man and superman-第34章
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But I am not now defending the illusory forms the great ideas
take。 I am giving you examples of the fact that this creature
Man； who in his own selfish affairs is a coward to the backbone；
will fight for an idea like a hero。 He may be abject as a
citizen； but he is dangerous as a fanatic。 He can only be
enslaved whilst he is spiritually weak enough to listen to
reason。 I tell you； gentlemen； if you can show a man a piece of
what he now calls God's work to do； and what he will later on
call by many new names； you can make him entirely reckless of the
consequences to himself personally。
ANA。 Yes： he shirks all his responsibilities； and leaves his wife
to grapple with them。
THE STATUE。 Well said； daughter。 Do not let him talk you out of
your common sense。
THE DEVIL。 Alas！ Senor Commander； now that we have got on to the
subject of Woman； he will talk more than ever。 However； I confess
it is for me the one supremely interesting subject。
DON JUAN。 To a woman； Senora； man's duties and responsibilities
begin and end with the task of getting bread for her children。 To
her； Man is only a means to the end of getting children and
rearing them。
ANA。 Is that your idea of a woman's mind？ I call it cynical and
disgusting materialism。
DON JUAN。 Pardon me； Ana： I said nothing about a woman's whole
mind。 I spoke of her view of Man as a separate sex。 It is no more
cynical than her view of herself as above all things a Mother。
Sexually； Woman is Nature's contrivance for perpetuating its
highest achievement。 Sexually； Man is Woman's contrivance for
fulfilling Nature's behest in the most economical way。 She knows
by instinct that far back in the evolutional process she invented
him； differentiated him； created him in order to produce
something better than the single…sexed process can produce。
Whilst he fulfils the purpose for which she made him； he is
welcome to his dreams； his follies； his ideals； his heroisms；
provided that the keystone of them all is the worship of woman；
of motherhood； of the family； of the hearth。 But how rash and
dangerous it was to invent a separate creature whose sole
function was her own impregnation！ For mark what has happened。
First； Man has multiplied on her hands until there are as many
men as women； so that she has been unable to employ for her
purposes more than a fraction of the immense energy she has left
at his disposal by saving him the exhausting labor of gestation。
This superfluous energy has gone to his brain and to his muscle。
He has become too strong to be controlled by her bodily； and too
imaginative and mentally vigorous to be content with mere self…
reproduction。 He has created civilization without consulting her；
taking her domestic labor for granted as the foundation of it。
ANA。 THAT is true； at all events。
THE DEVIL。 Yes； and this civilization！ what is it； after all？
DON JUAN。 After all； an excellent peg to hang your cynical
commonplaces on； but BEFORE all； it is an attempt on Man's part
to make himself something more than the mere instrument of
Woman's purpose。 So far； the result of Life's continual effort
not only to maintain itself； but to achieve higher and higher
organization and completer self…consciousness； is only； at best；
a doubtful campaign between its forces and those of Death and
Degeneration。 The battles in this campaign are mere blunders；
mostly won； like actual military battles； in spite of the
commanders。
THE STATUE。 That is a dig at me。 No matter： go on； go on。
DON JUAN。 It is a dig at a much higher power than you； Commander。
Still； you must have noticed in your profession that even a
stupid general can win battles when the enemy's general is a
little stupider。
THE STATUE。 ＇very seriously＇ Most true； Juan； most true。 Some
donkeys have amazing luck。
DON JUAN。 Well； the Life Force is stupid； but it is not so stupid
as the forces of Death and Degeneration。 Besides； these are in
its pay all the time。 And so Life wins； after a fashion。 What
mere copiousness of fecundity can supply and mere greed preserve；
we possess。 The survival of whatever form of civilization can
produce the best rifle and the best fed riflemen is assured。
THE DEVIL。 Exactly！ the survival； not of the most effective means
of Life but of the most effective means of Death。 You always come
back to my point； in spite of your wrigglings and evasions and
sophistries； not to mention the intolerable length of your
speeches。
DON JUAN。 Oh come！ who began making long speeches？ However； if I
overtax your intellect； you can leave us and seek the society of
love and beauty and the rest of your favorite boredoms。
THE DEVIL。 ＇much offended＇ This is not fair； Don Juan； and not
civil。 I am also on the intellectual plane。 Nobody can appreciate
it more than I do。 I am arguing fairly with you； and； I think；
utterly refuting you。 Let us go on for another hour if you like。
DON JUAN。 Good： let us。
THE STATUE。 Not that I see any prospect of your coming to any
point in particular； Juan。 Still； since in this place； instead of
merely killing time we have to kill eternity； go ahead by all
means。
DON JUAN。 ＇somewhat impatiently＇ My point； you marbleheaded old
masterpiece； is only a step ahead of you。 Are we agreed that Life
is a force which has made innumerable experiments in organizing
itself； that the mammoth and the man； the mouse and the
megatherium； the flies and the fleas and the Fathers of the
Church； are all more or less successful attempts to build up that
raw force into higher and higher individuals； the ideal
individual being omnipotent； omniscient； infallible； and withal
completely； unilludedly self…conscious： in short； a god？
THE DEVIL。 I agree； for the sake of argument。
THE STATUE。 I agree； for the sake of avoiding argument。
ANA。 I most emphatically disagree as regards the Fathers of the
Church； and I must beg you not to drag them into the argument。
DON JUAN。 I did so purely for the sake of alliteration； Ana； and
I shall make no further allusion to them。 And now； since we are；
with that exception； agreed so far； will you not agree with me
further that Life has not measured the success of its attempts at
godhead by the beauty or bodily perfection of the result； since
in both these respects the birds； as our friend Aristophanes long
ago pointed out； are so extraordinarily superior； with their
power of flight and their lovely plumage； and； may I add； the
touching poetry of their loves and nestings； that it is
inconceivable that Life； having once produced them； should； if
love and beauty were her object； start off on another line and
labor at the clumsy elephant and the hideous ape； whose
grandchildren we are？
ANA。 Aristophanes was a heathen； and you； Juan； I am afraid； are
very little better。
THE DEVIL。 You conclude； then； that Life was driving at
clumsiness and ugliness？
DON JUAN。 No； perverse devil that you are； a thousand times no。
Life was driving at brainsat its darling object： an organ by
which it can attain not only self…consciousness but
self…understanding。
THE STATUE。 This is metaphysics； Juan。 Why the devil should＇to
the Devil＇ I BEG your pardon。
THE DEVIL。 Pray don't mention it。 I have always regarded the use
of my name to secure additional emphasis as a high compliment to
me。 It is quite at your service； Commander。
THE STATUE。 Thank you： that's very good of you。 Even in heaven； I
never quite got out of my old military habits of speech。 What I
was going to ask Juan was why Life should bother itself about
getting a brain。 Why should it want to understand itself？ Why not
be content to enjoy itself？
DON JUAN。 Without a brain； Commander； you would enjoy yourself
without knowing it； and so lose all the fun。
THE STATUE。 True； most true。 But I am quite content with brain
enough to know that I'm enjoying myself。 I don't want to
understand why。 In fact； I'd rather not。 My experience is that
one's pleasures don't bear thinking about。
DON JUAN。 That is why intellect is so unpopular。 But to Life； the
force behind the Man； intellect is a necessity； because without
it he blunders into death。 Just as Life； after ages of struggle；
evolved that wonderf
