In your relationships with others, how do you define the other (other)? Above all, what do you think is the place of the other in human existence?

PS: The answer to this question is taken from the book Treatise on Human Relations, published in May 2023, Thomson Editions, pp 23-30. This book is by the novelist, poet, and essayist Thomson Dablemond, of Ivorian nationality, author of a dozen books of different literary genres, and also on various and relevant subjects. Together, let’s go through the excerpt from this masterpiece!

The Place of the Other in Human Existence

Very often, we are unaware of it; however, the way in which we conceive the other inevitably and considerably impacts our relations with others, making our happiness or misery on the relational level.

Remember that human relationships depend on our attitudes and mentalities. It all starts with the way we conceive of the notion of Others, whose acrostic better reflects the deep meaning of what Others represent for us (IN FRENCH: AUTRUI): Associé (Associated), Universel (Universal), Transitionnel (Transitional), Relationnel (Relational), Unique (Unique) and Imprévisible (Unpredictable).

In the existential theory of the Other of Thomsonian philosophy, I support the idea that: “The other is at the same time what I was, what I am, and what I will be. The other is the project, both unfinished and pursued by man. This is why man sees himself in himself and outside of himself. In this sense, the other is nothing other than the other me, which is not me, in which I find myself, which is not me. »

From this thought, it follows the closeness with others. This is explained by the fact that the other is close to me, let’s say a part of me, but who is not me because he cannot be the totality of what I am. At the same time, I share the same nature as others, common characteristics that make me form a whole with others. If this is the case, it goes without saying that not only my coexistence with others is more than a necessity. It is, therefore, imperative to observe, learn and understand others for a perfect improvement of my relations with them. Such a conception leads us to consider the following points, which highlight the place of the other in human existence through human relationships.

The Place of the Other in Human Existence Through Human Relationships

1. What you show of yourself determines what others think of you. What you do as acts conditions the judgment that others have of you. What you say determines the credit that the other has for you.

2. The other is there for you when you deem its existence useful. The other ignores you when you ignore him. The other is like a piece of furniture that you arrange: it occupies the place you give it in your life. The other is like real estate; it increases in value in your eyes, in your life, as your relationships improve.

3. The other is the one because of whom you exist. The other is your unit of measurement. The other is your second memory. The other is your other consciousness.

4. The other is like a magnet: if you are compatible, you merge. The other is what you want it to be for you: an ally or a competitor. The other is like night and day.

5. The other is the hidden side of us. The other is another part of us that decides to reveal itself. The other is the one who precedes us in our becoming. The other is the shadow of what we were. The other is the image of what we are.

6. The other is the one who comes to help us get rid of our selfishness. The other is an existential thorn that allows us to surpass ourselves.

7. The other is a source of knowledge for us. The other is a source of investigation and discovery for us. The other is the one that promotes existential conjugation. The other exists for life to have meaning. The other is a facet of humanity. The other is a showcase for us. The other is the notice of life.

8. The other is a necessary evil: certainly, sometimes, it presents itself as evil; in many cases, it is also the remedy we need. The other is the one that amplifies the mystery of life. The other is both the hot and the cold of human existence.

9. The other always has some of the truth we seek. The other always has his share of responsibility in our future. The other is the worst and the best that happens to us. The other is the other voice of the expression of humanity. We share the same story with other, with just a few details.

10. Each loved one you lost left with a part of you. Each of your born loved ones comes with something you need, as well as what humanity needs for balance.

11. The eyes with which you look at others are the same that you must turn towards yourself and even deep within you. Every time you put a barrier between you and the other, humanity becomes fragile. Each time you cross a barrier between you and the other, humanity is built and improved.

12. What you appreciate in others is what you cherish, desire to be, or have. What you blame the other for is what you are afraid to discover in yourself too, or what you are trying to escape. What you do for others should be what you want for yourself.

13. At the wheel of your life, the other is both a conveyor, your apprentice, and your traveling partner. In the journey of your existence, the other is a passenger.

14. What makes each other great is the fact that we share the same humanity. Beyond all our individual differences, possessions, and considerations: nothing puts us above the other, and vice versa.

15. The challenge of existence finds its meaning in the existence of the Other. The presence of the other is never enough for us. The presence of the other is always too much.

16. We always live what others have already lived, what they live now, or what they will live. In truth, we do not own anything private because we have almost everything in common with others. Nothing in us, with us, and for us: anything belongs to us alone. We share the same reality with each other, only with various interpretations.

In Short, the Beginning of the Other Is Our End

And our beginning is the end of the other. Our weaknesses are each other’s strengths, while our strengths are each other’s weaknesses. Everything that makes us unique differs from each other; however, we are similar to each other in the manifestation of what makes us unique. From the failures of the other are born your successes, and vice versa. From the limits of the other, unfold your growth reciprocally. You and the other are the front and back of human existence. Without the other, you will not have been able to capture the quintessence of your humanity. Part of you is hidden in the other. It is through your relationships with others that your life is fulfilled. The balance of life is a reality thanks to the presence and the existence of others. To do without the other is to do without one.

In light of the above, a perfect understanding of the place of the other in existence presented in the existential theory of the other by Thomsonian philosophy makes it possible to promote radiant human relationships while detecting what can harm human relations as well.