You are my enemy

The great philosopher Jean Paul Sartre Said it once “The other is Hell”; “The other is my enemy.” The other, the YOU becomes an enemy for me. We might be a little confused that why Sartre has said that ‘The other is my enemy.’ We should understand the context in which
he has said it. He said it in terms of our chances and possibilities of becoming something are curtailed and taken away by THE OTHER. It’s very narrow minded philosophy wherein we reduce everyone as our enemies; whereas they are people who help us really in all the ways.

You become an enemy when your presence makes a threat to my life, my very existence and at the end you become an enemy for my happy existence. My very existence is challenged because of THE OTHER, the YOU.

For an example: In a class room scenario you and I study hard to be the class topper and at the end only one can emerge as the class topper either you or I. When the result is out you emerged as the class topper so you become an enemy for me. You become an enemy for me not being able to be the class topper.

The feeling of ‘OTHER’ is very much felt in love relationship as well. The guy who is in love feels the ‘THE OTHER,’ the existence of other guys may threat his role as an ardent lover, and THE OTHER can win over his girl friend’s heart. The same way the girls who is in love feels the ‘THE OTHER,’ the existence of other girls may threat her role as an ardent lover, and THE OTHER can win over her boy friend’s heart.

We have the YOU ARE MY ENEMY FEELING everywhere, it is there among the siblings when THE OTHER is pampered, loved and taken care of too much, when the BJP sits as the opposition party in Parliament, Congress party becomes its enemy because of Congress’ triumphing victory in election made the BJP to sit in opposition and in 20:20 world cup final when India beats Pakistan, India becomes Pakistan’s enemy. When a beautiful girl has a boyfriend and THE OTHER guy starts loving that particular girl and wants to possess her, her boyfriend becomes an enemy to this guy.

When there are 500 people for an interview for 10 posts and they become our enemies in ensuring our posts. Every now and then our life is threatened because of the feeling that there is an ‘OTHER’ always existing. The other takes away my chances and possibilities of becoming something. We would experience this feeling of ‘ENMITY’ towards many number of people in the different walks of our life.

THE OTHER poses a challenge always in front of us to strive hard in our life. If there weren’t THE OTHER we would have taken everything lightly. So ‘THE OTHER’ makes our life competitive and makes us to strive for excellence.