Ethical Individualism: Selected Texts

by Han Ryner, Kirk Watson (Translator)

Han Ryner (1861-1938), the author of pamphlets, plays, novels, and philosophical tracts, was a strong proponent of individualism. For him, individualism as a personal form of wisdom which had been taught by the great prophets of humanity, from Socrates and Jesus to a rigorous, demanding ethical philosophy which wasn't for everyone. This collection contains translations of these four A Handbook for IndividualistsOn the Various Kinds of IndividualismWhat the Individual IsIndividualism in the Ancient World

161 pages, Paperback

Published October 24, 2019

About the author

Issu d'un milieu modeste (son père est employé des postes et sa mère institutrice) et très religieux, Henri Ner réussit à faire des études et prépare une licence en philosophie. À cause de la mort de sa mère, il rompt avec la religion, devient franc-maçon et s'intéresse aux idées sociales.
Après avoir publié deux romans en 1894-1895, Henri Ner fréquente les milieux littéraires, en particulier Alphonse Daudet, pour qui il traduit Vie d'enfant de Batisto Bonnet. Après avoir tâté un peu de journalisme, il devient professeur de collège même s'il a beaucoup de difficulté à se plier à la discipline et aux conventions qu'impose une telle carrière. Auteur d'une cinquantaine de livres dans des genres fort divers (romans, contes, essais, théâtre, poésie), il est élu en 1912 « prince des conteurs » par les lecteurs de L’Intransigeant.
En 1896, il adopte le pseudonyme de Han Ryner, devient le rédacteur en chef de la revue Demain et collabore à de nombreuses revues et journaux : L'Art social, L'Humanité nouvelle d'Augustin Hamon, L'Ennemi du Peuple d'Émile Janvion, L'Idée Libre de Lorulot, ainsi que L'En dehors et L'Unique d'Émile Armand.
À la veille de la Première Guerre mondiale, Han Ryner adopte des positions pacifistes et lutte jusqu'à sa mort pour la reconnaissance de l'objection de conscience. Son pacifisme s'exprime, pendant la guerre, dans ses collaborations à Par-delà la mêlée d'Émile Armand et Ce qu'il faut dire de Sébastien Faure et par la suite au Journal du Peuple de Henri Fabre.
Homme aux combats multiples, Han Ryner prend position pour la libération d'Eugène Dieudonné en 1913, pour celle d'Émile Armand pendant la guerre, pour les mutins de la Mer Noire, pour Sacco et Vanzetti et Nestor Makhno. Anticlérical virulent, il s'oppose à l'emprise et au pouvoir de l'Église catholique, surtout en matière d'éducation. En 1936, Han Ryner adhère au Comité mondial contre la guerre et le fascisme. Il entretient des rapports amicaux avec José de Bérys et il est également l'un des rares anarchistes ayant participé au Félibrige.

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book overall. I agreed with much, disagreed with some, and was annoyed with a couple things. I loved his take on claiming Epicureanism, cynicism, and stoicism as classical individualist philosophies. He misses the point on Jesus even though his take is good. Epicureanism is simply classical hedonism that makes pleasure the goal of life through the practice of virtue, which is the opposite of modern hedonism that makes vice and debauchery the goal of life which is libertinism. In classical hedonism a man would never get drunk because it causes pain to the mind, soul, body, and character, they would merely drink one or two drinks and stop, same with food, they would eat only wholesome food in moderation to sustain their body and cease the pain of hunger, but excess food would cause pain in the moment and long term. You get the point, it is a very moral philosophy in practice, but its goal and meaning of life is horribly flawed and lacking. In reality God is the goal of life, and the meaning of life is to fear God and obey His Natural law. Ryner's take on cynicism and stoicism were better and I think are vastly superior philosophies than epicurian thought.

I loved the beginning section where he uses a question answer format to explain individualism, and I agreed with most of it. I only disagreed with him on his pacifism which was identical to Tolstoy's or the Mennonite versions. Pacifism just leads to more violence and disorder in society because the majority of humanity are ignorant children trapped in might makes right mentality and slaves to their own cravings and desires. I agree with the individualist anarchist Proudhon who believed in a strict adherence to natural law that says violence is only justified as a last resort to self defense, so an individual can defend themselves just as a group or community can defend itself from a violent criminal by removing their liberty and forcing reeducation and rehabilitation on them through local courts, decentralized police, and the local militia. Or as a direct quote of Proudhon says in What Is Property, an individual has absolute liberty so as long as he does not encroach upon the liberty of another, in which case the People (not the State) has the right to take his liberty from him as a collective act of self defense.

Altogether Ryner was a great read, and he is a great example of an individualist anarchist. Side note, when he critizises anarchism, he is referring to social anarchism which is radically different from individualism, and his critiques are apt.

[Diamantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Αν και άγνωστο το έργο του Ryner στην Ελλάδα για πολύ καιρό, αξίζει μια ματιά. Εχει κυκλοφορήσει στα ελληνικά από τις εκδόσεις Ροές με τον τίτλο «Το μανιφέστο του ατομικισμού».