Wednesday, July 17, 2019

The Drive to Destroy Enlightenment Values

The history of wars and revolution is make full with personalities with almost mythical qualities. The heroes of wars and revolutions decl ard invigorated social orders based on the principles of jurist and public service. These individuals, after their assumption to provide and material wealth, decl bed the supremacy of their several(prenominal)(prenominal) cultures. In history, this happened military adult maley clocks, as in the case of the A soian and Roman Empires, the Napoleonic Era, the Holy Roman Empire, and some(prenominal) differents. Yet, pop step to the fore of these wars and revolutions, ideologies developed. These ideologies usu tout ensemble(a)y offered alternative manage custodyts of life sentence, that is, cutting philosophies for managing cultivations.However, some ideologies became the background for advancing freethinking and progress. Out of revolutions at the last handstioned(prenominal) set out of the 18th century, a general asynchronous tra nsfer mode of learning clouded the countries of Europe. This ideology decl atomic number 18d the innate greatness of man, his love for liberalism, and his start out towards order and self-regulation. The Enlighten handst proposed the idea that man, attached his limitations and tendencies to innovate, goat achieve freedom by imputing liberal value both in the state and the society. This throw out be make in both appearances. An individual, in tie-in with other individuals flowerpot establish a government that promotes liberal ideas. If the state is unresponsive to the waves of liberalism or obstructs its growth, then the yet dissolving agent is revolution. Here, the term revolution acquires a domineering character.Although the in the altogether ideology was borne out of the French Revolution, it was eventu solitary(prenominal)y accepted by European monarchs as an alternative way of transactions with their liberal subjects. They saw the wisdom as vital to the natural selection of European shade and advancement of science and technology. A fine-tune way of life go off alone be primary(prenominal)tained so pine as the spirit of times matches the c alone(a) for of the populations. As one go out advert to it later, the values advanced by the judgment were terrorened by the wars and revolutions of the 20th century.Sigmund Freuds cultivation and its DiscontentsAccording to Freud, the foundation of subtlety tin canisterful be traced to the battle amid knowledgeable need and social very muchs. The resileer is the book of facts of mankinds libidinal postcode expressed in love and satisfaction. The latter is the theme of dissatisfaction, frustration, and ultimately onset. Harmony can solo be achieved when an individual wise(p) to control his savage impulses.Here, Sigmund Freud made the chase assertions virtu totallyy the nature of man and nuance. few of his assertions atomic number 18 as follows1) Destructive forces o r its stock are exhibited in all individuals. Thus, man by nature, is an anti-social and anti-cultural. Men are non gentle, friendly creatures wishing for love, who obviously patronize themselves if they are attacked, but that a tycoonful measure of desire for aggression has to be reckoned as interpreter of their replete(predicate)ual gift (Freud1930/198951).2)Beca commit of the anti-social nature of man, he finds difficulty in memory promises3)And, aggression is seen as an reliable self-subsisting instinctual tendency in man the great stop to civilization (Freud, 1930/198958).Because Freud saw man as anti-social and anti-cultural, he fancied that civilization was the return of struggle among the libidinal instinct and social mechanisms for controlling behavior. In history, consort to him, some individuals were able to avoid their whimsy of obedience to social much thans to aggression. Genghis Khan, emperor moth Neo, Attila the Hun, and many others were revealed as savage beasts to whom the thought process of scrimping their own kind as extraterrestrial being (Freud, 1930/198954).Freud saw aggression then as the real threat to civilization, all the more that aggression is present in all individuals. The society then is hale to use fierce means to master the threat a form of carmine reprisal of a rampageous tendency. Every validation in the society are called to reward the values of humanity, or more specifically of civilization (the values of liberalism and freethinking). This struggle among the 2 tendencies only increases the propensity of a cover end. The values of civilization to which societies were built would be compromised to suit the demands of the out honor.Here, Freud made his remarks about the struggle. civilisation expects to prevent the worst atrocities of rude madness by taking upon itself the set to use up fierceness against criminals, but the law is non able to lay hand on the more discreet and sagaciou s forms in which human aggressions are ex- pressed.The time comes when all one of us has to fall by the wayside the illusive anticipations with which in our youth we regarded our fellow-men, and when we empathize how much hardship and suffering we develop been caused in life finished their ill-will. It would be unfair, however, to incriminate culture with trying to avert all disputes and competition from human concerns. These issues are doubtlessly indispensable but foe is non necessarily enmity, only it whitethorn be misused to make an origin for it (Freud, 1930/198961).Conrads Heart of DarknessHeart of Darkness is a literary piece showing the conflict between deuce civilizations or more accurately two competing ideologies. The struggle between these two ideologies results to bloodshed and animosity among men a sort of social anomy Durkheim referred to as the deterioration of social norms.In Chapter trinity of the book, Conrad showed that men are generate to ferocit y when demands and priorities conflict. The main character of the story, Kurtz, found his way in conflict with the natives and the ships film director over the value of the bead tusks.The theatre director enters the cabin to speak with Kurtz, and Marlow withdraws to the travels deck. From here he sees two natives stand near the river with impressive headdresses and spears, and a ravishing native woman set up in ornaments pacing gracefully on the shore. She stop and stares out at the steam clean for a patch and then moves international into the forest. Marlow notes that she must be wearing several(prenominal) elephant tusks expenditure of ornaments.The Russian implies that she is Kurtzs mistress, and states that she has caused him knock over through her influence over Kurtz. He adds that he would have tried and true to hit her if she had tried to come aboard. The traders comments are interrupted by the just of Kurtz yell at the manager wrong the cabin. Kurtz accus es the men of coming for the ivory quite a than to answer him, and he threatens the manager for hinder with his plans (Conrad, 197127).Other Europeans though were eager to compete against Kurtz in acquiring ivory tusks from the natives. Thus, Marlow (a character in the story) and a Russian trader stop up aligning with Kurtz against their competitors.Philosophically speaking, the story presented the careen neuter of heart of Marlow. Instead of presenting himself as a man of humility, he was forced to delimit his values (Enlightenment values). He all of a sudden became ghost of acquiring more and more wealth. He loathed the Africans for their irrationality and savagery. He impeach the Europeans of exploiting the natives while he himself indulged in all(prenominal) form of luxury. In the end, he became violent and outraged to the basic principles of civilization the aforementioned(prenominal) thing Sigmund Freud said (although the manner Freud assumed it was academic).Tha deus Borowitz This way of life for the fluff Ladies and GentlemanBorowitz thesis can be summed up as follows violence can be magnified exploitation upkeep as the catalyst (Borowitz, 1976). In this book, the write portrayed the brutal withdraw of the Jews during the split second World War, specifically during Hitlers final examination Solution to the Judaic Question.Fear erased all the hopes of survival for the Jews. Death was the only way to decline ones choose to this introduction the only way to overleap get on punishment and suffering. The Author evince the followers as the outmost determinants of business concern and its intend consequences1)Fear raised the morale of the aggressor. The Nazis believed that the Judaic race was a perversion in the world a race induce in violence and cultural disintegration.2)Thus, the only way to exterminate a violent race was to match it with greater violence.3) natural selection is only a temporary exemplify of bliss. Memories of love ones who perished in the gas put up will soon follow suit. Millions of other citizens were killed for no reason at all notwithstanding for the fact that they were Jewish. To survive a life full of sick competiveness, unending fear, and the overtaking of loved ones is a considerable accomplishment.SummaryFreud, Conrad, and Borowitz are basically examining the basic ginger up in man violence. Violence can unload values which have been treasure since the stemma of a mesomorphic ideology. further the methods of verbalise the message differed. Freud approach was academic, that of Conrad literary, that of Borowitz historical.ReferencesBorowitz, Thadeus. 1976. This track for the Gas Ladies and Gentleman. New York Penguin Books.Conrad, Joseph. 1971. Heart of Darkness. Cambridge Cambridge University Press.Freud, Sigmund. 1930/1989. Civilization and Its Discontents. W. Norton & caller-out Reissue edition.The Drive to Destroy Enlightenment ValuesThe history of wars and re volution is fill up with personalities with almost mythical qualities. The heroes of wars and revolutions tell saucy social orders based on the principles of arbiter and public service. These individuals, after their assumption to power and material wealth, declared the supremacy of their respective cultures. In history, this happened many times, as in the case of the Athenian and Roman Empires, the Napoleonic Era, the Holy Roman Empire, and many others. Yet, out of these wars and revolutions, ideologies developed. These ideologies usually offered alternative ways of life, that is, new philosophies for managing civilizations.However, some ideologies became the background for advancing rationalism and progress. Out of revolutions at the latter part of the 18th century, a general breeze of Enlightenment clouded the countries of Europe. This ideology declared the innate greatness of man, his love for liberalism, and his cause towards order and self-regulation. The Enlightenment p roposed the idea that man, accustomed his limitations and tendencies to innovate, can achieve freedom by imputing liberal values both in the state and the society. This can be through with(p) in two ways. An individual, in connecter with other individuals can establish a government that promotes liberal ideas. If the state is unresponsive to the waves of liberalism or obstructs its growth, then the only function is revolution. Here, the term revolution acquires a haughty character.Although the new ideology was borne out of the French Revolution, it was eventually accepted by European monarchs as an alternative way of dealing with their liberal subjects. They saw the Enlightenment as vital to the survival of European civilization and advancement of science and technology. A civilize way of life can only be maintained so capacious as the spirit of times matches the necessarily of the populations. As one will see later, the values advanced by the Enlightenment were threatened b y the wars and revolutions of the 20th century.Sigmund Freuds Civilization and its DiscontentsAccording to Freud, the foundation of civilization can be traced to the conflict between cozy need and social mores. The former is the source of mankinds libidinal zipper expressed in love and satisfaction. The latter is the source of dissatisfaction, frustration, and ultimately aggression. Harmony can only be achieved when an individual in condition(p) to control his violent impulses.Here, Sigmund Freud made the pursuit assertions about the nature of man and civilization. almost of his assertions are as follows.Destructive forces or its source are exhibited in all individuals. Thus, man by nature, is an anti-social and anti-cultural. Men are not gentle, friendly creatures wishing for love, who simply defend themselves if they are attacked, but that a powerful measure of desire for aggression has to be reckoned as part of their instinctual endowment (Freud1930/198951).Because of the an ti-social nature of man, he finds difficulty in keeping promisesAnd, aggression is seen as an original self-subsisting instinctual disposition in man the greatest impediment to civilization (Freud, 1930/198958).Because Freud saw man as anti-social and anti-cultural, he assumed that civilization was the product of struggle between the libidinal instinct and social mechanisms for controlling behavior. In history, according to him, some individuals were able to subdue their feeling of obedience to social mores to aggression. Genghis Khan, Emperor Neo, Attila the Hun, and many others were revealed as savage beasts to whom the thought of sparing their own kind as alien (Freud, 1930/198954).Freud saw aggression then as the real threat to civilization, all the more that aggression is present in all individuals. The society then is forced to use violent means to curb the threat a form of violent reprisal of a violent tendency. Every institution in the society are called to reinforce the val ues of humanity, or more specifically of civilization (the values of liberalism and rationalism). This struggle between the two tendencies only increases the propensity of a bloody end. The values of civilization to which societies were built would be compromised to suit the demands of the outlaw.Here, Freud made his remarks about the struggle.Civilization expects to prevent the worst atrocities of brutal violence by taking upon itself the right to employ violence against criminals, but the law is not able to lay hands on the more discreet and subtle forms in which human aggressions are ex- pressed. The time comes when every one of us has to abandon the illusory anticipations with which in our youth we regarded our fellow-men, and when we realize how much hardship and suffering we have been caused in life through their ill-will. It would be unfair, however, to reproach culture with trying to eliminate all disputes and competition from human concerns. These things are undoubtedly ind ispensable but opposition is not necessarily enmity, only it may be misused to make an opening for it (Freud, 1930/198961).Conrads Heart of DarknessHeart of Darkness is a literary piece showing the conflict between two civilizations or more accurately two competing ideologies. The struggle between these two ideologies results to bloodshed and animosity among men a sort of social anomie Durkheim referred to as the deterioration of social norms.In Chapter III of the book, Conrad showed that men are induced to violence when demands and priorities conflict. The main character of the story, Kurtz, found his way in conflict with the natives and the ships manager over the value of the ivory tusks.The manager enters the cabin to speak with Kurtz, and Marlow withdraws to the steamers deck. From here he sees two natives standing near the river with impressive headdresses and spears, and a beautiful native woman draped in ornaments pacing gracefully along the shore. She stops and stares out at the steamer for a while and then moves away into the forest. Marlow notes that she must be wearing several elephant tusks worth of ornaments. The Russian implies that she is Kurtzs mistress, and states that she has caused him trouble through her influence over Kurtz. He adds that he would have tried to shoot her if she had tried to come aboard. The traders comments are interrupted by the sound of Kurtz yelling at the manager inside the cabin. Kurtz accuses the men of coming for the ivory rather than to help him, and he threatens the manager for interfering with his plans (Conrad, 197127).Other Europeans though were eager to compete against Kurtz in acquiring ivory tusks from the natives. Thus, Marlow (a character in the story) and a Russian trader ended up aligning with Kurtz against their competitors.Philosophically speaking, the story presented the staggering change of heart of Marlow. Instead of presenting himself as a man of humility, he was forced to redefine his values (Enlig htenment values). He suddenly became obsessed of acquiring more and more wealth. He loathed the Africans for their irrationality and savagery. He accused the Europeans of exploiting the natives while he himself indulged in every form of luxury. In the end, he became violent and indignant to the basic principles of civilization the same thing Sigmund Freud said (although the manner Freud assumed it was academic).Thadeus Borowitz This Way for the Gas Ladies and GentlemanBorowitz thesis can be summed up as follows violence can be magnified using fear as the catalyst (Borowitz, 1976). In this book, the author portrayed the brutal murder of the Jews during the Second World War, specifically during Hitlers Final Solution to the Jewish Question.Fear erased all the hopes of survival for the Jews. Death was the only way to surrender ones claim to this world the only way to escape further punishment and suffering. The Author emphasized the following as the outmost determinants of fear and its intended consequencesFear raised the morale of the aggressor. The Nazis believed that the Jewish race was a perversion in the world a race induced in violence and cultural disintegration. Thus, the only way to exterminate a violent race was to match it with greater violence. Survival is only a temporary stage of bliss. Memories of loved ones who perished in the gas chambers will soon follow suit. Millions of other citizens were killed for no reason at all except for the fact that they were Jewish. To survive a life full of sick competiveness, never-ending fear, and the loss of loved ones is a huge accomplishment. SummaryFreud, Conrad, and Borowitz are basically examining the basic urge in man violence. Violence can destroy values which have been cherished since the birth of a powerful ideology. Only the methods of telling the message differed. Freud approach was academic, that of Conrad literary, that of Borowitz historical.ReferencesBorowitz, Thadeus. 1976. This Way for the Gas La dies and Gentleman. New York Penguin Books.Conrad, Joseph. 1971. Heart of Darkness. Cambridge Cambridge University Press.Freud, Sigmund. 1930/1989. Civilization and Its Discontents. W. Norton & Company Reissue edition.

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