“For enlightenment of this kind, all that is needed is freedom. And the freedom in question is the most innocuous form of all—freedom to make public use of one’s reason in all matters.”
Slow and steady wins the race
Slow and steady wins the race:
Following the last post, Kant goes to say that a public can only achieve enlightenment slowly for when it is too rapid, a lot of times things go wrong. This brings to mind the character Cypher from the Matrix, who arguably couldn’t handle the truth (enlightenment) and what comes with it is big side effects.
Leaders among men
“There is more chance of an entire public enlightening itself. This is indeed almost inevitable, if only the public concerned is left in freedom. For there will always be a few who think for themselves, even among those appointed as guardians of the common mass” This brings to mind just about every extremely notable person that brought about change because of the unique way they thought. Too many to list. However Kant also goes to say that some of these people can revert back to non innovative people as they get strong enough to force others to think in a close minded way. Such an example would be most dictators. When fighting for whatever they believe, they preach very innovative change, and then when finally in power, although change comes often what comes with it is a period of stagnation.
“Thus only a few, by cultivating their own minds, have succeeded…
“Thus only a few, by cultivating their own minds, have succeeded in freeing themselves from immaturity and in continuing boldly on their way.”
Apple vs Android
“Dogmas and formulas, those mechanical instruments for rational use (or rather misuse) of his natural endowments, are the ball and chain of his permanent immaturity.” Here Kant is referring to how when people are given something to them they’re whole lives, and are comfortable with it, it leads to no innovation. Which makes me think of the Apple Iphone. I dont hate apple, nor am I an Android fanboy, but all it takes is observation to see how comfortably Apple has been sitting on the phone. Although slowly loosing market share to Android.
Independence = maturity
“The guardians who have kindly taken upon themselves the work of supervision will soon see to it that by far the largest part of mankind should consider the step forward to maturity not only as difficult but also as highly dangerous” This quote I related highly to the most common route of moving out to college, or moving out on your own. Often times you are put in an environment that you are not used to, as a care taker (parents) is not there to say, do your laundry, or make you meals. Instead you are put into the wilderness of sorts, and forced to fend for your own. Makes me think of the college student staple of cup ramen.
mcalixte89: “Have courage to use your own reason.”…
mcalixte89: “Have courage to use your own reason.” – Immanuel…
Tartuffe 33 The way Tartuffe is acting reminds me of Quagmire,…
Tartuffe 33
The way Tartuffe is acting reminds me of Quagmire, from Family Guy, who is a total pervert.
Tartuffe commits the sin of lust and thereof the sin of envy. Earlier on, in the play, Orgon says that Tartuffe is more jealous than Orgon, of the company Elmire socializes with. The fact that Tartuffe is actually lusting for Elmire shows that this is envy of Elmire’s friends that they are able to be with her instead of him. Image taken from: http://froidethumide.ratata.fi/Site/Data/1934/Images/Quagmire_by_iKapow.jpg
L’École des Femmes – The School for Wives
The School for Wives is another play by Moliere. The play is about how a man, Arnolphe, tries to create the perfect wife for himself and how his grand scheme goes into complete disarray. Arnolphe is overly obssessed with the “evil” of woman, on how they trick men, manipulate men, and commit sins to further their own happiness even if it meant dishonoring their husbands, and how the smarter woman are the worse off for the man. Arnolphe buys a four year old girl, Agnes, from a poor woman. Arnolphe has the girl raised to be as dumb as possible due to a strict (non)learning regimen that makes her ignorant of worldy happenings and possessions, and hides her away, so that she would ultimately only love him and be his wife. Arnolphe goes away for a trip, and another man, Horace, causes Agnes to fall in love with him, after an incidental meeting and scheming of his own. Due to Horace’s ignorance, Horace confides in Arnolphe that he is in love with Agnes and that she is being locked up by a despicable man. Arnolphe, with knowledge of the happenings between Agnes and Horace, try to thwart the love affair between Agnes and Horace, without Horace knowing that Arnolphe is the man holding Agnes captive. Arnolphe’s schemes all backfire, and he is in disarray. Unfortunately, the most I could get out of the ending of play is that Arnolphe commands Agnes to go to a room and there is no complete ending, as far as I was able to find. There are some similarities between Tartuffe and The School for Wives. Both plays go about with this level of absurdity. In The School for Wives, Arnolphe is being completely absurd with his scheme to create this perfect wife and how all woman are “evil” in some way, and in Tartuffe, the way Madame Pernelle and Orgon are obssessed about Tartuffe. Chrysalde reminds me of Cleante, full of proper and wise words. Alain and Georgette remind me of Dorine, rather free willed and impudent at times.Also, when they are about to be punished, they finally do what is proper, when comparing Arnolphe threatening not to feed one of them for four days compared to Orgon theatening to slap Dorine. Arnolphe gives off the feel of Orgon, according to the anthology, in that he is trying to have full control over Agnes, with the way she is raised and the maxims that he wants her to follow. Some of the maxims reminded me of the first scene in Tartuffe, where Madame Pernelle complains of the affairs of Elmire, in a social setting. Both plays feature the main male character as wealthy individuals whose plans for a marriage goes into disarray.