: yet history does not go round in circles. Without a doubt, if a caste is maintained in an inferior position, it remains inferior: but freedom can break the circle; let blacks vote and they become worthy of the vote; give woman responsibilities and she knows how to assume them; the fact is, one would not think of expecting gratuitous generosity from oppressors; but the revolt of the oppressed at times and changes in the privileged caste at other times create new situations; and this is how men, in their own interest, have been led to partially emancipate women: women need only pursue their rise, and the success they obtain encourages them; it seems most certain that they will sooner or later attain perfect economic and social equality, which will bring about an inner metamorphosis. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1979 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Psychological guilt stems from evading one’s absolute freedom through bad faith — Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness: An Essay on…, 71; Anguish is fear of oneself while fear targets beings in the world — Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness: An Essay on…, 236; Anguish before freedom and anguish before nothingness describe the same phenomenon. (+8 more)

Broader Connections

• Freedom can break the circle of imposed inferiority #complicates (0.75) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1979