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Single Idea 23811
[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 1. Slavery
]
Full Idea
To strive from necessity and not for some good - ...that is always slavery.
Gist of Idea
If effort is from necessity rather than for a good, it is slavery
Source
Simone Weil (Gravity and Grace [1942], 'Work')
Book Ref
Weil,Simone: 'Gravity and Grace', ed/tr. Crawford/De Ruhr [Routledge 1952], p.180
A Reaction
It is usual to see the possibility of anarchism as the starting point for political thinking, but I think for Weil the state of slavery has that role.
The
39 ideas
from 'Gravity and Grace'
24188
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It is absurd to say that evil proves life is worthless. If it were, why would evil matter?
[Weil]
|
24187
|
Without worldly affliction, we'd think this is paradise
[Weil]
|
24192
|
My love makes me believe in God; the inconceivability of this God makes me disbelieve
[Weil]
|
23825
|
We seek truth only because it is good
[Weil]
|
23826
|
Beauty, goodness and truth are only achieved by applying full attention
[Weil]
|
24193
|
If we focus on the good, our whole soul is drawn towards it
[Weil]
|
23808
|
There are two goods - the absolute good we want, and the reachable opposite of evil
[Weil]
|
23809
|
Our only social duty is to try to limit evil
[Weil]
|
23807
|
The collective is the one and only object of false idolatry
[Weil]
|
23810
|
Charity is the only love, and you can feel that for a country (a place with traditions), but not a nation
[Weil]
|
24198
|
Perfect works of art seem to be essentially anonymous
[Weil]
|
24191
|
We want our values to be eternal
[Weil]
|
24189
|
The criterion of the real is contradictions
[Weil]
|
24190
|
Anarchists thought (hopelessly) that empowering the oppressed would end evil
[Weil]
|
24180
|
We just see immortality as prolongation of life, making death meaningless
[Weil]
|
24181
|
We need love to have a good death
[Weil]
|
24178
|
We must leave on one side the ordinary 'consolations' of religion
[Weil]
|
24179
|
We should never desire the immortality of the people we love
[Weil]
|
23833
|
The good is a nothingness, and yet real
[Weil]
|
24186
|
If the world lacked evil, then the evil would be in our desires, which would be worse
[Weil]
|
24204
|
The past is known to us but unreachable - a perfect image of eternal, supernatural reality
[Weil]
|
24202
|
Obedience to an illegitimate ruler is a nightmare
[Weil]
|
24201
|
Social order is equilibrium of forces, which must be corrected when imbalanced
[Weil]
|
24203
|
Atheistic materialism must be revolutionary, because its good is in the future
[Weil]
|
24199
|
There is no oppression, or oppressive class; there is only an oppressive society
[Weil]
|
24200
|
A citizen is defined by their subjection to the laws
[Weil]
|
24194
|
Wanting new discoveries blocks good thinking about what has been discovered
[Weil]
|
24195
|
Don't reject opinions; arrange them all in a hierarchy
[Weil]
|
24185
|
Friendship is a virtue, not a state we should dream of
[Weil]
|
23765
|
The soul is the intrinsic value of a human
[Weil]
|
24197
|
Power and money are supreme means, thus blinding people to ends
[Weil]
|
24184
|
What matters about an action is not its aim, but the origin of its compulsion
[Weil]
|
24182
|
We must be obedient, and love necessity
[Weil]
|
24183
|
We should only perform the good actions which we can't help doing
[Weil]
|
24196
|
Loving others as ourselves implies varied love, and varied suffering
[Weil]
|
24177
|
Higher emotions have less energy, and actions may need the lower emotions
[Weil]
|
24205
|
Monotony is beautiful as a reflection of eternity, or atrocious as unvarying perpetuity
[Weil]
|
24206
|
Revolution (not religion) is the opium of the people
[Weil]
|
23811
|
If effort is from necessity rather than for a good, it is slavery
[Weil]
|