Comment by lionhearted | Hacker News Reader

Comment by lionhearted | Hacker News Reader

I voted up, because there's some beautiful thoughts and ideas in there, and Einstein's an amazing man. However, I'm a bit scared by:

"The text of Albert Einstein's copyrighted essay, "The World As I See It," was shortened for our Web exhibit."

This paragraph in particular seems awkward in the flow of the essay, and the ellipses suggests the re-author/exhibitor is likely liberally oversimplifying quite a bit:

"This topic brings me to that worst outcrop of herd life, the military system, which I abhor... This plague-spot of civilization ought to be abolished with all possible speed. Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism -- how passionately I hate them!"

I don't think anyone likes gung-ho destructive violent force, but most rational thinkers understand that basic defense is necessary to at least some extent. Or at least, it's been historically necessary in the past. I'm going to guess Einstein's point was much more sophisticated and nuanced in the original, unedited work.

Still a beautiful piece with beautiful ideas, but selective editing of great thinkers always scares the hell out of me.

> This topic brings me to that worst outcrop of the herd nature, the military system, which I abhor. That a man can take pleasure in marching in formation to the strains of a band is enough to make me despise him. He has only been given his big brain by mistake; a backbone was all he needed. This plague-spot of civilization ought to be abolished with all possible speed. Heroism by order, senseless violence, and all the pestilent nonsense that does by the name of patriotism--how I hate them! War seems to me a mean, contemptible thing: I would rather be hacked in pieces than take part in such an abominable business. And yet so high, in spite of everything, is my opinion of the human race that I believe this bogey would have disappeared long ago, had the sound sense of the nations not been systematically corrupted by commercial and political interests acting through the schools and the Press.

(found in http://lib.ru/FILOSOF/EJNSHTEJN/theworld_engl.txt)

Thanks for that - I do find that quote more interesting. The original simplification sounded like, "Scrap the military, I hate it, it shouldn't exist." Einstein's actual quote outlines that his disdain is for people who enjoy being part of the military herd system, which only still exists because of political interests acting through the schools and the Press. The simplification sounds like, "Scrap the military", the original is more along the lines of "Military would've been gone except for government acting through the schools and media" --> HUGE difference there, and I find Einstein's unedited/un"simplified" far more insightful.

It's amazing how we're willing to obscure the true meaning of something by doing this:

"'The World As I See It,' was shortened for our Web exhibit."

Thanks for posting the full text, the context and overall meaning is vastly different.

Reading the full text, I wanted to bring attention to a section titled "Thoughts on the World Economic Crisis." The introduction could easily describe what's happening now, and it is followed by useful refutation of causes of the depression that should be kept in mind during discussion of things like the bailout.

Keep in mind that this is a translation - originally, Einstein wrote this in German [1].

most rational thinkers understand that basic defense is necessary

I think he is looking at things from the perspective of the institutions' interaction with individuals - in particular, that those individuals subjugated to the military or similar institutions are an enormous waste of potential. This part, in particular, speaks to that notion:

"He who joyfully marches to music, rank and file, has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice."

1. Or at least, there are slightly different versions out there: http://rescomp.stanford.edu/~cheshire/EinsteinQuotes.html

It's worth remembering though that Einstein was a german jew during Hitler's rise to power. Seeing the very worst of human qualities exposed via the military system can certainly make one less than objective.

Of course, I'd like to think that he realizes that the same system he abhors ultimately crushed that evil, but sometimes emotion can run deep. He wasn't immune to human feeling.

and yet despite seeing the horrors of national socialism, Einstein still supported socialism. http://www.monthlyreview.org/598einstein.php

There is a difference between socialism and nazism. I'm not sure if they teach that properly in the good 'ol US of A, but I assure you this is a fact.

well socialism is a broader term. national socialism is a specific kind of socialism. simply because the nazis happened to be particularly aggressive socialists doesn't make them non-socialists somehow.

I have to disagree with you. Military force is unnecessary and I think Einstein would agree. I doubt I can make the case better than Gandhi, so check out his writings.

Paraphrasing Gandhi and Einstein,

There are many causes I am willing to die for, but none I am willing to kill for.

"Self-Defence" is a subjective term that can easily be twisted towards a desired goal - any educated American should realize that.

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