Latest / Logic Library / 22 - My Power - part 2 - The Ego and His Own - Max Stirner

Transcript

22 - My Power - part 2 - The Ego and His Own - Max Stirner · Logic Library

0:00
Section twenty two. My power heart too. But what is right? What
0:07
is matter of right in a society is voice two in the law. Whatever
0:12
the law may be, it must be respected by the local citizen. Thus
0:18
the law abiding mind of old England is eulogized to this. That euribidian sentiment
0:25
Austers four one eighth entirely corresponds, we serve the gods. Whatever the gods
0:32
are, law as such, God as such. Thus far we are to
0:37
day people are at pains to distinguish law from arborary orders from an ordinance.
0:45
The former comes from her duly entitled authority, but her law over human action,
0:51
ethical law, state law, et cetera. Is always a declaration of
0:56
will, and so an order. Yes, even if I myself gave myself
1:02
the law, it would yet be only my order to which in the next
1:06
moment I can refuse obedience. One may well enough declare what he will put
1:11
up with, and so depreciate the opposite of the law, making known that
1:18
in the colon try case he will treat the transgressor as his enemy. But
1:23
no one has any business to command my actions, to say what course I
1:27
shall pursue, and set up a code to govern it. I must put
1:33
up with it that he treats me as his enemy, but never that he
1:38
makes free with me as his creature, and that he makes his reason or
1:42
even unreason. My plum line states last only so long as there is a
1:49
ruling will. And this ruling will is looked upon as tanta might to the
1:55
own will. The lord's will is law. What do your laws amount to
2:01
if no one obeys them? What your orders? If nobody lets himself be
2:07
ordered, the state cannot forbear the claim to determine the individual's will. To
2:14
speculate and count on this For the state, it is indispensable that nobody have
2:20
and own will. If one had, the state would have to exclude,
2:23
look up, banish, etc. This one. If all had, they
2:29
would do away with the state. The state is not thinkable without lordship and
2:35
servitude subjection. For the state must will to be the lord of all that
2:40
it in races, and this will is called the will of the state.
2:46
He who has to hold his own must count on the absence of will in
2:51
others is a thing made by these others, as the master is a thing
2:55
made by the servant. If submissive nurse ceased, it would be over with
3:01
all lordship, the own will of me is the state's destroyer. It is
3:07
therefore branded by the state as self will. Own will and the state are
3:14
powers in deadly hostility, between which no etil or peace is possible. As
3:21
long as the state asserts itself, it represents own will, its ever hostile
3:27
opponement, as unreasonable evil. And the latter lets itself be talked into believing
3:32
this. Nay, it really is such. For no more reason than this
3:38
that it still lets itself be talked into such belief. It has not yet
3:44
come to itself and to the consciousness of its dignity. Hence it is still
3:50
incomplete, still agnible to find words, etc. Every state is a dipotism,
3:58
be the despot one or money, or as one is likely to imagine
4:02
about republic, if all be lords, I despotize one over another. For
4:09
this is the case when the law given at any time, the expressed violation
4:15
of it, may be a popular assembly, is thenceforth to be law for
4:19
the individual to which obedience is due from him, or toward which he has
4:26
the duty of obedience. If one were even to conceive the case that every
4:31
individual in the people had expressed the same will and hereby a complete collective will
4:39
had come into being, the matter would still remain the same. Would I
4:43
not be bound today and henceforth to my will of yesterday? My will would
4:48
in this case be frozen, wretched stability, my creature to wit, a
4:56
particular expression of will would have become my command. But I, in my
5:01
will, I the creator, should be hindered in my flow and my dissolution.
5:08
Because I was a fool yesterday, I must remain such my life long.
5:14
So in the state life I am, at best, I might just
5:17
as well say, at worst a bondman of myself. Because I was a
5:24
willer yesterday. I am today without will yesterday in voluntary today involuntary. How
5:31
change it only be recognizing no duty, no binding myself, nor letting myself
5:38
be bound. If I have no duty, then I know no law either,
5:44
But they will bind me my will nobody confined, and my disinclination remains
5:49
free. Why everything must go topsy turvy if everyone could do what he would?
5:58
While who says that everyone can do everything? What are you? Therefore?
6:03
Pray? Do you who do not need to put up with everything?
6:08
Defend yourself and no one will do anything to you? He who would break
6:13
your will has to do with you, and is your enemy. Deal with
6:17
him as such. If there stand behind you for your own protection some millions
6:24
more, then you are an imposing power and will have an easy victory.
6:30
But even if as a power you overawe your appayment, still you are not
6:35
on that account a hallowed authority to him. Unless he be a simpleton,
6:42
he does not owe you respect and regard, even though he will have to
6:46
consider your might. We are accustomed to classify states according to the different ways
6:53
in which the supreme being is distributed. If an individual has its monoch he
7:00
of all habit, democracy, etc. Supreme might, then might against whom
7:09
against the individual and his self will the state practices violence, The individual must
7:16
not do so. The state's behavior is violence, and it calls is violence
7:21
law that of the individual crime crime. Then so the individual's violence is called
7:30
and only by crime does he overcome the state's violence. When he thinks that
7:34
the state is not above him, but he is above the state. Now,
7:41
if I wanted to act ridiculously, I might, as a well meaning
7:46
person, admonish you not to make laws which impair my self development, self
7:50
activity, self creation. I do not give this advice, for if you
7:58
should follow it, you would be unwise, and I should have been cheated
8:03
of my entire profit. I request nothing at all from you, for whatever
8:09
I might demand, you would still be dictial lawgivers, and must be so,
8:15
because a raven cannot sing, nor a robber live without robbery. Rather,
8:20
do I ask those who would be egoists that they think the more egoistic
8:26
to let laws be given them by you, and to respect those that are
8:31
given, or to practice the factory in us, yes, complete disobedience.
8:37
Good hearted people think the laws ought to prescribe only what is accepted in the
8:43
people's feeling as right and proper. But what concern is it of mine?
8:48
What is accepted in the nation and by the nation. The nation will perhaps
8:54
be against the blasphema. Therefore a law against blasphemy? Am I not to
9:01
to blaspheme? On that account? Is this law to be more than an
9:05
ordered to me? I put the question solely from the principle that all right
9:11
and all authority belong to the collectively of the people. To all forms of
9:18
government arise, for none of them lacks this appeal to the collectivity and the
9:24
despot as well as the president or any aristocracy acts and commands in the name
9:31
of the state, they are in possession of the authority of the state,
9:35
and it is perfectly indifferent whether were this possible, the people as a collectivity
9:43
all individuals exercise their state authority, or whether it is only the representatives of
9:50
this collectivity, be there many of them, as in aristocracies, or one
9:54
as in monarchies. Always the collectivity is above the end individual and has a
10:01
power which is called legitimate are y, which is law over against the sacredness
10:09
of the state. The individual is only a vessel of dishonour, in which
10:13
exuberance, malevolence, mania for ridicule, and slander, frivolity, et cetera,
10:20
are left as soon as he does not deem that object of veneration the
10:26
state to be worthy of recognition. The spiritual haughtiness of the servants and subjects
10:33
of the state has fine penalties against unspiritual exuberance. When the government designates as
10:41
punishable or play of mind against the state, the moderate liberals come and opine
10:48
that fun, satire, rid humor must have free play anyhow, and genius
10:54
must enjoy freedom, So not the individual man indeed, but still genius is
11:01
to be free. Here the state, or in its name, the government
11:05
says, with perfect right, he who is not for me is against me,
11:11
fun wit. Etc. In short, the turning of the state affairs
11:16
into a comedy of undermined the states of old. They are not innocent,
11:22
And further, what boundaries are to be drawn between guilty and innocent, wit,
11:28
et cetera. At this question, the moderates fall into great perplexity,
11:35
and everything reduces itself to the prayer that the state government would please not be
11:41
so sensitive, so ticklish, that it would not immediately send malevolence in harmless
11:50
things, and would in general be a little more tolerant. Exaggerated sensitiveness is
11:56
certainly a weakness. Its avoidance may be praise, will be virtue. But
12:01
in time of war one cannot be sparing, and what may be allowed under
12:07
peaceable circumstances ceases to be permitted as soon as a state of siege is declared.
12:15
Because the well meaning liberals failed this plainly, they hasten to declare that,
12:20
considering the devotion of the people, there is assuredly no danger to be
12:26
feared, but the government will be wiser and not let itself be talked into
12:31
believing anything of that sort. It knows too well how people's stuff one with
12:37
fine words, and will not let itself be satisfied with the barmecide dish.
12:43
But they are bound to have their playground, for they are children, you
12:48
know. I cannot be so stayed as old faults. Boys will be boys
12:54
only for this playground, only for a few hours of jolly running about bargain.
13:01
They ask only that the state should not, like a splemitic papa,
13:05
be too cross. It should permit some possessions of the ass and plays of
13:11
falls, as the Church allowed them in the Middle Ages. But the times
13:16
when it could round this without danger are past. Children that now once come
13:22
into the open and live through an hour without the rod of discipline, are
13:28
no longer willing to go into the cell, for the open is now no
13:33
longer a supplement to the cell, no longer a refreshing recreation, but its
13:39
opposite and ought. In short, the state must either no longer put up
13:43
with anything, or put up with everything and perish. It must be either
13:50
sensitive through and through, or like a dead man. Insensitive tolerance is done
13:56
with If the state God gives a finger, they take the whole hand at
14:01
once. There can be no more jesting, and all jest, such as
14:05
fun with humor, becomes bitter earnest. The clamor of the liberals for freedom
14:13
of the press runs counter to their own principle their proper will they will what
14:20
they do not will i e. They wish they would like. Hence it
14:24
is too that they fall away so easily when once so called freedom of the
14:30
press appears, then they would like censorship quite naturally. The state is sacred
14:37
even to them. Likewise morals they behave toward it only as ill bred rats,
14:43
as tricky children who seek to utilize the weaknesses of their parents. Papa's
14:50
state is to permit them to say many things that do not please him.
14:56
But Papa has the right by a stern look to blue pencil their impertinent gabble.
15:03
If they recognize in him their papa, they must, in his presence
15:07
put up with the censorship of speech. Like every child. If you let
15:13
yourself be made out in the right by another, you must no less let
15:16
yourself be made out in the wrong by him. If justification and reward come
15:22
to you from him, except also his arraignment and punishment, alongside right goes
15:28
wrong, alongside legality crime. What are you? You are a criminal?
15:35
The criminal is in the utmost degree estate's own crime, said Bettina. When
15:43
they let this sentiment pass, even if Bettina herself does not understand it exactly
15:50
so. For in the state of the unbridled, I, I, as
15:56
I belong to myself alone, cannot come to my fillment and realization. Every
16:02
ego is from birth a criminal to begin with against the people. The state.
16:07
Hence it is that it does really keep watch over all. It sees
16:12
in each one an egoist, and it is afraid of the egoist. It
16:18
presumes the worst about each other, and takes care, police care that no
16:23
harm happens to the state. Need qued, this publica detrimentic pay the umbroidled
16:30
ego and this we originally are, and in our secret inward parts we remain
16:37
so oldways is never seizing criminal in the state. The man whom his baldness,
16:44
his will is inconsiderateness and fearlessness lead is surrounded with spies by the state,
16:51
by the people, I say, by the people. The people think
16:56
it's something wonderful, your good hearted faults or what you have in the people.
17:02
The people is full of police sentiments through and through only he who renounces
17:07
his ego, who practices self renunciation, is acceptable to the people. In
17:15
the book, Site of Bettina is throughout good natured enough to regard the state
17:21
as ay sick and to hope for its recovery, a recovery which she would
17:26
bring about through their demigogues. But it is not sick. Rather, it
17:30
is in its full strength when it puts from the demogogus who wants to acquire
17:37
something for the individual. For all in its believers is provided with the best
17:42
demigogees leaders of people. According to Bettina, the state is to develop mankind's
17:49
germ of freedom. Otherwise it is a raven mother, and caring for raven
17:56
father. It cannot do otherwise inn and it's very caring for mankind, which
18:02
besides would have to be that humane or free state to begin with. The
18:07
individual is raving fodder for it. How wrightly speaks the burgomaster. On the
18:14
other hand, what the state has no other duty than to be merely the
18:18
attendant of inclorable invalids. That isn't to the point. Some of old a
18:25
health estate has relieved itself of the deceased matter, and not mixed itself with
18:30
it. It does not need to be so economical with its juices, cut
18:37
off the robber branches without hesitation, that the others may bloom. Do not
18:41
shiver at the state's harshness. Its morality, its policy, and religion point
18:48
it to that accuse it of no want of feeling. Its sympathy revolts against
18:53
this, but its experience finds safety only in this severity. There are diseases
19:00
in which only drastic remedies will help. The physician who recognizes their disease as
19:07
such but timidly turns to palliatives will never remove the disease, but may well
19:14
cause the patient to succumb after a shorter or longer sickness. Through Rut's question,
19:21
if you apply death as a drastic remedy, how is the cure to
19:25
be wrought? Then? Isn't to the point why the state does moiply death
19:30
against itself, but against an offensive number. It tears out an eye that
19:36
offends it, et cetera. For the individual state, the only way of
19:41
salvation is to make man flourish in it. If one here like Bettina understands
19:48
by man, the concept man. She is right. The infinite state will
19:52
recover by the flourishing of man, for the more infatuated the individuals are with
19:59
man, the better it serves the state's turn. But if one referred it
20:03
to the individuals to all, and the authoress half does this too, because
20:08
about man she is still envolved with vagueness, then it would sound somewhat like
20:15
the following. For an individual band of robbers, the only way of salvation
20:19
is to make the lower citizen nourish in it. Why thereby the band of
20:26
robbers would simply go to ruin as bad of robbers. And because it perceives
20:30
this, it prefers to shoot every one who has a meaning toward become in
20:36
a steady man. In this book, Bettina is a patriot, or what
20:41
is little more, a philanthropist, a worker for human happiness. She is
20:48
discontented with the existing order in quite the same way as is the title ghost
20:53
of her book, along with all who would like to bring back the good
20:57
old faith and what is with it? Only she thinks counterwise that the politicians,
21:04
placeholders and diplomats ruined the state, while those lay it at the door
21:11
of the nambient, the seducers of the people. End of Section twenty two