"Selections From the Writings of Kierkegaard" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kierkegaard Soren)

and reform the masses by a vulgar and futile "revival," preaching
to them directly and gaining disciples innumerable. It would only
lead again, to the abomination of a lip service. But a ferment must
be introduced which he hoped would gradually restore Christianity
to its former vigor; at least in individuals. So far as the form of his
own works is concerned he was thus bound to use the "indirect
method" of Socrates whom he regards as his teacher. In conscious
opposition to the Sophists who sold their boasted wisdom for
money, Socrates not only made no charges for his instruction but
even warned people of his igorance, insisting that, like a midwife,
he only helped people to give birth to their own thoughts. And
owing to his irony Socrates' relation to his disciples was not in any
positive sense a personal one. Least of all did he wish to found a
new "school" or erect a philosophic "system."

Kierkegaard, with Christianity as his goal, adopted the same
tactics. By an attractive Сsthetic beginning people were to be
"lured" into envisaging the difficulties to be unfolded presently, to
think for themselves, to form their own conclusions, whether for or
against. The individual was to be appealed to, first and last the
individual, no matter how humble, who would take the trouble to
follow him and be his reader, "my only reader, the single
individual." "So the religious author must make it his first business
to put himself in touch with men. That is to say, he must begin
aesthetically. The more brilliant his performance, the better." And
then, when he has got them to follow him "he must produce the
religious categories so that these same men with all the impetus of
their devotion to aesthetic 4hings are suddenly brought up sharp
against the religious aspect." The writer's own personality was to
be entirely eliminated by a system of pseudonyms; for the effect of
his teaching was not to be jeopardized by a distracting knowledge
of his personality. Accordingly, in conscious imitation of Socrates,
Kierkegaard at first kept up a semblance of his previous student
life, posing as a frivolous idler on the streets of Copenhagen, a
witty dog incapable of prolonged serious activity; thus anxiously
guarding the secret of his feverish activity during the lonely hours
of the night.

His campaign of the "indirect communication" was thus fully
determined upon; but there was still lacking the impetus of an
elemental passion to start it and give it driving force and
conquering persistence. This also was to be furnished him.

Shortly before his father's death he had made the acquaintance of
Regine Olson, a beautiful young girl of good family. There
followed one of the saddest imaginable engagements. The
melancholy, and essentially lonely, thinker may not at first have
entertained the thought of a lasting attachment; for had he not, on
the one hand, given up all hope of worldly happiness, and on the
other, begun to think of himself as a chosen tool of heaven not to