ENGL 298 B: Intermediate Writing Social Sciences   Autumn 2011, University of Washington

Goldman walks a very interesting line between the idea of thick and thin selves. First, she advocates the necessity of “complete individual and social freedom.” This is the concept that man can only flourish if they are now held back by the suppressive and coercive government. So she sees the legitimacy of being a thin self and how it is important for all human beings. She is advocating that nobody should be bound by their profession or their commitments, they should be able to freely engage and disengage whenever they like. They should never feel obligated to do anything other than to do what they want to do. This idea is at the pillars of the thin self.

Although Goodman makes claims to advocate the concept of being a thin self, she begins to validate components of the thick self. She states that “true social harmony grows naturally out of solidarity of interests”. Even though she many not believe in a society organized by government, she still “realizes the true force of the social bonds which knit men together”. These bonds are something that cannot be established by any form of government.  They can only form in an environment of free will and inhibition. I think that Goldman realizes the importance of community but not in the sense that it should have any structure beyond natural law. To me, she is advocating the value of being an individual who can enjoy their interests with other freely and without obligation or persuasion.