Seizing the Moment to Round on Dignity

As we have seen, over the years, a range of approaches and perspectives has sought to grasp the nature of the idea and ideal of human dignity – at least, that is, to their own satisfaction. The question now becomes what models and modes of analysis have not only found dignity wanting, but have taken umbrage at its presumption. In fact, robust criticism of the idea of dignity stems from a range of constituencies actively promoting radically alternative explanations. Of several possible candidates, the cases to be considered will be dignity's historically rightful place in the modern world, the politico– legal issue of human rights together with the critique of bio- politics and, finally, the programme of evolutionary biology and psychology. Here, then, are some of the most notable detractors who, to transpose Nietzsche, can only ever see the folly of dignity.

Dignity Replacing the Moral Device of Honour

Berger et al.'s The Homeless Mind (1974) contains an excursus to the main thrust of their argument, their case being that the idea of dignity came to replace that of honour when subjected to processes of modernization. The decline in modern terms of the meaningfulness of honour did not occur all at once, however; they claim that it took place piecemeal, initially in the embourgeoisement of honour identified by Norbert Elias (2000). The driving force for this transition from honour to dignity turns out to be the technological and economic sophistication attendant on modernization including increased levels of social mobility and communication. Pre- industrially, the social structure of honour is tied to prototypical institutional roles in which the individual's identity is rooted. With dignity, the institutionalized hold on the individual weakens, as does prescribed role incumbency, and an intrinsic evaluation of humanity begins to surface. Taking their illustrations from the Hebrew Bible and from Greek tragedy, they remark that ‘the understanding that there is a humanity behind or beneath the roles and norms imposed by society, and that this humanity has a profound dignity, is not a modern prerogative’ (Berger et al. 1974, 83).