Essayists against the World of Destroyed Paradigms (Stempowski — Wittlin — Miciński)

Abstract

The article presents the view of the selected masters of Polish literature essay — Jerzy Stempowski, Józef Wittlin and Bolesław Miciński, on the state of human condition in the reality in the first half of twentieth century, it means during the first and second world war.
In the time when all religious and cultural fundaments were questioned these essayists stay on the base of classic paradigm of ethic standards.
Perception of the world presented here is definitely pessimistic. The world is ruled according to law of war: the interest of nation is more important than the interest of individual. The canons of moral behaviour was cancelled and in mass of population there is no space for individual rights and responsibility. The contempt of mind creates the evil that in the 30 th years of XX century was settled into shape of totalitarian systems.
Essayists judgement (the moral limitations not properly established become casus belli) are not attributed to the time when were presented but are mostly of eternal nature.