Dávila: A philosopher against his time

Introduction. Nicolás Gómez Dávila was a 20th century Columbian philosopher. He rejected the offer to become the chief advisor to the state President, rejected the offer to become the ambassador to London, and wrote terse aphorisms all his life. Nine best aphorisms 👇

On the condition of modernity: "The modern tragedy is not the tragedy of reason defeated but of reason triumphant." Reason is a useful tool, but it can't become the sole yardstick for judging every aspect of life.

Aristocracy vs Democracy: "Love of the people is an aristocratic calling. The democrat only loves the people at election time." Democracy incentivizes politicians to care about the people once in five years, and throw a fog over their failures rest of the time.

Are we genuinely free, or do we just never venture far enough to feel the noose around our neck? Davila: "Modern man is a prisoner who thinks he is free because he refrains from touching the walls of his dungeon."

Are your emotions genuine? Or are they hiding spots where you seek refuge from something unbearable? "Modern man does not love, but seeks refuge in love; does not hope, but seeks refuge in hope; does not believe, but seeks refuge in a dogma."

A civilization dies due to external aggression, or internal indifference: "Violence is not necessary to destroy a civilization. Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it."

Being uninformed can be better than being ill-informed by an incompetent press that serves the interests of the highest bidder: "In an age in which the media broadcast countless pieces of foolishness, the educated man is defined not by what he knows, but by what he doesn't know."

Certain forms of creation are worse than destruction: "Modern man destroys more when he builds than when he destroys." Every bridge erected and every poem written are created from certain principles - if these principles are corrupt, then the newly created thing is destructive.

The cyclical nature of political history: "Ideas of the left give birth to revolutions. Revolutions give birth to ideas of the right." Idealism without realism creates disastrous revolutions that only pragmatists can salvage anything from.

Vices are universal and constant, virtues are found for brief periods at certain places only: "All epochs exhibit the same vices, but not all show the same virtues. In every age there are hovels, but only in some are there palaces."