EntropySink

Entertainment & Artistry => Words => Topic started by: Jake on May 04, 2005, 06:32:38 AM

Title: Alexis de Tocqueville
Post by: Jake on May 04, 2005, 06:32:38 AM

this is a chapter of a book by Alexis de Tocqueville; ch. 17 of vol. II, if you like it, I suggest reading the second volume in its entirety - it's fucking mind blowing shit.

project Gutenberg has it for free.

Title: Alexis de Tocqueville
Post by: Ken Fitlike on May 04, 2005, 06:12:00 PM

No, it's just fucking shit.

What a wanker - it reads like he was groping himself in an truly unseemly manner when he was drooling and dribbling that nonsensical drivel.

Title: Alexis de Tocqueville
Post by: -KEN- on May 04, 2005, 07:29:17 PM

*snore*

Title: Alexis de Tocqueville
Post by: Jake on May 04, 2005, 07:52:25 PM

:D haha, I thought that is how most of you will react; I shared (and partly still do) the exact sentiment as well upon the first reading. I have noticed parts in there, that made sense, but overall it was covered with bullshit, written by some punk French kid on a "high horse." The tone and wording itself was offensive to me.

I am a forgiving person ;) so I forgave him his "Frenchness", and gave it another shot, reading it from the perspective he might have had, some 125 years ago. A lot, if not most, of what he says was true then, and does resonate in American arts to this day. Sure if this book was written even 50 years ago, it would not be worth reading, but looking at it from a historical perspective, it has merit.


So, give this guy a chance Ken :)

Title: Alexis de Tocqueville
Post by: Mike on May 04, 2005, 07:56:29 PM

I think you mean Kens :)

Title: Alexis de Tocqueville
Post by: Jake on May 04, 2005, 08:00:08 PM

Quote from: Mike

I think you mean Kens :)

I was composing my reply (got distracted in the process) before -Ken- posted ;)

Title: Alexis de Tocqueville
Post by: Mike on May 04, 2005, 08:03:26 PM

I'd blame the french.  I tried to read it but could manage only to scroll past it.

Title: Alexis de Tocqueville
Post by: [stealth] on May 05, 2005, 06:05:41 AM

Quote

Amongst a democratic people poetry will not be fed with
legendary lays or the memorials of old traditions.

In other words: post-modernism.

Quote

The destinies of mankind - man himself, taken
aloof from his age and his country, and standing in the presence
of Nature and of God, with his passions, his doubts, his rare
prosperities, and inconceivable wretchedness - will become the
chief, if not the sole theme of poetry amongst these nations.

He's pretty much on the mark there too.

Title: Alexis de Tocqueville
Post by: [stealth] on May 05, 2005, 06:10:45 AM

Quote

"Americans are so enamoured of equality they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom."

The same could be said of Western society today as a whole.