" What I Believe is the title of two essays that emphasize humanism, one by Bertrand Russell (1925) and one by E. M. Forster (1938).
Some other authors also wrote works with the same title, alluding to either or both of these essays.
Video What I Believe
esai Russell (1925)
What I Believe first published as a book in 1925. As Russell writes in the preface, "In this little book, I have tried to say what I think about the place of man in the universe, and about the possibilities in how to achieve a good life. "
His essay can be summed up in his quote: "A good life is inspired by love and guided by knowledge".
He does not claim this is a logically necessary belief, but he wants to convince most people to believe by giving examples and consequences.
I believe that when I die I will rot, and my ego will not survive. I am not young and I love life. But I have to booze with shivering for the thought of destruction. Happiness is true happiness because it must end, nor think and love lose its value because they are impermanent. Many people have raised themselves proudly on the scaffold; Surely the same pride should teach us to think right about the place of man in the world. Even if the open windows of science initially make us shiver after the cozy warmth of the myths of traditional humanity, in the end the fresh air brings power, and the great spaces have their own splendor.
Maps What I Believe
Forster's Essay (1938)
E. M. Forster says that he does not believe in the creed; but there are so many people who have to formulate confidence to defend themselves. Three important values ​​for Forster: tolerance, temperament and good sympathy.
It was first published on The Nation on July 16, 1938.
Personal relationships and circumstances
Forster argues that one should invest in a personal relationship: "one should love people and trust them if one does not make a mess of life". To do so, one must be reliable in one's relationships. Reliability, in turn, is not possible without natural warmth. Forster compares his personal relationship to the cause, which he hates. In a frequently quoted phrase, he argues: "If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friends, I hope I must have the courage to betray my country". He goes on to explain:
Such a choice can scare the modern reader, and he may stretch out his patriotic hand to the phone at once and call the police. That would not surprise Dante. Dante puts Brutus and Cassius in the lowest circle of Hell because they have chosen to betray their friend, Julius Caesar, not their country, Rome.
Democracy
Forster carefully welcomed democracy for two reasons:
- It places importance on the individual (at least more than the authoritarian regime).
- This allows criticism.
Thus, he called for "two cheers for democracy" (also the title of the book containing his essay) but argued that this was "enough" and that "no time to give three."
Forster goes on to state that, although the state ultimately depends on strength, the interval between the use of force is what makes life worth living. Some may call the absence of power decadence; Forster preferred to call it civilization.
Great man, aristocracy and public life Forster
The author also criticizes hero-worship and strongly disbelieves what the so-called "great man" is. Heroes needed to run an authoritarian regime to make it appear less boring "like plums should be put in a bad pudding to make it tasty". In contrast, Forster believes in "aristocracy", not by rank or influence but the aristocracy of the sensitive, the attentive and the brave. For Forster it is a tragedy that no way has been found to send private decency into public life:
The higher the public's life is set to lower the morality of its immersion; These adult states behave one way worse than they have ever done in the past, they cheat, rob, oppress and bully, fight without warning, and kill as many women as possible and children; whereas the primitive tribes are in all events bounded by taboos. This is an embarrassing view - though the bigger the darkness, the brighter shine of the little lights, convinces each other, signifies: "Well, in all the events, I'm still here, I really do not like it, but how are you?
Individualism
Forster concludes by stating that this "is a reflection of an individualist and liberal" who has "found liberalism collapsing underneath", takes comfort from the fact that people are born separately and die separately. Therefore, no dictator can eradicate individualism.
See also
- This I Believe
References
Bibliography
- Forster "What I Believe" is published at: Forster, EM, Two Cheers for Democracy , ISBN: 0-15-692025-5, and also: Forster, EM < i> What I Believe, and other essays , ISBN 978-1-911578-01-7.
- What I Believe - Essay E. M. Forster [summarized] Russell's "What I Believe", PDF, chapter 43 [1]
- The word "What I Believe" from Russell is published as ISBNÃ, 0-415-32509-9.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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