Civil Disobedience

Civil Disobedience

The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies. They are the standing army, and the militia, jailers, constables, posse comitatus, etc. In most cases there is no free exercise whatever of the judgment or of the moral sense; but they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and stones; and wooden men can perhaps be manufactured that will serve the purpose as well. Such command no more respect than men of straw or a lump of dirt. They have the same sort of worth only as horses and dogs. Yet such as these even are commonly esteemed good citizens. Others- as most legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers, and office-holders- serve the state chiefly with their heads; and, as they rarely make any moral distinctions, they are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God. A very few- as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men- serve the state with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated as enemies by it. A wise man will only be useful as a man, and will not submit to be “clay,” and “stop a hole to keep the wind away,” but leave that office to his dust at least:

“I am too high-born to be propertied,

To be a secondary at control,

Or useful serving-man and instrument

To any sovereign state throughout the world.”


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2 Responses

  1. Francisco Barrón dice:

    Lo interesante del texto es que nos permite preguntarnos sobre dónde aparece primeramente ese miedo a que los individuos se conviertan en máquinas: ¿en un discurso político o en uno tecnológico?

    • Marat Ocampo dice:

      O aún más general, para no reservar una exclusividad. En qué momento se empezó a desarrollar un temor a que los hombres se conviertan en máquinas, ¿por qué? ¿qué historia hay ahí? y con respecto a tu pregunta. Todo discurso tecnológico es político? Cómo hacer esas lecturas? etc.

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