"Such a faith would be fatal to my reason, to my liberty, and even to the success of my undertakings; it would immediately transform me into a stupid slave, an instrument of the will and interests of others"
- Mikhail Bakunin
About this Quote
In this quote, Mikhail Bakunin is expressing his belief that blind faith in something or somebody would be harmful to his logical thinking, individual liberty, and capability to accomplish success. He argues that blindly following a belief or ideology would turn him into a meaningless servant, controlled by the will and desires of others. Bakunin values his capability to think critically and make his own options, and sees blind faith as a hazard to these liberties. He also believes that it would impede his ability to achieve his objectives and aspirations. In general, Bakunin highlights the significance of independent thinking and warns versus the dangers of blind faith.
"The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions, the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submissions on the other. Our children see this, and learn to imitate it"