The persistence of the Lie

Our own Daniel J. Mahoney has authored a new reflection on the continuing imperative not to live by lies.

“As Solzhenitsyn has indisputably established, the ideological Lie deceives at a very fundamental level. Those who perceive themselves as “innocent victims,” bereft of sin and any capacity for wrongdoing, or as agents of historical “progress,” become puffed up with hubris and feel themselves to be infallible. They become oppressors with little or no sense of limits or moral restraint. In Albert Camus’s memorable words, we must instead aim to be “neither victims nor executioners.” That is the path of moral sanity and political decency recommended by both the Christian Solzhenitsyn and the unbelieving Camus.”

— Daniel J. Mahoney

Winston Marshall and Ignat Solzhenitsyn

The young British rock star, Winston Marshall (for his remarkable story, start with his famous open letter from last summer), interviews Ignat Solzhenitsyn on a variety of topics, Live Not by Lies prominent among them.

"Why I’m Leaving Mumford & Sons"

A couple of days ago a fascinating open letter was posted by a musician, Winston Marshall, leaving a world-famous band (Mumford and Sons) not out of fearful deference to a censorious Twitter mob, but out of fidelity to conscience and his own moral integrity.  And the role of Solzhenitsyn in informing his decision is striking—and encouraging. In his open letter, Mr Marshall quotes Solzhenitsyn twice to great effect, especially the remarkable peroration of “Live Not by Lies!”

“So why leave the band?
On the eve of his leaving to the West, Solzhenitsyn published an essay titled ‘Live Not By Lies’. I have read it many times now since the incident at the start of March. It still profoundly stirs me.

“And he who is not sufficiently courageous to defend his soul — don’t let him be proud of his ‘progressive’ views, and don’t let him boast that he is an academician or a people’s artist, a distinguished figure or a general. Let him say to himself: I am a part of the herd and a coward. It’s all the same to me as long as I’m fed and kept warm.”

For me to speak about what I’ve learnt to be such a controversial issue will inevitably bring my bandmates more trouble. My love, loyalty and accountability to them cannot permit that. I could remain and continue to self-censor but it will erode my sense of integrity. Gnaw my conscience. I’ve already felt that beginning.
The only way forward for me is to leave the band. I hope in distancing myself from them I am able to speak my mind without them suffering the consequences. I leave with love in my heart and I wish those three boys nothing but the best. I have no doubt that their stars will shine long into the future. I will continue my work with Hong Kong Link Up and I look forward to new creative projects as well as speaking and writing on a variety of issues, challenging as they may be.”

— Winston Marshall

Live Not by Lies

On this New Year’s Day, we are pleased to present to our readers the complete text of Solzhenitsyn’s seminal 1974 essay, Live Not by Lies, in the definitive translation by Yermolai Solzhenitsyn, also found in the Solzhenitsyn Reader. Live Not by Lies—a worthy resolution for this, or any other, New Year.

“Yes, at first it will not be fair. Someone will have to temporarily lose his job. For the young who seek to live by truth, this will at first severely complicate life, for their tests and quizzes, too, are stuffed with lies, and so choices will have to be made. But there is no loophole left for anyone who seeks to be honest: Not even for a day, not even in the safest technical occupations can he avoid even a single one of the listed choices—to be made in favor of either truth or lies, in favor of spiritual independence or spiritual servility. And as for him who lacks the courage to defend even his own soul: Let him not brag of his progressive views, boast of his status as an academician or a recognized artist, a distinguished citizen or general. Let him say to himself plainly: I am cattle, I am a coward, I seek only warmth and to eat my fill.”

Readings for Troubled Times: Live Not by Lies

Over at Jeremy Beer’s Philanthropy Daily, Rod Dreher reminds us to read Live Not by Lies.

“What you should read: “Live Not By Lies,” by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

Why: How does a good man resist evil when he is powerless? The final communiqué Solzhenitsyn issued to the Soviet people on the eve of his 1974 arrest and expulsion to the West was a short essay explaining how to do it: Live not by lies! The Soviet system was built on lies, and on the willingness of the people to pretend that these lies were true. But the one thing that even the most demoralized person can do to fight the system is to refuse its lies, no matter the personal cost. Don’t write or say what you know is untrue. Don’t allow yourself to be seen doing anything that gives the official liars reason to think you are on their side.

“There are no loopholes for anybody who wants to be honest,” said Solzhenitsyn. “On any given day any one of us will be confronted with [a choice]. Either truth or falsehood: Toward spiritual independence or toward spiritual servitude. And he who is not sufficiently courageous even to defend his soul—don’t let him be proud of his “progressive” views, don’t let him boast that he is an academician or a people’s artist, a merited figure, or a general—let him say to himself: I am in the herd, and a coward. It’s all the same to me as long as I’m fed and warm.”

We live in a time of ideological madness, with commissars and scoundrels demanding allegiance to lies, and testimonies to untruth. If, out of fear, you give them what they want, they will own you forever. Solzhenitsyn knew. So had we better.”

Two new Solzhenitsyn titles published in French today

The Paris house Fayard, Solzhenitsyn’s longtime French publisher, has published two new Solzhenitsyn titles: the Journal de la Roue rouge (Journal of the Red Wheel) and Révolution et mensonge (Revolution and the Lie). The first is a new translation by Françoise Lesourd of a major work that tracks the author’s discoveries and doubts during the major portion of his work on the novel (from 1965 through 1991). The second combines two previously available texts—Vivre sans mentir (Live Not By Lies!) and Leçons de Février (Lessons of February)—with a new Georges Nivat translation: Deux révolutions: la française at la russe (Two Revolutions: the French and the Russian) of Solzhenitsyn’s 1984 article comparing and contrasting those two cataclysms.