Bertrand Russell: "What desires are politically important?" 1950 Nobel Prize acceptance speech

Рет қаралды 18,323

Justin Shenk

2 жыл бұрын

Audio source: KPFA, kpfahistory.info
1950 Nobel Prize for Literature.
Text: www.nobelprize.org/prizes/lit...

Пікірлер: 34

@TheRealGnolti Жыл бұрын

"If one man offers you democracy, and another offers you a bag of grain, at what stage of starvation will you prefer the grain to the vote?" A marvelous, always relevant question. Sadly, history shows that more than half a century later, a great many people do not even need to be starving to choose the grain over the vote.

@amellirizarry9503 8 ай бұрын

I feel like a lot of people quote Russell under the impression that he was some kind of Classical Liberal type, but he was literally a Socialist/Communist with a lot of Anarchist sympathies, more people should read 'Proposed Roads To Freedom' and 'In Praise of Idleness'

@TheRealGnolti 8 ай бұрын

@@amellirizarry9503 If you are referring to me as "some people," sure Russell was a Socialist, and that's a great thing; this world needs more Socialism. But a Communist? Did you ever hear his criticism of Lenin or read his unambiguously titled essay, "Why I Am Not a Communist"? At the very least, BR was fundamentally opposed to human cruelty (or as he once put it, "unkindness") in any form, so your post smells more than vaguely off.

@miaash3870 7 ай бұрын

A brilliant mind! May this intelligent man forever rest in peace!

@MiserableAmerica Жыл бұрын

What the world needs is intelligence, and intelligence can be appropriately fostered through education. Educate, educate, educate. This was an excellent speech.

@Philognosis1 2 ай бұрын

Education is the last thing we need. Learning and knowledge is what we need.

@TheTenorChannel Ай бұрын

thank you for passing this very precious message

@christopherwood9032 Жыл бұрын

such a creative, humorous, and intelligent man

@olivervision 9 ай бұрын

It's like Plato meets George Carlen..

@ckpchaudhari 4 ай бұрын

This should be an international anthem for humanity. I strongly recommend...

@dickyboyryw Жыл бұрын

Such a great, man. We're so fortunate to have audio and video recordings of his work. He's up there with Alan Watts, Aldus Huxley Krishnamurti and Mckenna. His life is fascinating. He met and spoke with many legendary, figures. Einstein, Gladstone and Lenin.

@MichaelLaFrance1 Жыл бұрын

You've just listed my favorite lecturers, I've listened to their tapes for decades, scouring the pre-Internet for recordings, and then mp3s after the internet provided them. Watts and McKenna were the first podcasters in my book. Can you imagine the wonderful podcasts Terence would do today, had he lived? McKenna's partner in the trialogues, Rupert Sheldrake is still active. If you haven't listened to him lately, he's here on KZfaq. That said, I haven't listened to Krishnamurti, but I will do so now, based on your recommendation.

@deluminati Жыл бұрын

i dont like nor dislike nor wish to argue with but feel the need to just confusedly ask, how do you regard those others "up there with" russell?

@user-rk4hv3fb2n 18 күн бұрын

I love listening to people like this so inspirtional after the purile stuff most networks flood us with. Good to see humans can be wonderous

@sitarai1225 Жыл бұрын

Thank you Sir Bertrend Russell for your enlighten address 🙏

@cosimo7770 7 ай бұрын

Actually, Lord Russell - but he announced that he wished to be addressed as Bertrand Russell.

@reinfeddedewolff5565 Жыл бұрын

AMAZING "NOBEL PRIZE 1950 OF LITERATURE SPEECH" DIGITALLY EASILY FOR THE WORLD "WITHIN REACH" WITH IRONY, WISDOM AND WITTINESS "COMBINED" VERY "REFINED" FROM A STANDPOINT OF "ENLIGHTENMENT, INTELLIGENCE AND EDUCATION", AMONG OTHERS, THE ISSUE OF "WAR AND PEACE" SUCH A "SPECIAL SENSATION".

@thealmightyaku-4153 6 ай бұрын

An insightful speech in all its aspects, even today - and so funny!

@redrobin8544 9 күн бұрын

Thanks

@donaldwhittaker7987 5 ай бұрын

Outstanding

@kaboomboom5967 6 ай бұрын

Knowing our trueself is the essence of all philosophy

@strangebird5974 9 ай бұрын

While a lot of his ideas might seem a bit naive in hindsight, there's no denying his inquisitive intelligence and the relevance of his questioning. It's extremely relevant today to pose this question: What are the psychological impulses that are relevant on a societal and political scale? And how do we curtail our destructive tendencies? I guess two of his main answers: Make people feel secure and make them well educated are pretty solid proposals. (Also, I get that there were a lot of tongue in cheek jokes in the speech. However, I find it interesting that while some of those jokes seemed to land fine, others seemed to presuppose an outlook of the times that I don't share and where I therefore didn't really get the joke.)

@8nansky528 2 жыл бұрын

I ADORE READING

@someguy7046 Жыл бұрын

try reading some of his book "The Impact of Science on Society" & you may not view him the same way afterwards

@marcusaurelius9123 4 ай бұрын

@someguy7046 great book & I respect the man even more having read it

@remasteredretropcgames3312 2 жыл бұрын

@ 40:00 Genetic engineering has entered the barren wasteland of a chat.

@CHALETARCADE 9 ай бұрын

Love Bertrand, but why on Earth would he say that only protestant country protect animal rights? The Italian, the irish or the French always loved and protected their animals, no more and no less than Americans or Brits. What a weird piece of biggotery coming from such a great mind!

@dewok2706 9 ай бұрын

he was always a bigoted aristocratic pompous spoiled little man