MODERNISM: Pioneering Thinkers : Darwin, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Saussure & Einstein

Karl MARX: 1818188!

"i#li$%ra&h':
educated in (er)an' *"$nn+
18,!: e)i%rated t$ -aris
o )et Friedrich En%els
%$$d .riend $. Marx
su&&$rted hi) *.inanciall'+
a.ter Marx/s death: he &u#lished a .ew $. his w$r0s
o here de1el$&ed his idea $. alienati$n $. hu)ans in ca&italist s$ciet' 2 the
necessit' .$r a &r$letarian re1$luti$n in $rder t$ e..ect s$cial chan%e
alienati$n3
.r$) 1alues, each $ther, &r$ducts '$u &r$duce *4ust 1 ele)ent
in a chain+, hu)an la#$ur #ec$)es a c$))$dit'
5alter "en4a)in: 67he 5$r0 $. Art in the A%e $. Mechanical
Re&r$ducti$n/
o in this text he anal'ses the aesthetic w$r0s in ter)s $.
alienati$n and c$))$dities
we li1e in a w$rld $. &rintin%, du&licati$n,
&h$t$%ra&h', artistic w$r0
artistic w$r0s ha1e l$st the 6aura/ that their
uni8ueness $nce %a1e the)
the risin% techn$l$%ies $. artistic re&r$ducti$n
dis&ensed with the idea $. a w$r0/s authenticit'
e%9 the idea $. an authentic &h$t$%ra&hic
$r .il) &rint )a0es n$ sense
18,:: )$1es t$ "russels:
o writes the ;$))unist Mani.est$ *with En%els+
< a#$ut the crisis at the centre $. ca&italist de1el$&)ent
)$dernis) has re&eatedl' #een characterized as a literature $.
crisis
1
st
$. )an' )$dernist &r$cla)ati$ns $. *the need .$r+ a radical #rea0
.r$) the &ast
M$dernist writers were )$st clearl' a..ected #' this in that the'
atte)&ted:
re&resent alienated ur#an li1in%
ele)ents $. de.a)iliarisati$n
di..icult'
Acc$rdin% t$ Marx: M$dernist art %rew $ut $.
o a Eur$&ean l$ss $. c$))unal identit'
o $ut $. alienatin% ca&italis)
o c$nstant industrial accelerati$n
18,=: )$1es t$ >$nd$n
;harles DAR5?N: 18@=188A
a l$t $. )isc$nce&ti$n $. Darwin:
o ;hi)&s and hu)ans ha1e c$))$n ancest$rs
o we did n$t descend .r$) the)
his the$r' $. e1$luti$n:
o #e.$re the' th$u%ht ($d created e1er'thin%
1
e1er' s&ecie is )ade &er.ectB it d$esn/t chan%e
o n$t true sa' Darwin: s&ecies are )uta#le: the' can chan%e
with this: Darwin went a%ainst the "i#le
a%ainst the st$r' $. the #$$0 (enesis:
o the end $. it: 6($d saw it and it was %$$d/
o Darwin said: this didn/t ha&&en, *there/s ne1er an end
&r$duct: alwa's e1$l1in%+
in his #$$0 6the $ri%in $. s&ecies/ ex&resses natural selecti$n: *0e'ter) .$r e1$luti$n+
o #i$l$%ical traits #ec$)e either )$re $r less c$))$n in a &$&ulati$n as a
.uncti$n $. di..erential re&r$ducti$n $. their #earers9
o leads t$ a n$ntele$l$%ical *n$n%$aldirected+ 1iew $. the w$rld
o Csur1i1al $. the .ittestD
< )eans the )$st ada&ted
E the str$n%est
ha&&ens #' chance
o e1$luti$n is n$t s'n$n')$us with &r$%ress
it/s circular rather than linear
o &e$&le can de1$l1e in a %$$dF#ad re%ressi$n
can lead t$ Max N$rdau G De%enerati$n
De%enerati$n3
o < ter) used t$ descri#e a sense $. s$cial n$r)alc'
under threat .r$) .reer 1alues $. a '$un%er %enerati$n
sce&tical a#$ut the w$rth $. their s$ciet'/s strictures $n
)$ralit'
cust$)s and &r$&rieties
sexual raisin% .ears $1er:
chastit'
h$)$sexualit' $r sa)esex l$1ers
&er1ersit'
)astur#ati$n
)$r#idit'
s'&hilis
N$rdau said: 6;i1ilizati$n .uncti$ns thr$u%h c$nstraints9 5hen
these restraints are %$ne, there/s n$ ci1ilizati$n/ *'$u turn int$ a
wild #east, a #ar#arian+
o )an' th$u%ht s$
Acc$rdin% t$ N$rdau, the end $. ci1ilisati$n c$uld #e .$ret$ld
.r$) c$nte)&$rar' trends in the arts such as
o naturalis)
o )'sticis)
o Decadents such as Hscar 5ilde
o the rise $. the New 5$)an
o the su..ra%e )$1e)ent
I$se&h ;$nrad )a0es .un $. this idea $. &r$%ress in his 6An Hut&$st $.
-r$%ress/
o sel.ish %enes:
the stru%%le .$r sel.&reser1ati$n and sel.&r$)$ti$n
S$cial Darwinis)
o E n$t the sa)e as Darwin/s the$r' $. e1$luti$n
o < wr$n%
A
o Jer#ert S&encer &r$)$ted this idea
o < a&&lied t$ s$ciet' that c$)&etiti$n #etween indi1iduals, %r$u&s, $r nati$ns
dri1es s$cial e1$luti$n in hu)an s$cieties
this w$uld lead t$ #ad thin%
55 ??: h$l$caust *Iews+
Cd$%eatd$%s$ciet'D
was n$t in the $ri%inal 6$ri%ins $. s&ecies/
h$w w$uld than ex&lain, in this the$r', altruis) *hel&in% $thers+3
?)&$rtance $. Darwin
o .$r the 1
st
ti)e, hu)ans had t$ see the)sel1es as &ri)ates *4ust as chi)&s+:
s$ the' were n$t created #' ($dB the' didn/t ha1e a &ri1ile%ed &$siti$n in the
w$rld
I$se&h ;$nrad 6Jeart $. Dar0ness/ & Darwinis):
o he warns us ex&licitl' a%ainst the idea that $ur 6sa1a%e/ side $. hu)anit' is
$nl' 0e&t in chec0 #' culture and ci1ilisati$n
s$cial ar%u)ent: the ci1ilised 1eneer $. Eur$&ean nati$ns actuall'
.uncti$n thr$u%h c$nstraints *e%9 &$lice)en &r$tectin% us and ta0in%
the a%%ressi1e thin%s awa' .r$) us+
o S$cial Darwinis) ar%ued that hu)an s$cieties can i)&r$1e 2 e1$l1e in the
sa)e wa' that s&ecies d$, #ut s$cieties, there.$re, ha1e their $ri%ins and their
antecedents
4ust as a&es, the' are c$nsidered t$ #e related #ut undere1$l1ed
hu)ans
18=@s: N$nEur$&ean s$cieties are &ercei1ed as related #ut
underde1el$&ed $r de%enerate ci1ilisati$ns
o the )ain 8uesti$n in heart $. dar0ness 2 $ut&$st $. &r$%ress is:
6is ci1ilizati$n $ur nature $r is it 4ust a la'er $. icin%, are we reall' #etter
than )$n0e's3/
Si%)und FREKD: 18:L1=!=
he was a .an $. DarwinB he read the Hri%in $. S&ecies
Freud said science has in.licted ! w$unds $n hu)anit'/s &ride
o ;$&ernicus
said the earth wasn/t the centre $. the uni1erse, #ut the sun
&e$&le had t$ rethin0 their &$siti$n in the uni1erse
we/re n$t in the centreB s$ we/re n$t the )$st i)&$rtant thin%
o Darwin
said we ha1e the sa)e ancest$r as chi)&s
we are n$t the )$st i)&$rtant s&ecies
o Freud
said )an0ind d$esn/t e1en ha1e c$ntr$l $1er his $wn #eha1i$ur
;$nnecti$n Darwin & Freud
o Darwin: all s&ecies are dri1en #' the ur%e t$ re&r$duce *6stru%%le .$r li.e/+
o Freud: all $ur #eha1i$ur is dri1en #' sexual ur%es
Freud states:
o $ur c$nsci$us #eha1i$ur is 4ust a la'er $. 1eneer
o we als$ ha1e unc$nsci$us #eha1i$ur
c$nnecti$n &s'ch$l$%' & #i$l$%'
o science is t$ sh$w the )atterF literature is t$ ex&erience it
o search .$r ($d is re&laced #' e&iste)$l$%ical search *the$r' $. 0n$wled%e+F
8uest .$r sel.0n$wled%e
!
we want t$ .i%ure $ut what the sel. is
an increased interest in the )ind
that wh' Strea) $. ;$nsci$usness < s$ i)&$rtant in
)$dernis)
o what is the sel.3
s$)ethin% that/s NH7 .ixed
s$)ethin% that/s c$nstantl' e1$l1in%
< .luid, .ra%)ented
in literature it is ex&ressed in this wa':
o &s'ch$l$%ical realis) *e%9 Jenr' Ia)es *he &er.ected
it++
the &ractice $. channellin% the narrati1e thr$u%h
the &erce&ti$ns $. $ne character
hidden dri1es and desires
o strea) $. c$nsci$usness *e%9 Ia)es I$'ceF Mir%inia
5$$l.F999+
5illia) Ia)es *#r$ther $. Jenr' Ia)es+
in1ented this ter)
said: 6c$nsci$usness is n$thin% 4$intedB it
.l$ws/ 6let us call it the strea) $.
th$u%hts, $. c$nsci$usness/
said this in his w$r0 6-rinci&les $.
-s'ch$l$%'/
$ther &s'ch$l$%ists:
o ;arl Iun%
o ;harles S9 -ierce
o Jenri "er%s$n
French
auth$r $. 67i)e & .ree will/
.acts 2 )atter *$#4ects $. discursi1e reas$n+ < $nl' the $uter
sur.ace that has t$ #e &enetrated #' intuiti$n in $rder t$
achie1e a 1isi$n in de&th $. realit'
a&&lies this t$ ti)e:
o cl$c0ti)e: )easure *<irrele1ant+
o &s'ch$l$%ical ti)e: ex&erience $. ti)e in the )ind,
)easure #' durati$n *sa'in% Cti)e .liesD+
-ER;E-7?HN
o 5$$l. was in.luenced #' this t'&e $. thin0in%:
Mrs9 Dall$wa'
$ri%inal title: the h$urs
se1eral &a%es $. th$u%hts $. character,
'et $nl' a .ew sec$nds in real ti)e
deals with ;larissa/s ex&erience $. ti)e
and the w$rld
-r$ust: N la recherche du te)&s &erdu
la )adeleine
he di&s it in tea, the .la1$ur, the
cru)#les
)a0es hi) re)e)#er thin%s: this is d$ne
in1$luntar': '$u d$n/t ch$$se t$
re)e)#er it
,
o < 1er' str$n%B as th$u%h '$ur
.$r)ersel. is sittin% thereO
o at the ti)e he is n$ l$n%er that
&ers$n at that ti)e
o identit' is .luid
realit' $nl' exists in su#4ecti1e a&&rehensi$nsF ex&eriences
o 6realit' ta0es &lace in the )e)$r' al$ne/ *-r$ust+
Friedrich N?E7PS;JE: 18,,1=@@
auth$r $. the &hrase: 6($d is dead/
was in.luenced #' Arthur Sch$&enhauer
o wr$te 67he 5$rld as 5ill and Re&resentati$n/
w$rld < the wa' we see it "ut the will < als$ i)&$rtant
he sa's all we d$ is su%%ested #' s$)ethin% we can/t c$ntr$lled < will
Nietzsche thin0s s$ t$$ #ut there/s a di..erence
o Sch$&enhauer thin0s it/s a ne%ati1e thin%
when we want s$)ethin%, we/re n$t ha&&' with
the current situati$nB '$u want s$)ethin% new
< cause $. all su..erin%
s$ i. '$u den' the will: '$u will ha1e n$ )$re
&ain
this is al)$st i)&$ssi#le t$ d$
o Nietzsche thin0s it/s a &$siti1e thin%
will sh$uld #e cele#rati$n
he translate the will int$ &$wer:
the will t$ &$wer: endea1$ur t$ )axi)ize
&$wer $1er $ther &e$&le
6($d is dead/ s$ the hu)an will as a
re&lace)ent $. the di1ine will
1=
th
;: )$ralit'Fethics tried t$ c$ntr$l the will
o Nietzsche wants t$ re&lace ethicsF)$ralit' with
aesthetics
leads t$ )$dernis)
)$dernist literature : the 1
st
secular literature
*n$t d$)inated #' reli%i$nF ethics+
created the n$ti$n $. 6K#er)ensch/:
o '$u are str$n% en$u%h as an indi1idualB '$u d$n/t need t$ #e in.luenced #'
what s$ciet' thin0s
rel' $n '$ursel. rather than $n s$ciet' *the indi1idualOO+
A&$ll$nian 1s9 Di$n'sian s&irit:
o A&$ll$nian: s$ciet' *rules, laws, 999+ ethics
o Di$n'sian: creati1e
< was su&&ressed in the 1=
th
; sa's Nietzsche
n$ti$n $. 6eternal recurrence/
o li1e li.e in such a wa' that e1er' )$)ent can #e e1er' )$)entB that '$u w$n/t
)ind ha1in% t$ reli1e e1er' )$)ent .$r e1er
Q$u ha1e t$ as0 '$ursel.: 6?s that the wa' '$u want t$ li1e '$ur li.e3/
o insisted u&$n the need t$ ex&erience li.e t$ the .ull, t$ )a0e the )$st $. e1er'
)$)ent and t$ acce&t res&$nsi#ilit' .$r &resent acti$nsRwhate1er the
indi1idual ch$$ses t$ d$ sh$uld #e .$r all ti)e, and s$ e1er' &ers$n $u%ht t$
:
stri1e t$ .ul.il their &$tential $r si)&l' t$ 6#ec$)e/ what the' are, and s$ sh$uld
li1e as i. the' wanted each )$)ent t$ c$)e #ac0 a%ain9
c$nnected with S#er)ensch
*arist$cratic radicalis) E de)$cratic+
7his is all a 1er' dan%er$us wa' $. thin0in%
o the n$ti$ns $. S#er)ensch and 6eternal recurrence/ were )isinter&reted:
&e$&le )ade c$nnecti$ns with .ascis) and 5H ?? 2 exter)inati$ns $.
Iews, 999
L