large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_02_morris_64kb_16
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_02_morris_64kb
English
6138
If we cannot have this claim satisfied, we are but poor creatures after all; and I claim it in the teeth of those terrible doctrines of asceticism, which, born of the despair of the oppressed and degraded, have been for so many ages used as instruments for the continuance of that oppression and degradation. IF WE CANNOT HAVE THIS CLAIM SATISFIED WE ARE BUT POOR CREATURES AFTER ALL AND I CLAIM IT IN THE TEETH OF THOSE TERRIBLE DOCTRINES OF ASCETICISM WHICH BORN OF THE DESPAIR OF THE OPPRESSED AND DEGRADED HAVE BEEN FOR SO MANY AGES USED AS INSTRUMENTS FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF THAT OPPRESSION AND DEGRADATION
th your own, asking you always to remember that the very differences in men’s capacities and desires, after the common need of food and shelter is satisfied, will make it easier to deal with their desires in a communal state of things. What is it that I need, therefore, which my surrounding circumstances can give me—my dealings with my fellow-men—setting aside inevitable accidents which co-operation and forethought cannot control, if there be such? Well, first of all I claim good health; and I say that a vast proportion of people in civilization scarcely even know what that means. To feel mere life a pleasure; to enjoy the moving one’s limbs and exercising one’s bodily powers; to play, as it were, with sun and wind and rain; to rejoice in satisfying the due bodily appetites of a human animal without fear of degradation or sense of wrong-doing: yes, and therewithal to be well formed, straight-limbed, strongly knit, expressive of countenance—to be, in a word, beautiful—that also I claim.  YOU MAY COMPARE THEM WITH YOUR OWN ASKING YOU ALWAYS TO REMEMBER THAT THE VERY DIFFERENCES IN MEN'S CAPACITIES AND DESIRES AFTER THE COMMON NEED OF FOOD AND SHELTER IS SATISFIED WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO DEAL WITH THEIR DESIRES IN A COMMUNAL STATE OF THINGS WHAT IS IT THAT I NEED THEREFORE WHICH MY SURROUNDING CIRCUMSTANCES CAN GIVE ME MY DEALINGS WITH MY FELLOW MEN SETTING ASIDE INEVITABLE ACCIDENTS WHICH CO OPERATION AND FORETHOUGHT CANNOT CONTROL IF THERE BE SUCH WELL FIRST OF ALL I CLAIM GOOD HEALTH AND I SAY THAT A VAST PROPORTION OF PEOPLE IN CIVILIZATION SCARCELY EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS TO FEEL MERE LIFE A PLEASURE TO ENJOY THE MOVING ONE'S LIMBS AND EXERCISING ONE'S BODILY POWERS TO PLAY AS IT WERE WITH SUN AND WIND AND RAIN TO REJOICE IN SATISFYING THE DUE BODILY APPETITES OF A HUMAN ANIMAL WITHOUT FEAR OF DEGRADATION OR SENSE OF WRONG DOING YES AND THEREWITHAL TO BE WELL FORMED STRAIGHT LIMBED STRONGLY KNIT EXPRESSIVE OF COUNTENANCE TO BE IN A WORD BEAUTIFUL THAT ALSO I CLAIM
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