hmm…conflict?
“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
“My definition of an intellectual is someone who thinks ideas matter more than people.”
– Paul Johnson (British historian)
“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
“My definition of an intellectual is someone who thinks ideas matter more than people.”
– Paul Johnson (British historian)
wait what?
Chris Martin!
The second quote is from a well-written column by Paul Johnson in the National Review assailing the intellectual establishment for their anti-Americanism. I’d repost the whole thing but it’s under copyright and there are only a few sample paragraphs on the website.
So then I came across the top comment a few days ago and was struck by the contrast with what I had read in the magazine–Madame Roosevelt praising an intellectual preoccupation with ideas and Johnson blasting it as inferior to a concern for people.
Guess I should include more context next time. Heh.
I like this quote: “I tell you, the more I think, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people. ” -Vincent Van Gogh
I like that. He must have written it in one of his letters to Theo.
Cutting your ear off is also another artistic way of loving people :-D
ohmygawd!
(LOL!)
((the poor kid, probably twitches when he even *hears* seagulls))
but what about an idea that is symbolized by a person?
That’s still an idea, though, isn’t it? :)
I think what Johnson was railing against in the bottom quote was the tendency of some intellectuals to sit in their ivory towers and postulate and theorize without showing any concern for the eventual object of their mental calisthenics, i.e. normal people. One of the best systems of philosophy that’s been devised (or discovered?) to counteract this is “the philosophy of common sense,” best exemplified by something like Thomism (read especially the Chesterton quote at the bottom of the page).
Woops, rabbit trail. Hope you’re well! I too favor the first Jules Stiles ‘do :)
I think what Johnson was railing against in the bottom quote was the tendency of some intellectuals to sit in their ivory towers and postulate and theorize without showing any concern for the eventual object of their mental calisthenics, i.e. normal people.
this is where I insert a Tolkein reference to men who sit in ivory towers eventually losing all though with reality (one might say similar things of the men, of both political parties, who live in the ivory towers in our capital)
Indeed. The political posturing and angling for advantage that took place in the aftermath of the ordeal was sickening…
(hangs head in shame)
but hopefully the way that we, as a community (as in, sans government involvement) work together to rebuild… maybe give americans a reason to vote, a reason to have good people want to lead (rather than just crooked politicians)
but hopefully the way that we, as a community (as in, sans government involvement) work together to rebuild
That touches on honestly the most amazingly overlooked part of the whole debacle–the rapid response of the non-government agencies like the Salvation Army, Catholic charities and even local nonprofits and churches. People were crying, “Government, government,” and pointing fingers when local Baptist churches and the like had food and clothing giveaways within hours of the hurricane. That’s something to be proud of.