穆勒的焦虑:《自传》与文化观念的流变

Mill's Anxiety: Autobiography and the Evolution of the Idea of Culture

在传记文学和文化观念的互动史上,穆勒的《自传》是一朵奇葩。遗憾的是,学界至今尚无人借由《自传》文本意义的衍射,来寻找文化观念的内涵在19世纪英国演变的轨迹。透过穆勒所经历的"幸福焦虑",我们可以看到整个英国社会在维多利亚时期所经历的精神危机。穆勒所追问的"幸福"其实是一个文化命题。他化解焦虑的基本策略是重塑人生哲学,与之配套的还有许多具体策略,而它们又可以概括为两大类:一是智力训练,二是情感训练。穆勒提倡让思辨热情扎根于仁慈和同情心,这标志着他的文化观已臻完善,意味着他彻底走出了幸福焦虑。

John Stuart Mill＇ s Autobiography is a wonderful work in the history of interaction between biographical literature and the idea of culture. It is a pity that the academic world has failed to trace in this work the way the conno- tative meanings of the idea of culture undergo changes and to trace their trajectory in the 19th century Britain. Through Mill＇s ＂anxiety over happiness＂ we can see the spiritual crisis which the whole British society went through during the Victorian period. The ＂happiness＂ queried by Mill is virtually a cultural proposition. The fundamental strategy he advocates for defusing the above-said anxiety is to reshape one＇ s life philosophy, matched by various specific strate- gies which in general fall into two categories, namely the exercise of intellect and the exercise of feelings. Mill advo- cates that enthusiasm for speculative thinking take root in benevolence and sympathy, which is indicative of the way he perfects his idea of culture, and of＂ how he emerges from his mental crisis unscathed.