The desire for equality

Philosophy lack

Pleasure in the consciousness

Desire is lack of being, he is haunted by his inmost being by which it is desire. Jean-Paul Sartre, L'être et le Néant.

For psychoanalysis, the desire is irreducible needs . It is seen as a voltage to fill. When a desire invades the mind, man seeks to satisfy ( to wipe the imbalance it creates ) . In this form, it is a kind of prime mover – sexual appetite, greedy, venal etc. – An instinctive strength, pushing the individual to action.

In this case, the spring is on the side of the organic – the primary sexual desire ( Eros ), for example, may very well happen conscience, reason and analysis. These faculties are also quite a handicap for him.

Individual desire, universal desire

But desire can also rely on the conscience. It may be motivated by higher feelings like empathy and kindness. Desire runs things at different levels. It can inspire a man, a group, a nation, an entire community or humanity. This is the case for example of human values ​​such as peace, universality, ecumenism and equality .

So we end up with two forms of desire.

Primary desires, from basic instincts and individualistic ( copulation, domination, predation) .

And senior desires related to human values ​​(universality, brotherhood, equality, etc. . ) .

The desire to be treated humanely

Everyone, when abused revolt. This reaction is valid for most species . It is almost physiological . Human culture has nevertheless brought him some news . Not only human beings refuse to be abused, but he refuses to be abusing its congeners . If the man wants the best for himself, he also hopes for humanity . The outrageous injustice of man, as inequality. Human majority therefore aspire to equal treatment . In other words, beyond the differences, people intuitively want some equality .

The desire for unification

This instinctive tendency to equality is hinted in the general evolution of humanity. For several millennia, in fact, man has undertaken a great job of gathering – the tribe, country, nation, community and to global village being established ..

Globalization is one of the steps in this unification. Men gradually rally behind a common identity : belonging to humanity. Under these auspices universalist, the status of alien –   the often abroad, with lesser privilegesweakens the benefit of the citizen of the world . In other words, the benefit of the status of " equal ."

written in 2000

desire for unity

Chaque homme dans le fond de son cœur a droit de se croire entièrement égal aux autres hommes : il ne s'ensuit pas de là que le cuisinier d'un cardinal doive ordonner à son maître de lui faire à dîner; mais le cuisinier peut dire : Je suis homme comme mon maître; je suis né comme lui en pleurant; il mourra comme moi dans les mêmes angoisses et les mêmes cérémonies; nous faisons tous deux les mêmes fonctions animales; si les Turcs s'emparent de Rome, et alors je suis cardinal et mon maître cuisinier, je le prendrai à mon service. Tout ce discours est raisonnable et juste; mais en attendant que le grand Turc s'empare de rome, le cuisinier doit faire son devoir, ou toute société humaine est pervertie.

Voltaire