Autonomy: The Issue of Our Times

 “The deepest problems of modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality of his existence in the face of overwhelming social forces, of historical heritage, of external culture, and of the technique of life.” - Georg Simmel, German Sociologist (1858 – 1918)

This blog post is the first of several about autonomy from a Dark Pagan perspective.

Different issues are associated with different ages. World War II defined the 1940s, the Cold War dominated the 1950s through the 1980s, and the events of 9/11 along with the Iraq War dominated the first decade of the new millennium. In the second decade of the 21st century, autonomy appears to be one of the defining issues. Specifically, how much power should social institutions, such as the government, have over an individual’s autonomy?

Autonomy issues are all over the news, especially here in the US. Gender identity, transgender rights, sexual orientation, mask/ vaccine mandates, contraception, gun rights, and abortion rights are hot-button issues. These issues all involve attempts to decide where the individual’s freedom ends, and society’s regulatory power begins. 

It should be noted that autonomy means different things to different people. For this blog post, I refer to Gerald Dworkin, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at the University of California. In his book The Theory and Practice of Autonomy, he described autonomy as the capacity for someone to define their nature, give their lives meaning and coherence, and allow them to take responsibility for themselves. 

From a Dark Pagan perspective, autonomy is the default nature of humans. It’s a natural characteristic of the Self. Autonomy, like the Self, is the product of complex interactions between biology, environment, and cognitive activity. 

One of the misconceptions we have about autonomy is the belief that it’s absolute. There’s a belief that we can always overcome social influence by simply using our willpower. While personal autonomy is powerful, such thinking is unrealistic. Yes, some amazing people have overcome extreme odds to achieve greatness. However, life is complex, and it’s not simple or easy.

The default aspect of autonomy provides guidance as to when society, especially the government, should regulate it. Because autonomy is a person’s default nature, society must defer to the individual’s autonomy except when it endangers the autonomy or life of another. 

I’m reminded of the words of Thomas Jefferson. Although he was writing about religious freedom, it applies here as well. “It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” In other words, if personal autonomy does not harm another, the general rule is that the government should not interfere. 

Applying the above might sound easy, but it’s far from it. I’ll address some ideas about the practical application of personal autonomy in future blog posts.

Blessed Be,

Frater Tenebris