Bertrand Russell - Social Cohesion & Human Nature (Part 1)

[polymath7]

@amosschorr93 The best advice I've ever heard about Nietzsche is, read him, don't read about him.

[Biyer11]

@amosschorr93 There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't assume that your understanding of Nietzsche is better than that of Russell (provided it is better). I don't believe in stifling my opinions or even my criticisms only and solely because at the other side of the ledger is a world renowned mathematician, philosopher and a brilliant moralist (this is for what I admire him most) because these are no reasons whatsoever for shutting up!

[TheDavid2222]

@amosschorr93 alright I'll check those works out, thanks.

[TheDavid2222]

I lost alot of respect for this guy because of his arrogant and ignorant comments on Nietzsche, but I hope to find out what makes this guy such a genius.

[Biyer11]

@TheDavid2222 Ur absolutely right, almost everybody has misunderstood Nietzsche even you and me.

And I disagree with Russell's evaluation of him in his history very much.

[jimtrueblue99]

@TheDavid2222 Read the three volumes of Principia Mathematica that he co-wrote with Alfred North Whitehead and you'll find out.

[crisisofconsciousnes]

@TheDavid2222 Yea I was slightly disappointed about his comments on Nietzsche also. I have gotten a lot out of reading his aphorisms, especially 'human, all too human'.. His insights on human behaviour and psychology are ones which I can relate to and also help my understanding of others. Reading Nietzsche makes me personally feel not so isolated from intelligent thinking in this world dominated by stupidity

[ExtremeBogom]

@TheDavid2222

I think one of the reasons many people are fond of Bertrand is because he could connect with the layman so well.

Reading his works, not only makes me feel a lot smarter than I really am, but it does it gently...

He brings you into the fold without choking you senseless. It's quite humbling.

Some philosophers, no matter how brilliant, have a writing style that can throw some people off.

Bertrand doesn't forget humour, uses some poetry, and makes it a real joy to read. A great man.

[mrugeles]

This audio is a treasure

[superhamzah85]

Bertrand Russel tore up his labour party card when he suspected they will support with USA in the Vietnam War.

Now that's pre-emptive action.

[superhamzah85]

We're listening to a man, whose grandfather was born when America was our colony.

I find that...mind boggling. It seemed like ancient history - but listening to him - it seems like a recent memory. The time spans of his experience and ours crosses is a quarter of a millenia!

[saltydog78]

I wonder what Russell would say about 9/11; what he thinks what happened given the facts the policies imposed on defenseless countries as a consequence of 9/11

[ivanpa33]

wow, this is ultra cool, ultra cool

[Freedom544]

I was blind, and now I see.

[dilwich123]

Genius.. ;)

[t0kt0k]

Thank you so much for uploading these. I searched for them for so long.

[DHaterKilla]

Damn, dog, that's one gimormous-ass michrophone.

[watayapupuya]

@DHaterKilla

What is a "gimormous-ass"?a new found species of donkey?And a "michrophone"?

[FA8T]

@DHaterKilla you just made me laugh out loud like a complete loon.

[bullishbrad]

he's got a massive cock that says bbc on it!

[dinkolino2]

a very nice guy, right?

watch?v=OJ57PQBAQ9s&feature=re­lated

[yellowwitch1]

@dinkolino2 I don't think this man is either evil or nice. he just has his own views and is true to them as someone obsessed with logics and rationality. there isn't an "evil" or "selfish" motivation to his thinking.

[dinkolino2]

@yellowwitch1 sure.. it is all just rational..

[yellowwitch1]

@dinkolino2 well, you may find shocking what he writes in your video (I only watched it now btw), but I find that it is not that shocking compared with already happens in the world. I can't help but think that I am a robot in society already, I have been manipulated since childhood and continue to be by the system. I don't get drug injections, though a lot of my colleagues at work do so to get ahead in their careers.

[yellowwitch1]

@dinkolino2 Also, you have to put things into perspective, times were different back then. It was a time of incredible science advance, and wars change and shake morals, and that is something you will never understand, hopefully. What I know as well, is that BR changed his views on many things throughout his life, you will see that in interviews. He went through 2 world wars, he saw the development of the atomic bomb.

[yellowwitch1]

@dinkolino2 I still don't see his views as malice, he has no reason to be evil, he is not a dictator, and makes no money out of his opinion of things.

[dinkolino2]

@yellowwitch1 yes, he was a loving old man..

[kpirooz92]

@dinkolino2

He organized war crimes tribunals, campaigned for peace and women's suffrage despite the serious impedements to his career, and went to jail twice because of his anti-war stance, getting dragged off by the cops in his late 80's The link you offered was a joke. No where did Russell, one of the leading libertarian intellectuals of his day, advocate that governments should forcibly do any of the things he described. He also wrote much on education and was extremely anti-authoritarian.

[dinkolino2]

@kpirooz92 you read his PR, and I read his books. Ofcourse he was against war. He prefers peaceful obedience. Even if you dont agree on that, calling him libertarian doesnt make you look good, man.

[jbond5150]

@kpirooz92 russell was no libertarian. and neither were those theorists that libertarians love to claim as intellectual godfathers of their movements: FA Hayek, JS Mill, John Locke, and Thomas Paine (if you could call him a theorist) for example, all called for a moral obligation for the state to guarantee certain goods that were considered "rights", such as healthcare and a basic income. Russell took it a step further and certainly some of his views were in line with libertarian thoughts.

[kpirooz92]

@jbond5150

I meant libertarian in the classical sense, describing some of those figures you describe, not to be confused with the modern sense, a very unfortunate group of people who confuse liberty with property rights, in stark contrast to Russell's socialist views.

And speaking of misconceived libertarian cult-figures, don't forget Adam Smith, whose ideal economy was founded on "sympathy", and yet he somehow managed to leave a legacy of worship by over-zealous free-marketers.