“Crude Parodies Which No-One Has A Right To Erase:” Camille Paglia

“There are very few instances where speech properly falls under government scrutiny (more…)

CARTESIAN, adj. Ambrose Bierce: THE DEVIL’S DICTIONARY

CARTESIAN,  adj. relating to Descartes, a famous philosopher, author of the celebrated dictum, Cogito ergo sum  –whereby  he was pleased to suppose he demonstrated the reality of human existence. The dictum might be improved, however, thus: Cogito cogito ergo cogito sum – “I think that I think, therefore I think that I am”; as close an approximation to certainty as any philosopher has yet made.

Ambrose Bierce. The Devil’s Dictionary (The Peter Pauper Press 1958). pp 14.

Link: Wikipedia Entry for Ambrose Bierce

Link: Powell’s -a Genuine Bookstore: Ambrose Bierce

“Our Incomprehension Does Not Impede Our Understanding…” Steven Pinker

“Our incomprehension of (_____) does not impede our understanding of how (_____) works (more…)

“A Single Error More Than All The Others…” John Ruskin

“And, as far as I have taken cognizance of the causes of the many failures (more…)

“These anti-democratic forces will use fear, chaos and hatred…” Chris Hedges

“At no period in American history has our democracy been in such peril or the possibility of totalitarianism as real. (more…)

Propaganda: “Foolproof Against A Reality Which The Movements Promised To Change…” Hannah Arendt

“The advantages of a propaganda that constantly “adds the power of organization” to the feeble and unreliable voice of argument, and thereby realizes, so to speak, on the spur of the moment, whatever it says, are obvious beyond demonstration. Foolproof against arguments based on a reality which the movements promised to change, against a counterpropaganda disqualified by the mere fact that it belongs to or defends a world which the shiftless masses cannot and will not accept, it can be disproved only by another, a stronger or better, reality.”

Arendt, Hannah. The Origins of Totalitarianism. 1948: Harcourt, Brace, New York (pub. 1979) Pp 363

“We Think With Myths As Inevitably As We See With Eyes And Eat With Mouths:” John Michael Greer

“We think with myths as inevitably as we see with eyes and eat with mouths. Thus, any attempt to bring about significant social change must start from the mythic level, with an emotionally powerful and symbolically meaningful narrative, or it will go nowhere.”

John Michael Greer, The Long Descent (British Columbia: New Society Publishers 2008)