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grown； what a treble chin I should have established； what a ruby
nose I should have coloured for myself； so that everyone would
have said； looking at me： 〃Here is an asset！ Here is something
real and solid！〃 And； say what you like； it is very agreeable to
hear such remarks about oneself in this negative age。
VII
But these are all golden dreams。 Oh； tell me； who was it first
announced； who was it first proclaimed； that man only does nasty
things because he does not know his own interests； and that if he
were enlightened； if his eyes were opened to his real normal
interests； man would at once cease to do nasty things； would at
once become good and noble because； being enlightened and
understanding his real advantage； he would see his own advantage
in the good and nothing else； and we all know that not one man
can； consciously； act against his own interests； consequently； so
to say； through necessity； he would begin doing good？ Oh； the
babe！ Oh； the pure； innocent child！ Why； in the first place；
when in all these thousands of years has there been a time when
man has acted only from his own interest？ What is to be done
with the millions of facts that bear witness that men；
_consciously_； that is fully understanding their real interests；
have left them in the background and have rushed headlong on
another path； to meet peril and danger； compelled to this course
by nobody and by nothing； but； as it were； simply disliking the
beaten track； and have obstinately； wilfully； struck out another
difficult； absurd way； seeking it almost in the darkness。 So； I
suppose； this obstinacy and perversity were pleasanter to them
than any advantage。。。。 Advantage！ What is advantage？ And will
you take it upon yourself to define with perfect accuracy in what
the advantage of man consists？ And what if it so happens that a
man's advantage； _sometimes_； not only may； but even must；
consist in his desiring in certain cases what is harmful to
himself and not advantageous。 And if so； if there can be such a
case； the whole principle falls into dust。 What do you
thinkare there such cases？ You laugh； laugh away； gentlemen；
but only answer me： have man's advantages been reckoned up with
perfect certainty？ Are there not some which not only have not
been included but cannot possibly be included under any
classification？ You see； you gentlemen have； to the best of my
knowledge； taken your whole register of human advantages from the
averages of statistical figures and politico…economical formulas。
Your advantages are prosperity； wealth； freedom； peaceand so
on； and so on。 So that the man who should； for instance； go
openly and knowingly in opposition to all that list would to your
thinking； and indeed mine； too； of course； be an obscurantist or
an absolute madman： would not he？ But； you know； this is what is
surprising： why does it so happen that all these statisticians；
sages and lovers of humanity； when they reckon up human
advantages invariably leave out one？ They don't even take it
into their reckoning in the form in which it should be taken； and
the whole reckoning depends upon that。 It would be no greater
matter； they would simply have to take it； this advantage； and
add it to the list。 But the trouble is； that this strange
advantage does not fall under any classification and is not in
place in any list。 I have a friend for instance 。。。 Ech！
gentlemen； but of course he is your friend； too； and indeed there
is no one； no one to whom he is not a friend！ When he prepares
for any undertaking this gentleman immediately explains to you；
elegantly and clearly； exactly how he must act in accordance with
the laws of reason and truth。 What is more； he will talk to you
with excitement and passion of the true normal interests of man；
with irony he will upbraid the short… sighted fools who do not
understand their own interests； nor the true significance of
virtue； and； within a quarter of an hour； without any sudden
outside provocation； but simply through something inside him
which is stronger than all his interests； he will go off on quite
a different tackthat is； act in direct opposition to what he
has just been saying about himself； in opposition to the laws of
reason； in opposition to his own advantage； in fact in opposition
to everything 。。。 I warn you that my friend is a compound
personality and therefore it is difficult to blame him as an
individual。 The fact is； gentlemen； it seems there must really
exist something that is dearer to almost every man than his
greatest advantages； or （not to be illogical） there is a most
advantageous advantage （the very one omitted of which we spoke
just now） which is more important and more advantageous than all
other advantages； for the sake of which a man if necessary is
ready to act in opposition to all laws； that is； in opposition to
reason； honour； peace； prosperityin fact； in opposition to all
those excellent and useful things if only he can attain that
fundamental； most advantageous advantage which is dearer to him
than all。 〃Yes； but it's advantage all the same；〃 you will
retort。 But excuse me； I'll make the point clear； and it is not
a case of playing upon words。 What matters is； that this
advantage is remarkable from the very fact that it breaks down
all our classifications； and continually shatters every system
constructed by lovers of mankind for the benefit of mankind。 In
fact； it upsets everything。 But before I mention this advantage
to you； I want to compromise myself personally； and therefore I
boldly declare that all these fine systems； all these theories
for explaining to mankind their real normal interests； in order
that inevitably striving to pursue these interests they may at
once become good and nobleare； in my opinion； so far； mere
logical exercises！ Yes； logical exercises。 Why； to maintain
this theory of the regeneration of mankind by means of the
pursuit of his own advantage is to my mind almost the same thing
。。。 as to affirm； for instance； following Buckle； that through
civilisation mankind becomes softer； and consequently less
bloodthirsty and less fitted for warfare。 Logically it does seem
to follow from his arguments。 But man has such a predilection
for systems and abstract deductions that he is ready to distort
the truth intentionally； he is ready to deny the evidence of his
senses only to justify his logic。 I take this example because it
is the most glaring instance of it。 Only look about you： blood
is being spilt in streams； and in the merriest way； as though it
were champagne。 Take the whole of the nineteenth century in
which Buckle lived。 Take Napoleonthe Great and also the
present one。 Take North Americathe eternal union。 Take the
farce of Schleswig…Holstein。。。 。 And what is it that civilisation
softens in us？ The only gain of civilisation for mankind is the
greater capacity for variety of sensationsand absolutely
noth