A hundred years ago, in a society now extinct, the point of view which puts charity above independence now seems to us grotesque. But in newer forms it still survives and is still politically powerful. It is this very same outlook which makes large numbers of people think it better that the unemployed should be kept alive by private benevolence than that they should have the legal right to support by the public authorities. In a just world, there would be no possibility of ‘charity’.
出典:Bertrand Russell: On charity,Nov. 2, 1932. In: Mortals and
Others, v.1 (1975)
詳細情報:http://russell-j.com/CHARITY.HTM
The flight of time, the transitoriness of all things, the empire of death, are the foundations of tragic feeling. Ever since men began to reflect deeply upon human life, they have sought various ways of escape: in religion, in philosophy, in poetry, in history – all of which attempt to give eternal value to what is transient. While personal memory persists, in some degree, it postpones the victory of time and gives persistence, at least in recollection, to the momentary event. The same impulse carried further causes kings to engrave their victories on monuments of stone, poets to relate old sorrows in words whose beauty (they hope) will make them immortal, and philosophers to invent systems providing that time is no more than illusion. Vain effort! The stone crumbles, the poet’s words become unintelligible, and the philosopher’s system are forgotten. Nonetheless, striving after eternity has ennobled the passing moment.
出典: On old friends (written in Jan. 4, 1933 and pub. in Mortals and Others, v.1, 1975.]
詳細情報:http://russell-j.com/O-FRIEND.HTM
Throughout recent years, a vast amount of money and time and brains has been employed in overcoming sales resistance, i.e. in inducing unoffending persons to waste their money in purchasing objects which they had no desire to possess. It is characteristic of our age that this sort of thing is considered meritorious.
出典: On sales resistance (written in June 22, 1932 and pub. in Mortals and Others, v.1, 1975.]
詳細情報:http://russell-j.com/SALES-R.HTM
One of the unforeseen and unintended results of the increasing importance of experts in the modern world is that, in a great many departments of life, the ordinary man has become passive where he used to be active.
出典: Are we too passive? (written in Feb. 3, 1932 and pub. in Mortals and Others, v.1, 1975)
詳細情報:http://russell-j.com/PASSIVE.HTM
The desire for posthumous fame has grown less than it was in those days, because of the growth of newspapers. Contemporary fame can now be much greater than it could be in former times that it has almost crowded out the wish for the slender trickle of admiration derivable from the readers of history. The fame of a film star at the present day far exceeds that of Alexander or Caesar at the height of his career. Probably more people know the name of Einstein now than have known the name of Archimedes in all the centuries from his day to our own. The effect of all this is that admiration is sought in more ephemeral forms than those formerly desired. Men’s work becomes less statuesque, and there is more effort to make it appeal to all and sundry.
出典: Whose admiration do you desire? (written in Dec. 12, 1931 and pub. in Mortals and Others, v.1, 1975.)
詳細情報:http://russell-j.com/ADMIRE.HTM