5 Comments

> "Read this ridiculous post before I regret it!" <-- First thought: "you have my attention."

> " ‘We do not know her. Who seeks entry?’ Then the marshal said: ‘Zita, your sister, a poor sinner.’ And the gate was opened." <-- Love this so much. Would cry again. :-D

> AP: When I said “needs,” I meant more like, people need to eat food. [That's right; "boil it down" to the most materialistic and unarguably-universal elements, Mr. Philosopher.] Karl: Oh right! Sorry, yes, my polity subsidizes sausages and beer. [LOL! These interlocutors are a riot! And I'm sure I'm only getting like half the jokes!]

> "May we all seek to become the least-advantaged."

Amen! Also, for this, you get a quote: "This psychosis [the lust for affluence in contemporary society] permeates even our mythology. The modern hero is the poor boy who purposefully becomes rich rather than the rich boy who voluntarily becomes poor..." -Richard J. Foster, "Celebration of Discipline" <-- (Its first edition was in 1978.)

Expand full comment

Delightful! "Step outside history, and even outside the state of nature" vs. "We arrive at universals through particulars." Plus Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.

Expand full comment

Why can't the nation simply take another look

At all the fine ideas presented in my book?

I've shown how every Hindu, Moslem, Christian, Greek or Jew

Can learn to think as we at Harvard do.

I ask you first to please assume

That no one knows a thing,

No values no traditions

from which a hope could spring,

One dark veil of ignorance concealing every star,

And soon you'll be as we at Harvard are.

My reasoning then demonstrates

By logic brief and clear

If everyone abandoned

Whatever he holds dear

And just tries to grab a greater share from those above,

Society would live in peace and love.

Jim

Expand full comment

There's an almost Coetzeean quality to this dialogue (which I mean as a compliment)!

Expand full comment