An Examination of Levinas's Notion of Responsibility and Human situation in Nigeria
Esikot, I. F., Adahada, G.
Authors
Esikot, I. F., Adahada, G.
Abstract
Human situation refers to the salient conditions of daily human existence including its
economic and social states among others. These conditions are vital to human welfare and
vary from one country to another. In Nigeria, the human condition is characterized by
hardship and suffering due to incommensurate government response to the welfare needs of
the citizens as well as inadequate assistance to the poor class by the wealthy citizens. If this
condition is not checked, the human condition in Nigeria will aggravate the already bad
situation and as well as deepen the different kinds of unrests. In response to the need to
address this deplorable and problematic human situation, Levinas' notion of responsibility
serves as a plausible theoretical framework. This paper interrogated the human situation in
Nigeria vis-à-vis Levinas' conception of responsibility. It used the qualitative method of
critical analyses to solicit hospitality towards the poor class. The paper found out that
Levinas' notion of responsibility is the apt theory for addressing the deplorable human
situation in Nigeria. Since Nigeria is made up of people of different economic and social
classes, the paper recommended that the political leaders and the wealthy class should show
appropriate responsibility to the poor class by helping them to provide for their welfare needs
for improved human situation.
Keywords
Levinas, Responsibility, Human, Situation, solidarity, Nigeria
Introduction
Human beings are faced with different situations and predicaments in life, one of which is
suffering. In most constituted nations, the primary obligation of government is to ensure
human welfare and to protect lives and properties. Adherence to this obligation impacts the
human situation in the respective nation. Furthermore, Non-Governmental Organizations
and private individuals also impact society. Since society is also a social construct, there exists social and economic classes which are of unequal capacities but must coexist. Their
coexistence reveals the strength and weakness of each in coping with the realities of their
daily lives. Those in the wealthy class can afford their daily needs but the poor cannot. In this
scenario, the wealthy are looked up to for assistance by the poor ones. The assistance in
question underscores Levinas' intuition in his notion of responsibility
Content
In Emmanuel Levinas's notion of responsibility, the wealthy and powerful, are refer
to as the “subject /I”; the poor and weak ones, are called the “Other”. Levinas's notion of
responsibility does not bear out the ordinary meaning. Thus, by responsibility, he means that
everyone is made to serve the Other and that one's life is meaningful in his service for the
Other. Specifically, he avers that “I speak of responsibility as the essential, primary and
fundamental structure of subjectivity…I understand responsibility as responsibility for the
Other, thus as responsibility for what is not my deed” (Levinas, 1985: 95). On this Levinas's
thought, Sean Hand comments: “His post rational ethics stands as the ultimate and
exemplary challenge to the solitude of Being, a rigorous testimony of one's infinite
obligation to the other person” (1989: v). Hand eulogizes Levinas's novelty in constructing
heteronomous ethics of solidarity for the otherness. Against the idea that one is alone,
Levinas demonstrates that we are for one another.
Being so passionate with and being responsible for everyone, “we are all guilty of all
and for all men before all, and I more than the others” (Dostoyevsky, 1954: 264), becomes
one of Levinas's favorite quotes. This quote can be re-rendered as 'we are all responsible for
everyone, but I am more responsible than all others'. This quote already points to the
trajectory of Levinas's notion of responsibility. Man is a being whose responsibility for the
welfare of the Other existed before him and goes beyond his personal affairs. It is in this sense
that Levinas defines responding subject as always available and sufficient to answer to
everyone and in everything, and responsibility as that which is natural to human being.
Levinas's notion of responsibility is an advocacy for a better human situation.
The human situation in Nigeria could be described in the Heideggerian “thrownness”. This
explains that Nigerians are seemingly left to their fate because of the current realities. There
is a wide divide between the class of I/subject and Other. Everyone that could be likened as
the I/subject seems to be in his comfortable zone and minding less of what becomes of the
Other. This experience descends from the highest echelon of government to the lowest.
Institutions and government agencies are not left out. Private individuals also seem to care
less about the poor masses. A close investigation reveals the absence of responsibility as
Levinas espouses. This paper reveals and argues that Levinas's notion of responsibility is a
clarion call for hospitality and solidarity to the “Other” class by those in the “I/subject” class.
Conclusion
The conclusion can be found in the main file..
References
References are available in the main file..