Hannah arendt biography english interview
Arendt, author of &#;The Origins of Totalitarianism,&#; is described by the interviewer as &#;a lady with a profession some might consider a masculine one&#;a philosopher.&#; Arendt replies, and is not pleased.
&#;I&#;m afraid I have to protest. I don&#;t belong to the circle of philosophers,&#; she argues. &#;My profession, if one can speak of it all, is political theory. I neither feel like a philosopher, nor do I believe I&#;ve been accepted in the circle of philosophers.&#; Arendt continues to divorce herself from the philosophical tradition. Arendt, who studied philosophy with Martin Heidegger, is insistent that her work be called &#;political theory&#; rather than &#;political philosophy.&#; &#;I&#;ve said goodbye to philosophy once and for all,&#; she continues. &#;As you know, I studied philosophy. But that doesn&#;t mean I stayed with it.&#; Arendt tells the interviewer that she seeks to &#;look at politics with an eye unclouded by philosophy.&#;
Later, Arendt injects gender into the conversation again.
You ask about the effect my work has on others. If I may speak ironically, that&#;s a masculine question. Men always want to be influential. I see that somewhat as an onlooker. Do I see myself as influential? No, I want to understand. If others understand in the same way I&#;ve understood that gives me a sense of satisfaction, like being among equals.
Arendt also discusses her emigration from Germany in Arendt, who was not particularly political at the time, decided that to be a bystander was not acceptable after the burning of the Reichstag. She tried to help a Zionist group (though she did not agree with them politically) release a collection of anti-Semitic comments made by public figures and organizations to spread global awareness about the ongoing persecution of Jews. She was discovered and imprisoned for 8 days. &#;I was very lucky,&#; Arendt notes, &#;I made friends with the officer who arrested me. A charming person.&#; Arendt was promised by the officer that he would help get her out. After the Zionist organization had hired a lawyer, she dismissed the attorney at the recommendation of the officer. &#;I thought I&#;d be better off trusting him.&#;
[Via Continental Philosophy Bulletin Board]