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| In original state of nature of man, there were no evils at all. |
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Romanticist
Social Contract
Civil society enchains man and makes him slave to community
Thus civil society is unjust
Contends that man is essentially good – noble savage – when in state of nature
Nature is state of all animals and of man before society
Society is corrupt and results in unhappiness of mankind |
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Romanticist
radicalization of Rousseau’s view
Man in current state is alienated from his essence in nature
Comes about through exploitation of labor
Which occurs in capitalist system
Thus uprising is necessary to destroy political order
Then absolute benevolence for man
Man would live according to own ability and needs
Humans will experience actualization of human nature |
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Definition
Need to search for enemy that man harbors within himself
Something in human nature that leads to imbalance and inequality
Primitive equality
No private property at all
Social imbalances occur in personal merit and view of merit by others
Ex. King is praised and rewarded for heroism
In context of tribal environment, merited qualities helped secure life and perpetuate life of tribe
1.) Man was free in the “state of nature” and becomes unfree later on
2.) Man was never free and cannot be free from his own nature
He carries within him the bondage he needs to continue to live
Born in need of authority, and create out of own freedom a prison for ourselves |
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4 stages in progression of history – different ideologies in history
Primitive – community rituals have magical effect on nature
Kingship, paternalism – Era of the family
King is hero because sense of vitality
Men imitate kings in order to get power
One characteristic of kings is great wealth
If cannot live eternally, leave behind physical idols to last beyond time
Christianity – Era of the son
Against kingship, for equality
Puts power back into hands of single individual
Wipes away inequalities
Scientific era – seek mastery over nature
Social advancement
Age of secularism
People still hold Christianity at high esteem |
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Definition
Fusion of Marxism, psychoanalysis, and
Political upheaval
Immortality striving is unchangeable and a motive of all humans
People use physical mementos, which represent immortality
Ex. Accumulating objects like money
With money we can manipulate both physical and social reality
To some extent we can find some security to our lives
Money is thread that run through all forms of immortality |
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| Economic Uncertainty and Social Death |
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Definition
Financial anxiety
Securing the future
Live longer – health care, nutrition
Money helps you deny your own death
PERSONAL: It questions your values as a moral being. Is money a leading principle in life? It contributes to the notion that values are often dictated by social standards and systems. |
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Being poor leads to social death
But also having money can lead to social death
Methods aside from money in denying death
Mental illness
Religion |
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Man wants to deny mortality b/c it is animal and natural
Denies animality even from earliest childhood |
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To escape the shadow (death) we try to find darkness in other things
Project shadow on others in order to disassociate ourselves with our animal nature |
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| 2 Dimensions of Sacrifice |
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Definition
Guilt and the unblocking of power
Ex. Holocaust
Although very wrong, it had logic and structure
b/c it expiated guilt as well as gained them power |
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Definition
Lessening of the death fear by sacrifice of another
Relief from burden of own finitude
PERSONAL: not necessarily killing, but killing of one’s soul
We may hate something about ourselves (part of our shadow)
Project this on to others to alleviate frustration
Ex. Martial problems
Mutual scapegoating to direct negativity towards child
Expiation of guilt of failed relationship
As well as life in relationship |
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| Becker's Positive Program |
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Definition
p. 123 second paragraph
Victimage against enemies and internal tyranny in society – high costs of sacrifice
Part of feeling good about ourselves comes from having heroic victory over Evil
Paradox: this begets Evil |
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