While waiting outside a courtroom today, I was reading Richard Schmitt's "Introduction to Marx and Engels 92nd Ed.)." In a discussion of human nature I found a very interesting insight. Marx refused to be drawn into debates about whether human nature is inherently greedy or cooperative, or anything else, because whenever one discovers something that seems to bespeak human nature, it turns out to be so in only certain places or times--neither permanent nor universal.
Marx's insight is that humans differ from animals in producing their own means of subsistence.
As they adopt a means of substance, the individuals and societies interact with it and with one another, constantly evolving. So the "human nature" of a farmer differs from that of a feudal aristocrat, from that of a merchant, from that of an industrialist, etc.
On another note, here is another quote:
"Under private property the significance of human needs is reversed: every person speculates on creating a new need in another, so as to place him in a new dependence and to seduce him into a new mode of gratification and therefore economic ruin." Written in 1844, this certainly presages the iPhone.
Well, *somebody* has to point out that Howard is first, above the surface or below.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bill!
ReplyDeleteSurely such a fine cave should have a resident hermit!
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While waiting outside a courtroom today, I was reading Richard Schmitt's "Introduction to Marx and Engels 92nd Ed.)." In a discussion of human nature I found a very interesting insight. Marx refused to be drawn into debates about whether human nature is inherently greedy or cooperative, or anything else, because whenever one discovers something that seems to bespeak human nature, it turns out to be so in only certain places or times--neither permanent nor universal.
Marx's insight is that humans differ from animals in producing their own means of subsistence.
As they adopt a means of substance, the individuals and societies interact with it and with one another, constantly evolving. So the "human nature" of a farmer differs from that of a feudal aristocrat, from that of a merchant, from that of an industrialist, etc.
On another note, here is another quote:
"Under private property the significance of human needs is reversed: every person speculates on creating a new need in another, so as to place him in a new dependence and to seduce him into a new mode of gratification and therefore economic ruin." Written in 1844, this certainly presages the iPhone.
--Alan
Oops-- "92nd Ed.)" should read"(2nd Ed.)"
Delete--Alan
I'm pretty sure the occupant was a black bear.
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