Max Stirner is very difficult to read. Any German philosopher is difficult to read, in part due to the language barrier, and in part because they are not writers of straight-forward, concise, clear and discernible prose such as Hoffer writes. Add to this Stirner's wise guy reputation, and his satire, his linguistic tricks and his linguistic eccentricities, and coherent translation and comprehension become very difficult.
I was reading the Wolfi Landstreicher/Bob Black translation of The Unique and His Property. It came to me in a flash that Stirner is what I would characterize as a negative epistemological moderate, while I am a positive epistemological moderate.
Stirner is warning us that anytime our affair, our cause, our general concepts, our passions or our desires are objectified by us as a universal idea that exists independently of us, outside of us, reified, it has become a spook. When we become obsessed with that spook, worship it, advocate it fanatically, and are obsessed with it, our bondage to it is immoderate, unhealthy, immoral and leads us into trouble and suffering. We are alienated from our ownness.
Stirner is warning us not to live this way and perceive this way. If this cause is zealously proselytized by millions of true believers, then it is corrupting and immoderate.
I agree with all that but want more moderation.
By regarding the world as a a whole to be perceived, described, categorized and encountered by us as rational, temperate, truth-loving, freedom-embracing existents, that self-realize and follow God, then our thoughts, feelings and experiences will inform us as to what concept, passion or intuition is in balance, and when do we not completely reject it, but downplay it for a bit by accentuating and practicings its opposite for awhile, This positive, epistemological moderation will enable us to see the world as it is on the way to individuating success.
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