Changing the World Starts with Changing the Self: Yeh Chi-jeng Deciphers the Collective Mental Mechanism of Global Transformation
By Yang Kai-jie, NCCU News
The Core Pillars: Desire, Ideals, and Will
On April 13, the Center for General Education at National Chengchi University (NCCU) hosted the fourth installment of the “Changing the World” General Education Lecture Series at the Chen-En Lecture Hall. The event featured Yeh Chi-jeng, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at National Taiwan University, who delivered a keynote titled “The Interplay of Desire, Ideals, and Will: The Collective Mental Mechanism of ‘Changing the World’.” Rumored to be perhaps his final public lecture, the event drew a large audience of faculty and students eager to explore the underlying forces driving social evolution and epochal change.
Professor Yeh posited that from the 19th to the 21st century, Western social theory has revolved around three core concepts regarding global change: desire, ideals, and will. He argued that the “world” is the result of social changes occurring in chronological sequence, while “changing the world” is a state of subjective action that must manifest within the individual. Consequently, to alter existing social structures, one must first transform the self through education and continuous introspection to achieve self-awakening.
The Manifestation of Collective Will: The Case of Taiwan
Yeh further explained that the key to collective action lies in how instinctive human desires are transformed into specific ideals, which are then executed through the persistence of will. The friction and synergy between these three elements serve as the “locomotive” driving the world forward.
To illustrate the manifestation of collective will, Professor Yeh cited Taiwan’s democratization process. He reflected on the Formosa Incident (1979) and the Wild Lily Student Movement (1990), explaining that these historical turning points represented more than just structural shifts; they were a profound awakening in the thought and action of the Taiwanese people. However, he noted that for collective will to successfully overturn an authoritarian regime, it requires not only a foundation of democratic ideals but also the alignment of specific historical opportunities to achieve substantive reform.
Addressing contemporary society, Yeh offered a sharp critique of globalization and capitalist expansion. He analyzed how society has shifted from a focus on production to a core of consumption and temptation. This invisible conditioning amplifies human desire while eroding the power of the oppressed classes to consolidate their free will, leading individuals to become unconsciously immersed in digital consumption and instant gratification.
Capitalist Logic, Utilitarianism, and the AI Impact
During the Q&A session, students and faculty raised concerns about modern universities becoming “academic production machines” governed by KPIs and point systems, as well as the impending impact of Artificial Intelligence.
In response, Professor Yeh encouraged students not to blindly chase fame and fortune within a system dominated by capitalist logic. Instead, he urged them to seek and adhere to their own ideals and pursue genuine “inner freedom” (zizai). He emphasized that 21st-century politics should evolve toward a “politics of the soul,” where the public cultivates compassion and rationality rather than being consumed by rigid ideologies or market logic.
“The future of politics lies in the spirit; we must cultivate love and reason to avoid being swallowed by the machinery of capital.”
As the lecture concluded, Professor Yeh shared a poignant reflection, noting that he had taught at NCCU for two years a half-century ago and still holds a deep, indescribable affection for the institution. The lecture, rich in philosophical depth and contemporary relevance, ended to thunderous applause, leaving the audience to reconsider the vital relationship between the self and society.