One of the things for which Sartre is remembered is his discussion of “bad faith”, and in particular for one of his illustrations. I remember that he has a long discussion of the typical Parisian waiter, as illustrating bad faith. According to the celebrated philosopher waiters adopt a particular mode of walking that is designed to impress on their customers just how great is the exertion involved in meeting their customers’ needs. This was however, a crafty role play that (in bad faith) presented an entirely false front to the world.
Sitting in several Italian restaurants over the past few days I have been caused to reflect on just what rubbish Sartre wrote. My doctoral thesis, on the sociology of tourism, brought me into fairly close contact wth the restaurant industry in Yuoslavia. The law there classified jobs according to their level of qualification and the degree of hard work they involved. Waiting at table was deemed to be quite skillful….and quite strenuous. I found myself asking whether Sartre had ever had to carry a tray with four meals across a crowded restaurant, or a tray of empty glasses and bottles.
In fact, I reckon Sartre was a typical Parisian intellectual, totally insulated from the world of normal work. His comments about restaurant work at least were, in one of my favourite phrases, a load of old rope.
Surprisingly, this tirade does have something to do with art. I also ask myself how many people, thinking that artistic sork is “so relaxing” are any better placed than was Sartre in his comments on the waiter.