However, in this process the currents of life, whether their individual phenomena touch us sympathetically or antipathetically, entirely transcend the sphere for which the judge's attitude is appropriate. Since such forces of life have grown into the roots and into the crown of the whole of the historical life in which we, in our fleeting existence, as a cell, belong only as a part, it is not our task either to accuse or to pardon, but only to understand.
* * *
Εντούτοις, τα ρεύματα της ζωής, ανεξαρτήτως του εάν τα επιμέρους φαινόμενά τους προκαλούν τη συμπάθεια ή την αντιπάθειά μας, υπερβαίνουν εντελώς τη σφαίρα εκείνη απέναντι στην οποία πρέπει να τηρούμε στάση κριτή. Αφού οι δυνάμεις αυτές της ζωής έχουν φτάσει να αποτελούν τις ρίζες και την κορυφή της όλης ιστορικής ζωής στην οποία εμείς, με τη φευγαλέα μας ύπαρξη, αποτελούμε μόνο ένα τμήμα, δεν αποτελεί έργο μας ούτε να κατηγορούμε ούτε να συγχωρούμε αλλά απλώς [μόνο] να κατανοούμε.
Georg Simmel (Πόλη και Ψυχή, μτφ. Γ. Λυκιαρδόπουλου)
5 σχόλια:
But always is not just so easy to understand, although good things are not always easy.
Ibb, we try, we can only try.. It is in our human nature. We feel the need to know and understand, yet we cannot be sure.
The interesting thing about this fragment of Simmel's text is than (in 1903 as I recall) he suggests that understanding is a different attitude than the one we usually (today also) embrace. We criticize, make accusations, trying to blame, to take one's part. But being calm and able to foresee... it is also very hard :)
have a nice week!
Economic exchange, Simmel argues, can best be understood as a form of social interaction..
do you think market economy is our future?
it is our present, we just resist to understanding! (some of us, at least) And it was our past, too.
... I shall have to come back to continue my thought..
i think its just a matter of time for mature piple to live like communists. but what to du with peace ..o f mind..what to du in paradise
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