Tag: philosophy

Loftiness manifests itself, above all, in adversity. When the wind blows in favor, it is easy to use it as a mask. When facing setbacks, however, the masks fall, and the lofty one is distinguished by the superb virtue of silence. Firm posture, nerves of steel, and resignation. Let the storm come, any storm! Loftiness is all about never complaining.

A congress that brought together all those who claim to believe in the future of mankind would undoubtedly end in a terrible riot. Heated discussions, blood-stained faces and angry looks: this is the only way it could happen. The psychology of someone who worships words like “future” and “progress” is very simple. This person takes himself seriously, believes in himself, has “convictions.” To believe in the future of mankind is to believe in oneself as a transforming agent, to have solutions and want to propose them, defend them, fighting whoever presents opposition. “I believe in the future of mankind,” says someone, and the intelligent listener already infers “and you should believe too!”.

The man assumes himself to be unfair, rude and bad character, but never unintelligent. That is his only intolerable humiliation. Even the lowest of the low—and this one especially—thinks he is intelligent, or at least smart. Make the world an auditorium and ask only the beasts to raise their hands: not a single hand will be raised. The man—himself and his vanity—does not allow for this possibility. To do otherwise would be to consciously level oneself to an animal—something inadmissible, and impossible when he lacks conscience.

The most striking impact of modernity on philosophy is that the great philosopher is no longer the sage, but the reasoner. Philosophizing in modern times is, at best, creating concepts, but it essentially boils down to articulating and developing logical arguments around irrelevant topics. The word “philosopher” does not evoke in our minds a mature thinker, endowed with great wisdom, but someone interested in systematizations, in abstract concept strings—a freak for definitions. The modern philosopher has definitively lost the condition he enjoyed in antiquity, that of teacher of life: he has become a professional of reasoning, an architect of logic, and is unable to act as a preceptor or counselor. As a result, philosophy has lost its practical character: it no longer implies moral conduct and a posture towards reality. Isolated in its universe, it no longer has anything to say about the real world.