About Enlightened Misanthropy
Is it possible to wish the best for mankind while at once loathing the swarming mass of soulless, inauthentic drones who appear to comprise the lion's share of Earth's human population? At vivianbritton.com, the answer is a definite, albeit hesitant...."yes." The Sovereign Mind has long flirted with this provocative perspective, but until now has refrained from committing a name to the phenomenon.Enter Enlightened Misanthropy. From Da Vinci to Jung, humanity's greatest benefactors have embraced a misanthropic world view at least some point in their lives, peppered with generous portions of individualist anarchism. Not surprisingly, this epiphany graced some in their twilight years following a lifetime of enduring human contact. But the more fortunate were blessed with inner-directed natures from the cot, realizing early on one of life's eternal truths:
Wikipedia descirbes misanthropy as, "a hatred or
distrust of the human race, or a disposition to dislike and mistrust other people." But this statement is tempered with the
following: "Misanthropy does not necessarily imply an inhumane, antisocial, or socio-pathic attitude towards humanity. While
misanthropes express a general dislike for humanity on the whole, they generally have normal relationships with specific
individuals. Misanthropy may be motivated by feelings of isolation or alienation."
That said, let us clarify the definition of Enlightened Misanthropy.
I love mankind - it's people I can't stand
Cartoonist, Charles Schulz penned the above sentiment. This simple phrase all but sums up the philosophy that guides The Enlightened Misanthrope, a paradoxical creature worthy of analysis. What at first seems a contradiction in terms becomes apparent to all but that infernal subject of the misanthrope's ire: the herd, the hive, the group, the sheeple.
Who - among those who can still think - hasn't felt some degree of contempt toward the ignorant mass of worms who blindly slither along the path laid out for them from without? Who hasn't wondered, "Why is the herd so easily led down the road of deception while remaining violently opposed to truth?" These are questions that haunt the naive soul freshly freed from his shackles. But The Enlightened Misanthrope is an old soul. He understands the profane majority will never wake from their apathetic stupor (at least in this lifetime), and more importantly, does not want to. The minority armed with this information have historically had the upper hand in molding moral, social and political directives, for better or for worse. Here, you too are called upon to cultivate the Misanthrope within, for it is the very ability to perceive man's folly that quickens our powers of awareness, individualism, and ultimately - humanity.
I invite you to explore the mysteries of Misanthropy at vivianbritton.com, where this burgeoning philosophy is given the attention it deserves. Here, Misanthropy is spoon fed, coddled and cultivated. Collectivism, on the other hand, is dismissed, discarded, and hung out to dry - till at last it slithers back under that infernal rock from whence it came. The result is a curmudgeonly mix of social criticism, satire, and hopefully - inspiration.
Enjoy!
