It is inevitable that the decay of sentiment should be accompanied by a deterioration of human relationships, both those of the family and those of friendly association, because the passion for immediacy concentrates upon the presently advantageous. After all, there is nothing but sentiment to bind us to the very old or to the very … Continue reading Sentiment not sentimentalism
Tag: philosophy
The slow death of friendship
In Megalopolis the sentiment of friendship wastes away. Friends become, in the vulgarism of modern speech, "pals," who may be defined as persons whom your work compels you to associate with or, on a still more debased level, persons who will allow you to use them to your advantage. The meeting of minds, the sympathy … Continue reading The slow death of friendship
Military prediction
"(The attempt of the United States to make military service attractive by offering high pay, free college education, and other benefits looks suspiciously like bribing the child with candy.)"~ p. 124Ideas Have ConsequencesI was reading through some saved drafts on my blog and came across this quotation from Richard Weaver's Ideas Have Consequences. (A marvelous … Continue reading Military prediction
A Large Mob Is Still A Mob
I've been on Twitter for a little while now, and it seems that there is a consistent bias (I don't mean to pick on Mr Geraghty specifically, his was just the tweet that sent me to my soapbox) against paying any mind to people with few followers. Now, granted, it can be very hard to … Continue reading A Large Mob Is Still A Mob
Burke and the French Revolution
Burke knew that men are not naturally good, but are beings of good and evil, kept in obedience to a moral law chiefly by the force of custom and habit, which the revolutionaries would discard as so much antiquated rubbish. He knew that all the advantages of society are the product of intricate human experience … Continue reading Burke and the French Revolution
TIME!
Before we get started, let me say that, after Checkerboard Nightmare, Time Friends was the best thing Kristofer Straub ever did. And the fact that the archives aren't available online is a travesty. Not that anything we can ever do will change that, but I'm glad I was able to say that publicly. Okay, now … Continue reading TIME!
Equality versus Fraternity
The comity of peoples in groups large or small rests not upon this chimerical notion of equality but upon fraternity, a concept which immeasurably antedates it in history because it goes immeasurably deeper in human sentiment. The ancient feeling of brotherhood carries obligations of which equality knows nothing. It calls for respect and protection, for … Continue reading Equality versus Fraternity
"Pure democracy" is nonsense
It is generally assumed that the erasing of all distinctions will usher in the reign of pure democracy. But the inability of pure democracy to stand for something intelligible leaves it merely a verbal deception. If it promises equality before the law, it does no more than empires and monarchies have done and cannot use … Continue reading "Pure democracy" is nonsense
Hell and Justice
"There is bitterness in the thought that there may be no hell; for—in the irrefutable syllogism of the theologians—if there is no hell, there is no justice."~ p. 185Ideas Have Consequences
And why would that be?
More of the usual nonsense about banned books from Unshelved? Not quite. You'd think librarians would have a better appreciation for the fact that, well, Ideas Have Consequences.
Neh 