In an October reading review for Simone Weil’s Need For Roots, I mentioned how the book was littered with sharp observations about various elements of society. I’ve organized them here into a combination of a ‘Q&A’ format and the 'words to live by' concept I rolled out for this March post.
Good luck...
Tim
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Q: When has a civilization progressed?
A: Each time a person is freed from hunger.
Q: And regressed?
A: When those suffering beyond capacity cling to their pain in order to ensure their suffering was not in vain. Healthy bodies expel illness.
Q: Define respect.
A: Respect is caring for another’s Earthly needs. A cornfield is due great respect.
Q: How can an institution express equality?
A: It must demonstrate each person’s value without using varying increments or degrees.
Q: Define fair trade.
A: If materials are wasted or morals are violated, the exchange must be reexamined.
Q: What is the danger of money?
A: Figures relax the mind because of their simplicity.
Q: What obligation is capitalism failing to fulfill?
A: Training workers to meet tomorrow’s demands. Failing to account for joy in work is a close second, though. Nothing makes up for the loss of joy in work.
Q: Are new groups being effectively assimilated into the culture?
A: Groups often appear assimilated when their culture is taken away or destroyed. What does not stand out appears assimilated.
Q: Why does science fail?
A: It creates a logical end: force reigns supreme. Planets enter orbit or are crushed just as columns unable to bear the roof are flattened. Are people special exceptions to this truth? The threat of totalitarianism is an extension of science.
Q: A final thought?
A: We too easily dismiss evil deeds as ‘products of the times’. Evil must be identified and labeled even if this contradicts our established notions of great men. The way we study history must change until evil is labeled for the act itself. If we fail to identify evil correctly when examining the past, we will fail to identify evil correctly when examining the present.
