Hannah Arendt
“The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil.”
― Hannah Arendt, The Life of the Mind
Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) is a German American philosopher born in a secular Jewish family, a classicist, and a political commentator, as one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century. Witnessing the murderous totalitarianism in Europe in the 1940s she developed her ideas on political philosophy, and about human condition, as well as the thinking of the faculty of the mind. She is also known for her thoughts on power and evil, democracy, and authority.
“The most radical revolutionary will become a conservative the day after the revolution.” ― Hannah Arendt
In a stage of political unrest and witnessing the rise of the Nazi Regime, her experience, being a student of and influenced by Martin Heidegger who later afflicted with the Nazi party and being targeted as a Jewish intellectual, largely affected her commitment to exploring topics on totalitarianism, evil, and revolution. One of her books the Origins of Totalitarianism explored how ideologies could lead to extreme political control and the danger of committing atrocities.
Arendt’s insights were not just limited to politics. She also contributed her interpretations of love and solitaire and wrote about freedom, forgiveness, and thinking. She believes in the importance of keeping oneself clear-minded among loneliness, while also having a loyal connection with others, to Arendt, especially friends.
( If interested, check out the movie made about Hannah Arendt)
Love, thinking, action. As a woman at that stage, her achievements and influence speak out great encouragement and inspiration. The courage to speak out, to be authentic, and most importantly, the strength and power within to break the chains implemented on genders. Such an incisive and vivid figure not just in political philosophy but in presenting the insight and capacity of women, who, as in the nature of humanity, are equally intelligent as half of human beings.
“Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom.” ― Hannah Arendt
