Existentialism 101: Understanding Sartre’s "Being and Nothingness"

: This is human consciousness. Unlike a rock, you are not a "thing." You are a "nothingness"—a void or a "hole" in being—that is constantly projecting itself toward the future. 2. Existence Precedes Essence

: This refers to objects—like a rock or a chair. They are what they are; they have a fixed essence, no consciousness, and no ability to change their nature.