Sunday, 27 February 2011

Oscar Wilde On Socialism

As Libertarians are denounced as selfish by 'caring' socialists


Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking
others  to live as one wishes them to live. And unselfishness is letting
 other  people's lives alone, not interfering with them.
Selfishness
 always aims at creating around it an absolute uniformity of type.
Unselfishness recognises infinite variety of type as a delightful thing,
 accepts it, acquiesces in it, enjoys it. It is not selfish to think for
 oneself. A man who does not think for himself does not think at all. It
 is grossly selfish to require of one's neighbour that he should think
in the same way, and hold the same opinions. Why should he?


          'The soul of man under socialism'  Oscar Wilde



          H/T Tom Paine 

3 comments:

John said...

I don't agree with all that Mr Wilde says, but with this quote he is absolutely, 100%, on the button.
Perhaps this kind of thinking was what they actually nailed him for?

Guthrum said...

No I think it involved aristocratic bottoms rather than a far sighted critique of early socialists

John said...

Yes. Okay.
But it seems a lot is overlooked until they feel you've looked them over.
Then they get cross.