“Human beings are, above all, egocentric and repetitive.”

Discuss in relation to your study of the Human Condition

Human beings, or humanity are not, above all egocentric, however, they are repetitive. Both “Funeral Blues” (1936) and “Unknown Citizen” (1939), poems by W.H. Auden show the vast array of experiences and emotions within humanity, and within the Human Condition. In “Animal Farm” (1945), a novel by George Orwell, he shows that egocentricity is tied with only a minority; the ruthless ruling class. Lastly in “Woman on Bondi”, a photo by Marco Bok, he frames pure bliss, without any egocentricity at all; egocentricity is just a minor part of the Human Condition. However, humanity repeats itself when creating new works, irrespective of any egocentricity.

While egocentricity is only a minor facet of the Human Condition, repetition is inevitable, as can be seen in Auden’s works.“Funeral Blues”, a poem about the death of a loved one, while not egocentric, is repetitive in that it follows the traditional forms and features of both poems and blues. Auden shows humanity’s great capacity for love; “the stars are not wanted now: put out ever one”, the hyperbole showing the persona’s immense grief for the deceased. Furthermore, the poem is arranged in 4 stanzas comprising of 4 lines; the order reflects upon the restrained nature of grief; it is orderly and overly formal, of which Auden is criticizing. However, this ordered nature conforms to other poems of and before his time, showing that humanity is repetitive. The first word of every line in the first two stanzas, “Stop…Prevent…Silence…Bring…Let…Scribbl[e]…Put…Let”, are imperatives, illuminating the intense emotional outpour of the persona; as “nothing now can ever come to any good”; Auden criticizes what egocentricity is left during a funeral and in its wake, with wills to be read and property to divide. “He was my North, my South, my East and West”, the hyperbolic imagery running through the entire poem mocks the standardisation and sterility of funeral ceremonies; questioning the repetitive nature of mortality and humanity. Similarly, in “Unknown Citizen”, a poem criticizing both Government interference with regular life, and also the monotony of an “unknown citizen’s” life; without thinking, without independence. “His reactions…were normal in every way”, and “he never interfered”, the “perfect” and “model citizen”, but it is this extended list and compilation of observations that extends to the criticism of this object’s life. “Was he free? Was he happy?” These questions are irrelevant in this man’s life, because as Auden notes, he was neither remarkable, nor interesting. This conformity is a symbol for the repetitive nature of Humanity, and to a smaller extent, the egocentricity of man; he “had everything necessary… a gramophone, a radio, a car”. Auden mocks the absurdity of material possessions overriding spiritual contentment, and hence, attacks the consumerism arising from egocentricity that he sees in his post-depression society; 20 years ago, it was this same consumerism that lead to immense poverty and unhappiness.  Therefore, while egocentricity remains a small part of the Human Condition, repetition is a prevalent aspect.