A dog does not aspire to be a “good” dog, it has no essence as a task. Stirner applies this to man, also. For a man to aspire to be good, or rational, etc., is to aspire to be other than what he is. For Stirner, the fact of man is the exercise of force or strength. So who has the most force? Obviously, the man who is most conscious, who has self-mastery. Can I propose that as a goal? Not in Stirner’s eyes, but some men will choose it, just as the rose chooses to bloom. It is an error to presume that all men are alike. Continue reading →