Albert Camus's Philosophy of Communication: Making Sense in an A ...

Hannah Arendt referred to as the “social realm” of communication (47). Part of Arendt’s philosophical project in The Human Condition was to rehabilitate a healthy distinction between the public and private spheres of existence. For Arendt, the private sphere concerns issues related to household and family life. In contrast, the public sphere is a common space, shared by those of various backgrounds, in which ideas are exchanged and people are recognized for their achievements. When the public sphere is devalued, human beings lose an important place where they can practice excellence and be recognized for acting according to the Aristotelian virtues (49). The “social realm” is “neither private nor public” and is a “relatively new phenomenon” (28). In her interpretation of Arendt’s work, Holba wrote, “In the realm of the social individuals encounter endless conflict because she or he is not able to feel at home in society” (Philosophical 87). The social realm is often driven by individuals’ bringing items for conversation into public spaces that are more at home in the private realm—this idea returns us to Arnett’s concerns about therapeutic communication. As Clamence shares his private feelings in the public space of the Amsterdam bar, there is no way for a public verification of his ideas to take place. Therefore Clamence is seeking to function according to influence as opposed to the “productive output” that is evaluated in a public setting (Arnett, “Therapeutic” 151).

Clamence previously worked as a lawyer, a profession that situated him in the public sphere, “where one could excel, could distinguish oneself from all others” (Arendt 49). Instead of completely withdrawing into a private world dominated by his own thoughts and regrets, he seeks to create a place where “social” concerns dominate. Holba wrote, “Arendt explains that the realm of the social has killed off the realms of the private and the public, which are essential to human communication” (38). This social sphere promotes a therapeutic environment. According to Arnett, “When therapeutic language is misused, it is likely to offer sickness, not health, to institutions that embrace its use, just as the indiscriminate use of medication can cause illness, but when used correctly in particular cases, the same medicine invites human health” (“Therapeutic” 150). As the character Clamence demonstrates,