120 philosophical essays you must read in your life

Chapter 49

Chapter 3 Section 6

[United States] Fromm

Only when the law of the jungle in nature does not happen to human beings, the tragedy of human cannibalism will come to an end, and the real history of human beings will begin.In order to bring about such a change, we must be fully aware of how sinful our cannibalistic methods and habits are.Even being fully aware is not going to help if it is not accompanied by fair and comprehensive self-blame.

Self-blame is by no means a substitute for regret, it goes far beyond the connotation that regret can express.True remorse and the shame that comes with it are the only human emotions that can prevent old crimes from being repeated over and over again.Where there is no remorse, there is the illusion of no crime.But where in human history has this self-blame occurred?Did the Israelites blame themselves for the genocidal massacres they inflicted on the Canaanite tribes?Did the Americans blame themselves for the almost total elimination of the Indians?For thousands of years people have lived in a system that allows those who win without remorse, because power can sometimes replace power.In fact, each of us should confess that we have all felt guilty about the crimes committed by our ancestors, our contemporaries, or ourselves, whether committed by us directly or by others. Sit on the sidelines.

These crimes should be proclaimed in public ceremony.The Roman Catholic Church offers the individual an opportunity to confess his sins so that the call of conscience can be heard.But we should understand that personal confession is far from effective, since it does not need to speak out about the crimes committed by a group, a class, a people, or most importantly, a sovereign state that does not obey the dictates of individual conscience. under the crime.If we are not willing to make "national repentance," we cannot remain in our old ways of keeping a keen eye on the crimes committed by our enemies while turning a blind eye to the crimes committed by our own people.How can individuals seriously begin to follow the dictates of conscience when some peoples who call themselves guardians of morality have no regard for conscience?The only result of this is that everyone's conscience will be sealed for a long time, because conscience is no more difficult to divide than truth.

If our words and actions are governed by our reason, then we can avoid the influence of unhealthy reason on our actions.Intelligence is still intelligence, even when it is used for nefarious purposes.However, our awareness of reality as it is rather than as we want to see it so that we can use it for our own purposes—in this sense, reason can play such a role that it can drive us out of irrationality. emotions, that is to say, it can make us human beings and replace the irrational drives that used to drive us.

【Together with you】

In every time and space in which we exist, the splendor of reason is what we long for.When the evil side of human nature covers our space like a haze, rational consideration and power will dispel the cloud and let us accept the sunshine.

Strict self-discipline is to make the rational part of deliberation better manifest and let it become the master of our thoughts.Individuality is the stamp we stamp on things, and it is this indelible stamp that determines the full value of all men and all labor.

(End of this chapter)