A Life of Principle: Simone Weil’s Radical Empathy and Intellectual Bravery

In last week's Scholar Spotlight, Thomas Zaugg, a Laidlaw Scholar at @EPFL , reflected on his leadership journey. In his spotlight, Thomas expressed his admiration for Simone Weil above anyone else, stating that her life models humility; she never separated thinking from serving, volunteering in refugee camps while also writing brilliant essays. She shows that rigorous inquiry and human concern are not competing goals - they are the same discipline viewed from different angles of the same, ever-shifting illusion.​ 

This week, we reflect on Weil's perspective on attention as the highest form of generosity for leaders: 

Simone Weil (1909-1943) was a French mystic, philosopher, and activist in the French Resistance during World War II. Starting as a teacher, Weil began to dedicate herself to political activism, aiding the trade union movement. Due to her desire to truly comprehend the working class and their difficult conditions, she toiled working in physical labour for a year, mainly in car factories, despite her rapidly disintegrating health. Later in her life, Weil became drawn to mysticism. Although she was an avid writer, her works became well known primarily following her death, especially during the 1950s and 1960s. Her work and ideas in diverse areas, from religion and spirituality to politics, have had a large influence on contemporary philosophy. 

Leadership Rooted in Being Present 

Weil's words are a refreshing change in the modern world, where our attention is indeed rare and often coveted by social media and other constant distractions. However, Weil believed that attending in a meaningful way to others meant placing their humanity and wellbeing as a primary concern, giving them the love and dignity they deserved. This belief often led her to take extreme measures such as starving herself in solidarity with those suffering around her, something that most likely contributed to her early demise.

Weil's words align with the Laidlaw value of being #Curious and the Oxford Character Project Leadership Virtue of #Humanity. Being curious means giving others the attention they deserve, something that has an unknowable power. Humanity means being considerate and empathetic to others in difficult situations. 

A Call to Reflect 

We invite you to reflect on Simone Weil's powerful leadership insights. Share your thoughts in the comments: What does generous leadership look like to you?