Human All To Human by Zimmern Helen

Author:Zimmern,Helen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: PHILOSOPHY. PSYCHOLOGY, Philosophy of mind
Publisher: George Allen And Unwin Ltd.
Published: 1924-12-19T05:00:00+00:00

That which happened amongst the Greeks— namely, that every great thinker who believed himself to be in possession of the absolute truth became a tyrant, so that even the mental history oi the Greeks acquired that violent, hasty and dangerous character shown by their political history,—this type of event was not therewith exhausted, much that is similar has happened even in more moderr

SIGNS OF HIGHER AND LOWER CULTURE. 243

times, although gradually becoming rarer and now but seldom showing the pure, na'fve conscience of the Greek philosophers. For on the whole, opposition doctrines and scepticism now speak too powerfully, too loudly. The period of mental tyranny is past. It is true that in the spheres of higher culture there must always be a supremacy, but henceforth this supremacy lies in the hands of the oligarchs of the mind. In spite of local and political separation they form a cohesive society, whose members recognise and acknowledge each other, whatever public opinion and the verdicts of review and newspaper writers who influence the masses may circulate in favour of or against them. Mental superiority, which formerly divided and embittered, nowadays generally unites ; how could the separate individuals assert themselves and swim through life on their own course, against all currents, if they did not see others like them living here and there under similar conditions, and grasped their hands,in the struggle as much against the ochlocratic character of the half mind and half culture as against the occasional attempts to establish a tyranny with the help of the masses ? Oligarchs are necessary to each other, they are each other's best joy, they understand their signs, but each is nevertheless free, he fights and conquers in his place and perishes rather than submit

262.

HOMER.—The greatest fact in Greek culture remains this, that Homer became so early Pan-

Hellenic. All mental and human freedom to which the Greeks attained is traceable to this fact At the same time it has actually been fatal to Greek culture, for Homer levelled, inasmuch as he centralised, and dissolved the more serious instincts of independence. From time to time there arose from the depths of Hellenism an opposition to Homer; but he always remained victorious. All great mental powers have an oppressing effect as well as a liberating one; but it certainly makes a difference whether it is Homer or the Bible or Science that tyrannises over mankind.

263.

TALENTS. — In such a highly developed humanity as the present, each individual naturally has access to many talents. Each has an inborn talent, but only in a few is that degree of toughness, endurance, and energy born and trained that he really becomes a talent, becomes what he &,— that is, that he discharges it in works and actions.

264.

THE WITTY PERSON EITHER OVERVALUED OR UNDERVALUED. —Unscientific but talented people value every mark of intelligence, whether it be on a true or a false track ; above all, they want the person with whom they have intercourse to entertain them with his

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