I have just read John Stuart Mill’s “Autobiography” and am currently reading his book, “On Liberty”. He was a man who had a challenging childhood at the feet of his father. He was taught Ancient Greek at age three, and had an exacting and relentless education through lonely paternal tutoring from then on. After a prolonged bout of depression (who can blame him), he became a prominent political philosopher in the early to mid nineteenth century.
His ideas are amazingly fresh and current. He believed in complete freedom of thought and expression. He felt that organized religion constrains the individual, and deadens innovation. Mill stated that you should question everything. He was a prominent early adherent of women’s rights, and the right to suffrage. He abhorred slavery.
In other ways, he was a man of his times. He called colonial subjects “barbarians”, not fit to participate in the political process. While he did not condone violence, he was an enthusiastic supporter of British imperialism, as evidenced by his day job with the East India company. He did not feel that the uneducated masses deserved an equal vote, although he was a promoter of universal public education. You can’t have everything.
One approach that he had has relevance to today. He felt that a person should always analyze and listen to opposing viewpoints, and discuss them in a non-violent and respectful manner. There was an overriding virtue in seeking the truth, even if it meant changing your mind. The customary way of thinking about things should always be questioned.
I suspect that he would have been appalled by social media, with its extreme diatribes and certainty about the truth. He would also find the self censorship that frequently occurs in our society to be abhorrent. Mill would not ascribe to “cancel culture”, so prevalent on both the political left and the right.
Above all, with certain outdated caveats, he was a firm believer in democracy, open discussion, and the freedom of the individual to live a life as one sees fit. His focus on education for all as essential to societal improvement is spot on.
Oppressive childhood notwithstanding, he was a great original thinker who was ahead of his time.
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