Tag: behavior

Proudhon’s Revolt

Another from Proudhon:

L’autorité ne fut pas plutôt inaugurée dans le monde qu’elle devint l’objet de la compétition universelle. Autorité, Gouvernement, Pouvoir, Etat — ces mots désignent tous la même chose —, chacun y vit le moyen d’opprimer et d’exploiter ses semblables. Absolutistes, doctrinaires, démagogues et socialistes tournèrent incessamment leurs regards vers l’autorité, comme vers leur pôle unique.

Proudhon’s revolt, the vehemence and ardor that leap like sparks from his lines is quite understandable: it is very easy to imagine a society that does not consist of oppressors and oppressed; yet it is astonishing to see that oppression, in whatever guise it is presented, does nothing but consolidate by molding itself to the prevailing propensities. And to see that, even though the obvious is blatantly exposed, the majority does not see it, taking an active part in the perpetuation of that which goes directly against not only their interests, but their own dignity.

To Be Governed

From Proudhon:

Être GOUVERNÉ, c’est être gardé à vue, inspecté, espionné, dirigé, légiféré, réglementé, parqué, endoctriné, prêché, contrôlé, estimé, apprécié, censuré, commandé, par des êtres qui n’ont ni le titre, ni la science, ni la vertu… Être GOUVERNÉ, c’est être, à chaque opération, à chaque transaction, à chaque mouvement, noté, enregistré, recensé, tarifé, timbré, toisé, coté, cotisé, patenté, licencié, autorisé, apostillé, admonesté, empêché, réformé, redressé, corrigé. C’est, sous prétexte d’utilité publique, et au nom de l’intérêt général, être mis à contribution, exercé, rançonné, exploité, monopolisé, concussionné, pressuré, mystifié, volé ; puis, à la moindre résistance, au premier mot de plainte, réprimé, amendé, vilipendé, vexé, traqué, houspillé, assommé, désarmé, garrotté, emprisonné, fusillé, mitraillé, jugé, condamné, déporté, sacrifié, vendu, trahi et, pour comble, joué, berné, outragé, déshonoré. Voilà le gouvernement, voilà sa justice, voilà sa morale !

Proudhon’s eloquence is one of those that convince a monk to buy a rifle. The meticulousness in stating the obvious can only admit laughter as a response. What to say? How to refute it? Proudhon, who was no ordinary man, had eyes to see the tyrannical exploitation that became social normality, had eyes to see the vexatious state of submission in which the ordinary citizen was allowed to live. And then? Persists the myth, now set in stone, that it is imperative that everyone agrees to be sheep and that a few be wolves. This is the only way “society” can function. One millimeter outside of this is chaos and disorder: everyone loses and, therefore, the best thing is to silently accept the need for some to command and others to obey.

Stupor in the Face of the Cultural Destruction

Sometimes it seems that we live in a time not of decadence, but of stupor in the face of the cultural destruction that has already taken place. It is as if we were in the midst of the rubble, perplexed and without action. Gone are the safe, the stable, the “certain”, gone are the north and the good; words have been emptied of meaning and criteria deconstructed, while the subversive has been put on a pedestal. Culturally, absurdities stand out that, after a moment of brilliance, are soon forgotten and replaced by others; and in this succession in which nothing lasts but the nonsense, there seems to be nothing firm to stand on.

Although Censorship Is an Unspeakable Cruelty…

Although censorship is an unspeakable cruelty, and although it is very effective in the short and medium term, for some reason it does not seem strong enough to last. So it should be noted that there are limits even to the fullest censorship. Censorship cannot, for example, hide itself completely: there will always be at least one pair of eyes capable of identifying it. And that pair of eyes, even if gagged and punished, will have something with it that censorship cannot corrupt. In this, censorship is also treacherous to the censor, who, however astute and methodical he may be, can never hide his crime, which will be fatally exposed over time, since its effects are too evident. Thus we have that the censor, however delightful the momentary benefits may be to him, will have to face the fact that they are momentary, and eternal the reputation of a scoundrel that he has irrevocably attached to his name.