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Quote of the Day: Whittaker Chambers on Evil
“I did not know what had happened to me. I denied the very existence of a soul. But I said: ‘This is evil, absolute evil. Of this evil I am a part.'” — Whittaker Chambers
To paraphrase Jordan Peterson, it amazes me that modern intellectuals don’t believe in evil anymore. The 20th century made evil so bloody obvious. Dennis Prager also has a nice line about evil: “Those who don’t fight the greatest evils will fight lesser evils or make-believe evils.”
To take a rather visceral example, leftists have a hard time calling Muslim refugees who commit rape evil but they can call Jordan Peterson a sexist at the drop of a hat. Abuse of women is a great evil and Jordan Peterson’s sexism is a made-up evil.
Yet, I notice that they don’t call classical liberals/conservatives evil. They call them part of a rape culture or the patriarchy or whatever term of approbation is popular at the time; but they avoid the use of the word “evil” while calling them bigoted. This is significant because bigotry is the left’s equivalent of evil (and real bigotry actually is).
Think of all those videos of leftists crying after the election of President Trump. They became unhinged and started crying and shouting obscenities. I can’t recall them using the word evil. They were reduced to throwing a tantrum.
Much like Jordan Peterson, I found my answer in Nietzsche. Nietzsche said that the ubermensch must move beyond Christianity and good and evil in order to forge a new system of living. It gives me some ironic schadenfreude that Nietzsche’s thinking has been adopted by the heirs of a philosophy that he detested as much as Christianity.
After post-modernism did its best to destroy Western Civilization (it didn’t fully work but it was a solid try) it needed to make a new morality and give a new purpose to humanity. Sin was replaced with bigotry. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to G-d the things that are G-d’s” was replaced with “render unto politics everything.”
It is no surprise that Whittaker Chambers, after realizing that he was part of an absolute evil, started to discuss G-d and credited his leaving of communism in part due to His intervention.
His story is a living refutation of Nietzsche’s rejection of good and evil.
Published in General
That is one amazing QOTD dude!
Henry,
This an extremely important issue. All definitions of Good & Evil are not religious however at the end of the 19th century there most certainly was a nihilistic collapse on this issue. Nietzsche’s was just the most prominent outspoken declaration of the rejection of Good & Evil as the 19th became the 20th century. Many others were more subtle about it but just as effective in abandoning Good & Evil.
In a sense, I had a similar experience. I still had no religious point of view up until the Cambodian genocide happened. I could not explain the event in any terms other than pure evil. This eventually led to my own religious awakening.
I also have a philosophical point of view that upholds Good & Evil. This was what Nietzsche & company abandoned over 100 years ago. I think this particular event in philosophical history was a turning point and immensely responsible for many of the ills that have befallen us since.
Thanks for the post.
Regards,
Jim
Thanks for bringing up a quote of Chambers. I don’t think a day has gone by since I finished “Witness” that one of his quotes or ideas has not come to mind. I hope even one other Ricochettian will be inspired by your Quote of the Day to read this book. It has affected me to a degree perhaps equaled by the biography of Bonhoefer, “Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy”.
This conversation is an entry in our Quote of the Day Series. We have many openings in the June 2018 Sign-Up Sheet and Schedule, along with tips for finding great quotes.
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It is a book in full. It is a biography that is actually interesting: it has the threat of murder which is always entertaining, and it seriously tackles important philosophical issues in both an intellectual and an emotional way.
A thousand times, YES.
A sample plucked from my 14 pages of notes to further whet the appetites:
I highly recommend the audible version of Witness, which is, without question. one of the greatest books of the 20th century.
A video game producer said today he was proud that his team had created a community where all are welcome. He was responding to a player’s thanks for the addition of a “pride” rainbow cosmetic to the game.
There is no popular game developer or publisher that discourages gay gamers from playing; nor even one that turns a blind eye to verbal harrassment of such players.
So the real reason the producer is proud is because his company signaled that they are part of the cause of the day. As usual, results are irrelevant. It’s all about feelings.
Great minds…Chambers’ Witness came to mind immediately: Who are the prophets/witnesses today?
You’ve encouraged not only everyone to read the book but have encouraged those of us who have to pull it out again and have another go. Absolutely incredible – and very readable – book. The important books should be reread every few years or so. It’s a way of calibrating one’s thinking to measure one’s growth and understanding.