Summary
Highlights
In the 18th century, as European societies advanced, the prevailing view was that humanity was progressing towards civilization. However, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, born in Geneva in 1712, profoundly disagreed. His life, marked by instability, exposed him to the opulence of Paris, contrasting sharply with his sober hometown. An advertisement for an essay on the 'purification of morals' in 1749 sparked an epiphany in Rousseau: civilization and progress had not improved people but had instead corrupted their innate goodness.
Rousseau's central thesis, articulated in his 'Discourse on the Arts and Sciences' and 'Discourse on the Origins and Foundations of Inequality,' posited that individuals were once good and happy in a pre-social 'state of nature.' In this idyllic period, people lived authentically, understanding their minds, appreciating family and nature, and guided by spontaneous pity and empathy. However, civilization awakened an 'unhealthy form of self-love,' amour-propre, characterized by pride, jealousy, and vanity. This emerged as people moved to cities, comparing themselves to others, leading to destructive competition for status and material goods.
Rousseau is associated with the term 'noble savage,' contrasting the innocence of pre-civilized ancestors with modern decadence. His ideas resonated with contemporary accounts of Native North American tribes, initially described as materially simple but psychologically rich and communal. However, contact with European technology and luxury corrupted these societies, leading to a longing for European goods, increased suicide and alcoholism rates, and social fragmentation, illustrating Rousseau's belief that the modern world ruined lives once lived happily in a 'state of nature'.
Rousseau's interest in natural goodness extended to children. In his 1762 work 'Émile, or On Education,' he argued that children are born naturally good, and education should prevent their corruption by society. This revolutionized parenting, shifting the perception of children from inherently wicked to founts of wisdom, promoting play and immersion in nature. He also advocated strongly for breastfeeding, believing it would reform morals and awaken natural sentiments, leading to a widespread adoption of the practice even among the wealthy.
Due to his valuation of human beings in their original state, Rousseau celebrated intense feelings over societal deeds or events in his novels. In 'Julie' (1761), he depicted the emotional turmoil of an upper-class woman in a love triangle, elevating her feelings to a level of grandeur and honor. Similarly, in his autobiography, 'Confessions,' he meticulously explored his inner life, from frustrations with shopping to tenderness for an ex-partner's new love, considering these personal experiences crucial for self-knowledge and understanding humanity.
Rousseau's influence grew after his death in 1778, becoming a hero of the French Revolution and an icon for 19th-century artists and writers. He is considered a founding figure of the Romantic Movement, an ideology that champions the primitive over the civilized, the child over the adult, and passionate love over calm loyalty. Despite modern society's focus on status and capitalism, it retains a profoundly romantic core, with much of what is considered common sense traceable back to Rousseau's highly intriguing and provocative thoughts.