,! ,RELATION%IP ,BETWE5 ,PESSIMISM & ,9DIVIDUALISM 

#aiad 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,GEORGES ,PALANTE 

,TEXT 3 

,! C5TURY ?AT JU/ PASS$ IS )\T A D\BT ?AT 9 :I* PESSIMISM F\ND ITS MO/ NUM]\S1 ITS MO/ V>I$1 ITS MO/ VIGOR\S & ITS MO/ SY/EMATIC 9T]PRET]S4 ,9 ADDITION1 9DIVIDUALISM WAS EXPRESS$ 9 ?AT C5TURY ) EXCEPTIONAL 9T5SITY BY REPRES5TATIVES ( HI< QUALITY4 

,IT C\LD BE 9T]E/+ TO BR+ TOGE!R !SE TWO =MS ( ?\<T1 DOM9ANT 9 \R ]A2 TO ASK :AT IS ! LOGICAL OR S5TIM5TAL CONNECTION ?AT EXI/S BETWE5 !M1 & TO :AT DEGREE PESSIMISM 5G5D]S 9DIVIDUALISM & 9DIVIDUALISM 5G5D]S PESSIMISM4 

,BUT ! QUE/ION ?US POS$ IS TOO G5]AL4 ,!RE >E MANY K9DS ( PESSIMISM & MANY K9DS ( 9DIVIDUALISM4 ,AMONG ! LATT] !RE IS ONE ?AT 9 NO WAY IMPLIES PESSIMISM1 & ?AT IS ! DOCTR9AIRE 9DIVIDUALISM ?AT ISSUES FROM ! ,FR5* ,REVOLUTION & TO :I* SO MANY MORALI/S1 JURI/S1 & POLITICIANS ( \R C5TURY >E ATTA*$4 ,?IS 9DIVIDUALISM C\LD TAKE AS ITS MOTTO ! PHRASE ( ,WILHELM VON ,HUMBOLDT ?AT ,/U>T ,MILL *OSE AS ! EPIGRAPH ( HIS 0,ESSAY ON ,LIB]TY03 0,! GR&1 LEAD+ PR9CIPLE1 T[>DS :I* EV]Y >GUM5T UNFOLD$ 9 !SE PAGES DIRECTLY CONV]GES1 IS ! ABSOLUTE & ESS5TIAL IMPORTANCE ( HUMAN DEVELOPM5T 9 ITS RI*E/ DIV]SITY40 ,9DIVIDUALI/S ( ?IS K9D BELIEVE ?AT ALL HUMAN 9DIVIDUALS CAN H>MONICALLY DEVELOP 9 SOCIETY1 ?AT !IR V]Y DIV]SITY IS A GU>ANTEE ( ! RI*NESS & BEAUTY ( HUMAN CIVILIZATION4 

,!SE 9DIVIDUALI/S >E RATIONALI/S4 ,!Y HAVE FAI? 9 REASON1 ! PR9CIPLE ( ORD]1 ( UNITY1 & ( H>MONY4 ,!Y >E IDEALI/S3 !Y HAVE FAI? 9 AN IDEAL ( SOCIAL JU/ICE4 UNIT>IAN & EGALIT>IAN1 !Y BELIEVE1 DESPITE 9DIVIDUAL DIFF]5CES & 9EQUALITIES1 9 ! PR(\ND & REAL UNITY ( HUMAN K9D4 ,!SE 9DIVIDUALI/S >E 0HUMANI/S0 9 ! S5SE ?AT ,/IRN] GIVES TO ?IS WORD3 SOLID>I/S1 SOCIALI/S1 IF WE TAKE ?IS LATT] T]M 9 ITS L>GE/ S5SE4 ,!IR 9DIVIDUALISM IS TURN$ \TW>DS1 T[>DS SOCIETY4 ,IT'S A SOCIAL 9DIVIDUALISM1 9 ! S5SE ?AT IT DOESN'T SEP>ATE ! 9DIVIDUAL FROM SOCIETY1 :I* !Y DON'T PLACE 9 OPPOSITION TO EA* O!R4 ,ON ! CONTR>Y1 !Y ALWAYS CONSID] ! 9DIVIDUAL AS A SOCIAL ELEM5T ?AT H>MONIZES ) ! ALL & ?AT ONLY EXI/S 9 FUNCTION ( ! ALL4 ,WE WILL NOT 9SI/ UPON ?IS 9DIVIDUALISM1 :I* OBVI\SLY IMPLIES A MORE OR LESS FIRM SOCIAL OPTIMISM4 

,! 9DIVIDUALISM WE HAVE 9 M9D H]E IS COMPLETELY DIFF]5T4 ,?IS 9DIVIDUALISM IS NOT A POLITICAL1 JURIDICAL & MORAL DOCTR9E1 BUT A PSY*OLOGICAL & MORAL ATTITUDE1 A =M ( S5SIBILITY1 A P]SONAL S5SATION ( LIFE & A P]SONAL WILL TO LIFE4 

,IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIX 9 A DEF9ITION ALL ! TRAITS1 ALL ! DEGREES1 ALL ! NUANCES ( ?IS PSY*OLOGICAL DISPOSITION4 ,IT AFFECTS A SPECIAL TONE 9 EV]Y S\L 9 :I* IT MAKES ITSELF KN[N4 

,WE CAN SAY ?AT AS A P]SONAL S5SATION ( LIFE1 9DIVIDUALISM IS ! S5TIM5T ( UNIQU5ESS1 ( 9DIVIDUALITY 9 :AT IT HAS ( ! DIFF]5TIAL1 ! PRIVATE1 & ! UN-REVEALABLE4 ,9DIVIDUALISM IS AN APPEAL TO ! 9T]IORITY ( S5TIM5T1 TO 9DIVIDUAL 9SPIRATION 9 ! FACE ( SOCIAL CONV5TIONS & READY-MADE IDEAS4 ,9DIVIDUALISM IMPLIES A S5TIM5T ( P]SONAL 9FALLIBILITY1 AN IDEA ( 9TELLECTUAL & S5TIM5TAL SUP]IORITY1 ( 9N] >TI/OCRATISM4 ,( IRR$UCIBLE DIFF]5CE BETWE5 AN EGO & AN O!R1 ! IDEA ( UNIQU5ESS4 ,9DIVIDUALISM IS A RETURN TO ! SELF & A GRAVITATION TO ! SELF4 

,AS P]SONAL WILL TO LIFE 9DIVIDUALISM IS A DESIRE TO 0BE ONESELF10 ACCORD+ TO ! WI% ( A *>ACT] FROM ,IBS5 7,PE] ,GYNT71 A DESIRE = 9DEP5D5CE & ORIG9ALITY4 ,! 9DIVIDUALI/ WANTS TO BE HIS [N MAK]1 HIS [N FURNI%] ( TRU? & ILLUSION2 HIS [N BUILD] ( TRU? & ILLUSION2 HIS [N BUILD] ( DREAMS2 HIS [N BUILD] & DEMOLI%] ( IDEALS4 ,?IS WI% = ORIG9ALITY CAN1 9CID5TALLY1 BE MORE OR LESS 5]GETIC1 MORE OR LESS DEM&+1 MORE OR LESS AMBITI\S4 ,MORE OR LESS HAPPY1 TOO1 ACCORD+ TO ! QUALITY & ! VALUE ( ! 9DIVIDUALITY 9 CAUSE1 ACCORD+ TO ! AMPLITUDE ( ! ?\<T & ACCORD+ TO ! 9T5SITY (1 ! WILL TO1 9DIVIDUAL MI<T4 

,BE IT AS P]SONAL S5SATION ( LIFE OR AS P]SONAL WILL TO LIFE1 9DIVIDUALISM IS OR T5DS TO BE ANTI-SOCIAL3 IF IT IS NOT SO FROM ! />T1 IT LAT] & 9EVITABLY BECOMES SO4 ,S5TIM5T ( ! PR(\ND UNIQU5ESS ( ! EGO1 DESIRE = ORIG9ALITY & 9DEP5D5CE1 9DIVIDUALISM CANNOT HELP BUT PROVOKE ! S5TIM5T ( A SIL5T /RUGGLE BETWE5 ! 9DIVIDUAL SELF & SOCIETY4 ,9 FACT1 ! T5D5CY ( EV]Y SOCIETY IS TO R$UCE ! S5TIM5T ( 9DIVIDUALITY AS MU* AS POSSIBLE3 TO R$UCE UNIQU5ESS ?R\< CON=MISM1 SPONTANEITY ?R\< DISCIPL9E1 9/ANTANE\SNESS ( ! SELF ?R\< CAUTION1 S9C]ITY ( S5TIM5T ?R\< ! LACK ( S9C]ITY 9H]5T 9 ANY SOCIALLY DEF9$ FUNCTION1 CONFID5CE & PRIDE 9 ! SELF ?R\< ! HUMILIATION 9SEP>ABLE FROM ANY K9D ( SOCIAL TRA9+4 ,?IS IS :Y 9DIVIDUALISM NECESS>ILY HAS ! S5TIM5T ( A CONFLICT BETWE5 ITS EGO & ! G5]AL EGO4 ,9DIVIDUALISM BECOMES H]E A PR9CIPLE ( PASSIVE OR ACTIVE 9N] RESI/ANCE1 ( SIL5T OR DECL>$ OPPOSITION TO SOCIETY1 A REFUSAL TO SUBMIT ONESELF TO IT2 A DI/RU/ ( IT4 ,9 ITS ESS5CE1 9DIVIDUALISM HOLDS 9 CONTEMPT & NEGATES ! SOCIAL BOND4 ,WE CAN DEF9E IT AS A WILL TO ISOLATION1 A S5TIM5TAL & 9TELLECTUAL1 !ORETICAL & PRACTICAL COMMITM5T TO )DRAW FROM SOCIETY1 IF NOT 9 FACT -- FOLL[+ ! EXAMPLES ( ! SOLIT>IES ( ! ,!BEIAD & ! MORE MOD]N ONE ( ,?OREAU -- AT LEA/ 9 SPRIT & 9T5TION1 BY A K9D ( 9T]IOR & VOLUNT>Y RETREAT4 ,?IS DI/ANC+ FROM SOCIETY1 ?IS VOLUNT>Y MORAL ISOLATION ?AT WE CAN PRACTICE 9 ! V]Y HE>T ( SOCIETY CAN TAKE ON ! =M ( 9DIFF]5CE & RESIGNATION AS WELL AS ?AT ( REVOLT4 ,IT CAN ALSO ASSUME ! ATTITUDE ( ! SPECTATOR1 ! CONTEMPLATIVE ATTITUDE ( ! ?9K] 9 AN ,IVORY ,T[]4 ,BUT !RE IS ALWAYS 9 ?IS ACQUIR$ 9DIFF]5CE1 9 ?IS RESIGNATION OR ?IS SPECTATORIAL ISOLATION1 A REMNANT ( 9T]IOR REVOLT4 

,S5TIM5T ( UNIQU5ESS & MORE OR LESS 5]GETIC EXPRESSION ( ! WILL TO P]SONAL P[]2 WILL TO ORIG9ALITY1 WILL TO 9DEP5D5CE1 WILL TO 9SUBORD9ATION & REVOLT1 WILL TO ISOLATION & TO )DRAWAL 9TO ! SELF4 ,SOMETIMES ALSO WILL TO SUPREMACY1 TO ! DEPLOYM5T ( =CE ON & AGA9/ O!RS1 BUT ALWAYS ) A RETURN TO ! SELF1 ) A S5TIM5T ( P]SONAL 9FALLIBILITY1 ) AN 9DE/RUCTIBLE CONFID5CE 9 ONESELF1 EV5 9 DEFEAT1 EV5 9 ! FAILURE ( HOPES & IDEALS4 ,9TRANSIG5CE1 9ACCESSIBILITY ( 9T]NAL CONVICTION1 FIDELITY TO ONESELF UP TO ! BITT] 5D4 ,FIDELITY TO ONE'S MISUND]/OOD IDEAS1 TO ONE'S IMPREGNABLE & UNASSAILABLE WILL3 9DIVIDUALISM IS ALL ?IS1 EI!R GLOBALLY OR 9 DETAIL1 ?IS ELEM5T OR ?AT1 ?IS NUANCE OR ?AT PR$OM9AT+ ACCORD+ TO ! CIRCUM/ANCES & ! CASE4 

,9DIVIDUALISM1 UND]/OOD AS WE JU/ EXPRESS$ IT1 ?AT IS1 AS AN 9T]NAL DISPOSITION ( ! S\L1 9DIVIDUALISM AS S5SATION & WILL IS NO LONG]1 LIKE ! 9DIVIDUALISM ( :I* WE SPOKE ABOVE1 LIKE POLITICAL & JURIDICAL 9DIVIDUALISM1 TURN$ \TW>DS & SUBORD9AT$ TO SOCIAL LIFE1 TO ITS CON/RA9TS1 ITS DEM&S & OBLIGATIONS4 ,IT IS TURN$ 9W>DS4 ,IT PLACES ITSELF AT ! BEG9N+ OR SEEKS REFUGE 9 ! 5D 9 ! UNBREAKABLE & 9TANGIBLE 9T]IOR BE+4 

,TO SAY ?AT !RE IS A CLOSE PSY*OLOGICAL RELATION%IP BETWE5 ! 9DIVIDUALI/ & PESSIMI/ S5SIBILITIES MEANS ALMO/ /AT+ ! OBVI\S4 ,PESSIMISM SUPPOSES A BASIC 9DIVIDUALISM4 ,IT SUPPOSES ?AT 9T]IORITY ( S5TIM5T1 ?AT RETURN TO ! SELF 7ALMO/ ALWAYS PA9FUL7 ?AT IS ! ESS5CE ( 9DIVIDUALISM4 ,:ILE OPTIMISM IS NO?+ BUT AN AB/RACT METAPHYSICAL !SIS1 ! E*O ( DOCTR9AL HE>SAY1 PESSIMISM IS A S5SATION ( LIV$ LIFE2 IT COMES FROM ! 9N]1 FROM AN 9DIVIDUAL PSY*OLOGY4 ,IT PROCE$S FROM :AT IS MO/ 9TIMATE 9 US3 ! ABILITY TO SUFF]4 ,IT PR$OM9ATES AMONG ?OSE ( A SOLIT>Y NATURE :O LIVE )DRAWN 9TO !MSELVES & SEE SOCIAL LIFE AS PA94 ,?OR\<BR$ PESSIMI/S1 ! GREAT >TI/S & !ORETICIANS ( SUFF]+1 LIV$ SOLIT>Y & AS /RANG]S 9 ! MID/ ( M51 RETR5*$ 9 !IR EGO AS IF 9 A =TRESS FROM :I* !Y LET FALL AN IRONIC & HAU<TY GAZE ON ! SOCIETY ( !IR K9D4 ,& SO IT IS NOT BY ACCID5T1 BUT BY VIRTUE ( AN 9TIMATE PSY*OLOGICAL CORRELATION ?AT PESSIMISM IS ACCOMPANI$ BY A T5D5CY T[>DS EGOTI/IC ISOLATION4 

,9V]SELY1 ! 9DIVIDUALI/ SPIRIT IS ALMO/ FAT$LY ACCOMPANI$ BY PESSIMISM4 ,DOES NOT EXP]I5CE AS OLD AS ! WORLD TEA* US ?AT 9 NATURE ! 9DIVIDUAL IS SACRIFIC$ TO ! SPECIES8 ,?AT 9 SOCIETY IT IS SACRIFIC$ TO ! GR\P8 ,9DIVIDUALISM >RIVES AT A RESIGN$ OR HOPELESS NOT+ ( ! ANT9OMIES ?AT >ISE BETWE5 ! 9DIVIDUAL & ! SPECIES ON ONE H&1 & BETWE5 ! 9DIVIDUAL & SOCIETY ON ! O!R4 

,LIFE D\BTLESS P]PETUALLY TRIUMPHS OV] ?IS ANT9OMY1 & ! FACT ?AT DESPITE IT ALL HUMANITY CONT9UES TO LIVE CAN APPE> TO BE AN UN>GUABLE REPLY ?AT REFUTES BO? PESSIMISM & 9DIVIDUALISM4 ,BUT ?IS IS NOT C]TA94 ,= IF HUMANITY AS A SPECIES & AS A SOCIETY PURSUES ITS DE/9Y )\T WORRY+ AB\T 9DIVIDUALS' COMPLA9TS OR REVOLTS1 9DIVIDUALISM DOES NOT DIE = ALL ?AT4 ,ALWAYS DEFEAT$1 NEV] TAM$1 IT IS 9C>NAT$ 9 S\LS ( A SPECIAL CALIB]1 IMBU$ ) ! S5TIM5T ( !IR UNIQU5ESS & /RONG 9 !IR WILL TO 9DEP5D5CE4 ,9DIVIDUALISM SUFF]S A DEFEAT 9 EV]Y 9DIVIDUAL :O DIES AFT] HAV+ S]V$ 5DS & SURR5D]$ TO =CES ?AT >E BEYOND HIM4 ,BUT HE SURVIVES HIMSELF ?R\< ! G5]ATIONS1 GA9+ 9 =CE & CL>ITY AS ! HUMAN WILL TO LIFE 9T5SIFIES1 DIV]SIFIES & BECOMES REF9$ 9 9DIVIDUAL CONSCI\SNESS4 ,IT IS ?US ?AT IS AFFIRM$ ! DUAL CONSI/5CY ( PESSIMISM & 9DIVIDUALISM1 9DISSOLUBLY UNIT$ & 9T]CONNECT$4 

,NEV]!LESS1 IT IS POSSIBLE ?AT ?IS PSY*OLOGICAL TIE ?AT WE BELIEVE WE HAVE DISCOV]$ BETWE5 PESSIMISM & 9DIVIDUALISM IS NO?+ BUT AN A PRIORI VIEW4 ,IF 9/EAD ( REASON+ AB\T PSY*OLOGICAL LIKELIHOODS WE CONSULT ! HI/ORY ( IDEAS ( ! #a#i? C5TURY WE WILL P]HAPS SEE ?AT ! RELATION%IP ( IDEAS ?AT WE HAVE JU/ 9DICAT$ IS NEI!R AS SIMPLE NOR AS CONSI/5T AS AT FIR/ APPE>S4 ,WE MU/ P5ETRATE 9 DETAIL ! DIFF]5T =MS ( PESSIMISM & 9DIVIDUALISM & MORE CLOSELY ANALYZE !IR RELATION%IP IF WE WANT TO >RIVE AT PRECISE IDEAS4 

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