[T]he heart is a very unreliable coinpass, and even will…
![“[T]he heart is a very unreliable coinpass, and even will and knowledge, as all ideological factors in general, are not to be trusted as guides if they are without any material basis…. [I]t is not love nor help which is the guiding rule of our time, but hammer or anvil. In reality it is thus: who…” quote by Joseph Dietzgen](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/787/joseph-dietzgen-104027_class-consciousness_t-he-heart-is-a-very-unreliable-coinpass_2726897.jpg)
““[T]he heart is a very unreliable coinpass, and even will and knowledge, as all ideological factors in general, are not to be trusted as guides if they are without any material basis…. [I]t is not love nor help which is the guiding rule of our time, but hammer or anvil. In reality it is thus: who does not want to be a servant must try to become a master. Under such conditions it is idle to hope that people will sacrifice realities for ideal precepts. We are not sentimental enough to expect such things. Though we use moral arguments in our struggle against the bourgeois, we do all we can to stimulate our class consciousness.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage argues that moral and ideological guides are unreliable without material basis; instead, mastery and class consciousness should drive action against bourgeois oppression.
In simple terms: Ideals need material grounding; become a master.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize material reality.
Themes
politics
ideology
class struggle
materialism
critical theory
Mood
argument
philosophical
When to use this quote
- activism
- labor organizing
- political education
Key Concepts
marxist theory
philosophy
sociology
Practical Applications
- It may dismiss the role of ideals in motivating change.
Questions to Reflect On
- critical
- revolutionary
A Different Perspective
What material facts support your actions?;How can class consciousness be fostered?