by E.L. Doctorow is one of the best articles I've read in a while. I wish people were more often concerned with the sand at which our empire was built, rather than the color of the attic's shade. I wish we had listened to baseball. I wish our social conscience could reflect (and even value) the rewards of fundamental thought. Excerpted below . . .
"It is Whitman, our great poet and pragmatic philosopher, who advises us not to be curious about God but to affix our curiosity to our own lives and the earth we live on, and then perhaps as far as we can see into the universe with our telescopes. This was the charge he gave himself, and it is the source of all the attentive love in his poetry. If we accept it as our own and decide something is right after all in a democracy that is given to a degree of free imaginative expression that few cultures in the world can tolerate, we can hope for the aroused witness, the manifold reportage, the flourishing of knowledge that will restore us to ourselves, awaken the dulled sense of our people to the public interest that is their interest, and vindicate the genius of the humanist sacred text that embraces us all."
5 comments:
Fantastic article. I found myself agreeing with everything he said, especially: "the President we get is the country we get." When this country voted for Bush (both times), I couldn't help but think at times a dumbass president fits well with a spoiled, fat, dumbass country. Hopefully we'll wisen up for the next election.
If McCain wins, I considering moving to France. C'est une bonne idee.
I sent this article to grandpa and he said:
Well Matt, you can tell by my signature on this email, that I did read the article. ha. If Bush ever reads this, then he will surely paint this guy as "unpatriotic" to say the least.
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Two things must be said about knowledge deniers. Their rationale is always political. And more often than not, they hold in their hand a sacred text for certification.
i think we might have to arrange a joint trip to The Big State, deep in the heart . . .
I'm afraid I prolly couldn't swing that until 'o9, but I'll keep you posted. Sounds like a fantastic idea though.
same here . . . the rest of my '08 is done booked.
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