Conspirituality Podcast

Bonus Sample: Simone Weil: We Have Obligations Before We Have Rights

Host: Matthew Remski
Date: January 26, 2026

Episode Overview

In this brief bonus episode, Matthew Remski reflects on the core ethical insight of the philosopher and activist Simone Weil: the primacy of obligations over rights. Drawing on Weil’s complex life, her anti-fascist stance, and possible connections to her autism and non-binary identity, Remski explores how our responsibilities to others underpin any meaningful framework of rights. The meditation encourages listeners to reconsider the liberal focus on individual rights without equal emphasis on societal obligation, a perspective Remski finds urgently relevant to modern discourse—and particularly poignant in the context of "conspirituality," where self-focused rights rhetoric often eclipses social care.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing Simone Weil and the Central Idea

• Host: Matthew Remski introduces Simone Weil, highlighting previous episodes where her anti-fascist activism and the possible influence of her autism on her thinking are discussed.
• Key Concept: Weil’s assertion that “we as human beings have obligations before we have rights, and that it is only our obligations that make rights truly attainable” (01:00).

2. Obligations vs. Rights in Liberal Democracies

• Remski elaborates that, for Weil, obligations arise from the very nature of our existence and are essential in bestowing rights upon each other.
  • “Obligations, Weil argues, come from the nature of our existence and they allow us to grant rights to each other.” (01:18)
• He links Weil’s intolerance for hypocrisy—often noted as an autistic trait—to the critique that democracies’ focus on rights is undermined if not matched by fulfilling obligations.
  • “All of your talk about individual rights is undermined by your neglect of obligations to each other.” (01:50)

3. Weil's Writing Style and the Challenge of Summarization

• Simone Weil’s collection is vast and “episodic”—Remski notes her hypergraphic tendencies, referencing 2 million published words over 14 years (02:30–03:30).
• “I have to ask Vey's ghost for forgiveness as I tried to distill out this gem, which likely runs in hints and shadows throughout their archive." (03:24)

4. Weil's “The Need for Roots” and Obligations

• The most regarded and condensed version of Weil’s idea appears in her posthumously published book The Need for Roots.
  • Remski reads an opening passage (03:40):
    • Direct Quote (Simone Weil):

      “The notion of obligations comes before that of rights, which is subordinate and relative to the former. A right is not effectual by itself, but only in relation to the obligation to which it corresponds. The effective exercise of a right springing not from the individual who possesses it, but from other men who consider themselves as being under a certain obligation towards him.” (03:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Matthew Remski (01:00):

  "We as human beings have obligations before we have rights, and that it is only our obligations that make rights truly attainable."

• Matthew Remski (01:50):

  "All of your talk about individual rights is undermined by your neglect of obligations to each other."

• Matthew Remski (03:24):

  "I have to ask Vey's ghost for forgiveness as I tried to distill out this gem, which likely runs in hints and shadows throughout their archive."

• Simone Weil via Remski (03:50):

  "The notion of obligations comes before that of rights, which is subordinate and relative to the former. A right is not effectual by itself, but only in relation to the obligation to which it corresponds..."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:03 — Matthew Remski introduces episode theme and Simone Weil
• 01:00–01:50 — Central thesis: obligations precede rights & critique of liberal democracies
• 02:30–03:30 — Description of Weil's writing output and hypergraphia
• 03:40–03:50 — Reading from The Need for Roots
• 03:50–04:30 — Concluding remarks and closing reflection

Episode Tone & Style

Remski’s tone is reflective, concise, and respectful, emphasizing the philosophical depth of Weil’s thought and the challenge of distilling her prolific output. The brevity of the episode draws attention to the "singular and powerful" nature of the obligation-over-rights argument, inviting further thought rather than offering exhaustive commentary.

Takeaway

This episode offers a distilled, impactful presentation of Simone Weil's core ethical insight—that our obligations to each other come before any assertion of individual rights. In a contemporary culture preoccupied with personal freedoms, Remski and Weil together challenge listeners to recalibrate the conversation toward collective responsibility.

For the full bonus content and further discussion, listeners are encouraged to join the Conspirituality Patreon.