Existentialism and Individual Responsibility: Viewed Through a Horse
By: Jason Turk
Tags: BoJack Horseman, Sartre, Existentialism, TV, Philosophy

Existentialism and Individual Responsibility: Viewed Through a Horse

Raphael Bob-Waksberg’s animated dramedy, Bojack Horseman, is anything but light. Sure, it’s a story with talking horses and dogs that takes place in an absurd, over the top version of Hollywood, but it’s simultaneously a show which handles depression, addiction, trauma, and grief, all with the utmost seriousness. Another hefty topic which the show handles and exemplifies through its titular character is the concept of Existentialism, specifically one which had been pioneered by French philosopher, Jean-Paul Sartre. To make this connection explicitly known, I’ll be quoting from Sartre’s 1957 essay, “Freedom and Responsibility”, which shares an uncanny resemblance to many occurrences within the series.

First, let’s look into the key facets of Sartre’s philosophy. Sartre was an individual who believed, by and large, that humans were alone in their existence and no truly ‘great’ power existed beyond us. He saw our lives on earth as finite, and ultimately believed that whatever we accomplished on earth would be the totality of our existence. He fit the lens of a traditional atheist, but unlike traditional atheism, he found peace and joy in this discovery. Sartre believed that, because there was no higher power we had to adhere to, we actually have sincerely more freedom than one might think. He writes, in his essay, “Freedom and Responsibility”, that, since humans are the sole reasons for their species’ creation, that “man creates mankind”. He proposes that our view of the world creates the world, as everything is made to be taken in perspective. This acknowledged subjectivity, he writes, creates a version of the world which, though not entirely true to the world, is true to us. Therefore, it does not matter what others think, as they are just as incorrect in their worldview as you. Without the advent of a higher power, there is no plain truth to the nature of the world, resulting in the truth existing in the eyes of the individual. Because we can embrace subjectivity as a correct form of belief, we are therefore entirely free to create our own desires, personalities, and lifestyles, unaffected by what others think.

Jean Paul-Sartre, a guy who just really likes using big words.

Here comes the “Responsibility” part of his “Freedom and Responsibility” essay. Because we are entirely free to mold the people we become, we are intrinsically responsible for ourselves. We can’t blame our personalities or misadventures on another, because, as Sartre reflects, each of us are given an astounding amount of choice in how we live our lives. No matter the scenario, there is always some level of choice we have. Even extreme situations are viewed with this same responsibility, for the individual still retains the agency over their own existence. Because this final option of suicide exists in all conceivable situations, Sartre writes, one is always in the position which they have wrought for themselves. If the individual truly believes that they have lost responsibility of their being against external forces, they are still free to make the choice to commit suicide, again reinforcing Sartre’s theory that the individual always has a choice in their actions. Through this dark yet relatively reasoned lens, Sartre asserts that we are thus wholly responsible for ourselves, our reactions, and how we perceive our own existence and world.

How do we cope with being responsible for our own happiness? Find out on this show about a self-destructive horse!

Now, how does this all relate to a show about a talking horse?

This ideology actually emerges as early as the first episode of Bojack Horseman. In an introductory conversation between Bojack and Diane, the pair discuss how happiness is the responsibility of the individual. Diane takes with Sartre’s philosophy, claiming that Bojack, with no external factors negatively impacting his prospects, is lucky to be in control of his happiness, whereas Bojack believes that such a responsibility is “depressing”, and is too much for him to handle. Not only does this establish a robust base dynamic between Bojack and Diane- it sets up one of the key conflicts within the series- how can one be responsible for their own happiness? It’s this question which permeates every episode of the series, and it’s a question which undeniably finds its roots in Sartre’s writings.

This sense of total responsibility propositioned by Sartre is one which appears often within the world of Bojack Horseman. One of Bojack’s clearest flaws is his refusal of responsibility and his lifestyle spent pursuing freedoms inherent in excess. He often attempts to avoid Sartre’s connection of freedom to responsibility by blaming others for actions clearly committed by himself. This flaw emerges slowly through the show, but once it becomes painstakingly clear, it is voiced directly to Bojack in the Season 3 Episode, It’s You. In the scene, Bojack attempts to excuse his awful behaviors by pointing to external stressors, causing Todd to fire back to him that “You are all the things wrong with you. It’s not the alcohol, or the drugs, or any of the shitty things that happened to you in your career or when you were a kid. It’s you”. This quote speaks directly to Sartre’s writings, evoking the truth that Bojack must take full responsibility for his actions, and can’t continue to paint himself as a victim of the world. Though it would be nice to imagine this is the point where Bojack accepts his faults and learns from them, it is far from the last point in which Sartre’s philosophy rears its head.

Have you ever been called out by your best friend for toxic behavior which you’ve wrongly attributed to external events? If so, consult Bojack.

Sartre’s ideas stick with the show through the entirety of it’s runtime, and in poetic fashion, ends with a conversation directly mirroring Bojack and Diane’s first conversation regarding the role one has regarding their own happiness. In this conversation between the now estranged Bojack and Diane, Bojack figures that “Life’s a bitch and then you die”, whereas Diane offers that “Life’s a bitch but you keep living”. This base conflict directly exposes the warring philosophies which various characters of the show have toiled with, and similarly draws back to Sartre’s theory on individual responsibility.

Like everything in a world where one is intrinsically free and always has some semblance of choice, perception is what drives one’s experience in the world. If one is like Bojack and sees the world with no positives, simply the unfortunate means to an ultimate end, then it figures that one, similar to Bojack, would be stuck in a miserable existence. But with a change of perspective, one may find themselves like Diane, who similarly recognizes the toils of daily life, but still believes the individual has ultimate control of their future. Consequently, Diane ends the series with a “happy ending” of sorts, living with her lover away from the toxic, materialistic world of Hollywoo(d). These maxims offered by both characters are clear reflections of the series’ continued reference of Existentialism, and offer one of the most highly contested theories regarding the belief. On one side, many believe that Existentialism is a fancy way of being a pessimist with no belief in a greater truth regarding our existence. Yet, the more optimistic view is that Existentialism gives us the freedom to live how we want, with our own notions of right and wrong, dictated by no one but us.

Just a horse and a girl, considering if they have any agency over their lives.

In Season Five, Episode 10, we get a conversation between Diane and Bojack blatantly arguing over whether it’s within Bojack’s ability to change. He asserts that his identity is stagnant, and because of external forces, will remain stagnant. Diane argues that he’s capable of change. It’s a conversation that ends without a clear winner, but it’s the aftermath of this conversation which speaks directly to who was in the right. It’s Mr. Peanut Butter, of all people, who, in casual conversation with Diane, simply says, “I want to. I don’t have to do anything.” The emphasis in this simple line is on the have, meaning the requirement of following some kind of rules created by an external force. Mr. Peanut Butter, though he might not clearly recognize it, is admitting to the plain power each of us possess within ourselves, and how each and every situation we find ourselves in is the result of our own choices. It seems ridiculous to see the optimistic and naive Mr. Peanut Butter as the harbinger of Sartre’s true philosophy, but in a show like Bojack Horseman, it’s a ridiculous element which makes perfect sense.