After learning about Mimetic Theory, we encounter an older idea about the origin of conflict — Hegel’s First Man. I will not summarize either concept here at length, but I will briefly explain what Hegel meant by the First Man.
Before the advent of civilization, primordial man, uncultured and untamed, had a basic need, which gave him dominion over his fellow man, and it was his lack of fear of death. Before economic and social hierarchies defined people’s position in the dominance hierarchy, civilization was divided into masters and slaves, but the masters did not earn their position by virtue of their enterprise or cleverness, but by sheer bravery.
In the primordial battle, where two men fought to the death, the one who proved himself to be more free, more fearless, and therefore, more human, would become master, while the person who was a refuge to his instincts of self-preservation would become slave. The essential battle that took place, was one of recognition. The brave master, by showing his willingness to sacrifice his own life, signaled that he was free — and if his opponent did not get killed, he would provide the master with the recognition that he desperately craved. Hegel defined human freedom by the propensity to do what one was not biologically programmed to do.
Recognition is the basis of human motivation. And mimesis is a secondary aspect of human motivation, according to Hegel. Girard would disagree. In either case, these ideas should give us a reason to reflect. If it is true that we are deeply motivated by recognition — regardless of whether or not recognition is a mimetic desire, or an original, innate desire — then we are chained, not by personal biases or idiosyncrasies, but by our universal need to be acknowledged by the other, as a free human being.
Herein lies the paradox of recognition. The desire to be perceived as free is a form of imprisonment.
The need to stand out, and to be recognized for standing out, can be explained by two ways, if one of Girard or Hegel is correct. On the one hand, the desire to stand out, is anti-mimetic mimesis — those obsessed with the latest fashion want to signal uniqueness by copying the trends set by others. Yes, another paradox. On the other hand, the desire to be unique is a cry for recognition, to be acknowledged as someone who is sovereign and free. But even the desire to be seen as unique is equivalent to the desire to be seen as free, because you want to prove, that by being different from the masses, you are someone who is capable of making their own free, decisions.
In A Beautiful Mind, there is a pen ceremony in which John Nash and a professor have a conversation as they watch. The professor asks, “what do you see John?” Nash replies, “recognition” the professor then states “try seeing accomplishment” wherein Nash questions, “is there a difference?”
The dialogue shows us that Nash does not differentiate between recognition and accomplishment. If you do not accomplish anything, then why would you gain recognition?
This says something fundamental about human beings. Without other people, man cannot accomplish anything. It is only through recognition that an accomplishment can be celebrated. And it is only through an accomplishment that recognition can exist.
For Hegel, a person cannot become self-conscious without being recognized by other human beings. Man was, from the start a social being. His sense of self-worth and identity is intricately connected with the value that other people assign to him. While animals are social, their behavior is from instinct and based on the mutual satisfaction of natural needs. A monkey desires a banana, not the desire that belongs to another monkey. Kojeve explains that only a man can desire “an object perfectly useless from the biological point of view (a medal, an enemy’s flag).
The obvious question to ask: Is such a fundamental yearning for recognition harmful or beneficial to human beings. The answer to which is complicated. The desire for recognition has, at the same time, created everything that we value in civilization, while resulting in countless deaths and endless destruction. On an individual level, the desire for recognition has created meaning in her life, while at the same time, has driven her towards self-destructive and often futile goals.
But recall that Hegel says that the basis of our personal freedom is our yearning for recognition, which allows us to transcend our animalistic state. What is required is to transcend our human state, and to go beyond recognition — to be able to construct meaningful goals, not in the name of a flag, a piece of paper, or an award ceremony, but our free choice of which models are worth emulating, and what price is worth paying. In the end, we are not free to choose whether or not we want to emulate a model. True originality is not an option.
But we can choose which standards of behavior are most attractive, rational, and meaningful. And we can choose what we are willing to sacrifice in the service of these ideals.
Originally published at https://unearnedwisdom.com.
