Anthropological Chain: Power of Character over Ambitions and Interests

Abstract

The value of character interpreted in an existential and naturalist way is in the focus of author’s attention. In methodology the author relies on an existential realism which is a dialectic unity of an instrument-method and ontological basis of the research. The anthropological chain which top is occupied by a man of character with his characteristic healthy irrationality is being constructed. He is being opposed to a man with ambitions and a man with interest. Unlike those essentially social creatures, man with character is a mostly existential creature with abnormal, excessive or insufficient, social nature. He is vitally contradictory. He is simultaneously – and truly moral without references to norms of public morality and finds himself beyond good and evil. The role of man with character in a social revolution in the context of 1917 events is discussed. V. I. Lenin is taken here as a forefront figure. Using nonconformist testimonies of N. A. Berdyaev, N. V. Valentinov (Volsky), G. V. Vernadsky, M. Gorky, V. Serge, N. N. Sukhanov, N. V. Ustryalov, the author specifies the portrait of Bolsheviks’ leader as a man with the strength of character and minimal ambitions. It is pointed out that this essential quality allows us to combine polarities of human nature inherently and to act efficiently while not submitting to rational patterns. The anthropological tragedy of revolution is seen in the fact that characters fight and perish in it but rewards are reaped by those who are ambitious and reduce everything to interest. The conclusion is made about prioritized role of character in the practice of human dignity preservation and promotion.

Keywords

• anthropological chain
• man with character
• man with ambitions
• man with interest
• sane irrationality