According to Ian Buruma's "Year Zero: A History of 1945," Simone de Beauvoir describes Jean-Paul Sartre's return from the United States as a disorienting experience. Although he appreciated certain aspects, like his admiration for people and Roosevelt, Sartre was deeply unsettled by various elements of American culture. These included the pervasive conservatism, the prevailing set of values, the fabrications surrounding American identity, and a collective denial of the tragic aspects of existence.

Buruma highlights how Sartre's disillusionment was marked by his observations of widespread discrimination and racism, alongside a critical view of the American economic system. His experience underscores a profound disappointment with the disconnect between the American ideal and the harsh realities that lurked beneath its optimistic surface, ultimately shaping his philosophical outlook.