Arthur Rimbaud, a French poet who lived from 1854 to 1891, is known for his groundbreaking literary works and his tumultuous life. While he did not explicitly formulate a systematic philosophy, his poetry and writings reflect certain philosophical themes and ideas.
Franz Rosenzweig, a prominent figure in 20th-century Jewish philosophy, is often associated with his critique of and departure from the philosophy of Baruch Spinoza. However, a deeper examination of Rosenzweig's works suggests that he did not interpret Spinoza merely to refute his ideas, but rather to integrate them into his own philosophical framework. This essay will explore whether Rosenzweig's philosophy can be considered Spinozist, focusing on the extent to which Rosenzweig utilised Spinoza's ideas to develop his own philosophical beliefs.
"Sometimes the people are untrue to themselves, but the crowd is a traitor to the people". observed Victor Hugo. The distinction between the crowd and the people is as old as democracy itself, and this must be borne in mind when defending freedom.
Contrary to what one might think if one has not read Orwell's book, the Minister of Truth (Minitrue) in 1984 is not a minister of propaganda but a minister of the past. His job is not to control information but to control memory. The task of his employees is to produce not fake news but fake memories, i.e. to rewrite the archives themselves, so that they correspond to the intentions of the Party.
The Jewish community also have their madmen. In the early hours of 15 August, approximately fifty Israeli settlers entered the Palestinian village of Jit in the West Bank to commit a massacre on its inhabitants. It is impossible to ignore the atrocities committed by Hamas and look lightly upon such horrors. One cannot be outraged that some refuse to label as "terrorism" the horrors of October 7, and not label as "terrorism" the attacks of August 15, under penalty of being part of the problem. Lastly, one cannot denounce the influence of anti-Semitic speeches on weak-minded individuals who act without denouncing with the same force the influence of extremist speeches on fanatics who, to relax, go break Arabs in a neighbouring village. It must be said: the 23-year-old Palestinian who was shot dead on the night of August 15 is a victim of Jewish terrorism. And whether you are Jewish or Arab, left-wing or right-wing, whether you say "West Bank" or "Judea-Samaria", whether you live in Jerusalem, Paris, London, New York or Ramallah, all consciences and primarily in Israel, must rise up against such a crime.
On 16 September 2022, 22-year-old Masha Amini died after being arrested three days earlier by the vice police for "wearing inappropriate clothing”. Masha Amini was stopped by the police with only a small amount of hair sticking out of her veil, she was arrested and taken to the police station. Two hours later, she was taken to hospital with, officially, a 'heart problem', the authorities denying any involvement in her death. No one believes this, as it is known that this type of transgression is part of the regime’s common practices. Women have been beaten by the hijab police for years. Beating and killing women is in their DNA. It is generally ignored by politicians and the media, but Masha's murder this time has shaken the world. This is a pivotal moment for women in Iran and other countries. The level of anger is extremely high and is spilling over into the streets. Women everywhere are taking off their veils and burning them.
With the horrifying events unfolding in Ukraine, which is causing destruction and death on a scale not witnessed in Europe, since the Second World War, one of its most compelling consequences, is the flow of refugees and displaced people, now coming across its borders with neighbouring EU countries. As the conflict is now entering its second miserable week, with no end in sight, and the intensity of war increasing daily, the number of people ultimately needing help and refuge could reach millions.
A few hours were enough to shatter the foundations of the order of the world. History will remember that it was on 24 February, 2022, that Putin committed the irreparable by invading Ukraine, that the West, dumbfounded, entered a new era, violently emerging from its collective lethargy in the face of the master of the Kremlin. The inconceivable has happened, war has struck Europe, and suddenly a new deal is being written in the chaos of Russia's heinous attack.