Egoism as Exorcism

This chapter shows how Stirner’s dialectical view of history culminates in the exorcism of political theology through egoism. According to Stirner, any external object of worship must be removed to achieve a self-directed life. Stirner argues that political theology is an obstacle to individual freedom and self-determination, perpetuated by a never-ending pursuit of metaphysical security. He suggests that the only way to overcome this pursuit is through egoism, which involves rejecting external objects of worship and pursuing one’s own desires and interests. Unlike revolutions that continuously replace one object of worship with another, Stirner prefers insurrection, which pursues no alternative system. Instead of deified freedom, Stirner advocates for the pursuit of ownness, the freedom needed to overcome immediate obstacles. This pursuit leads to a union of egoists, an ephemeral and temporary cooperation, instead of a state. However, the chapter raises the question of whether Stirner’s philosophy really moves beyond political theology or introduces a negative political theology.