"But it has also been observed that what Voltaire called “tending one’s own garden” – seeking happiness in the things we can actually control – becomes more attractive at moments when public life is chaotic or inaccessible." - this was very helpful, I am too quick and eager to assign consumerism to cultural modes of purchasing/acquisition and had not thought of this "other side of the coin".
And I know the wonderful feeling of a book being transformative. Wendell Berry in a single essay often does this to me regularly - but the last book that was outstandingly transformative was James C Scott and his magnificent work Seeing Like a State. His concept of state-induced "visibleness" has been highly transformative to my thought, especially in agriculture.
Thanks Hadden. You are the second person to recommend Seeing Like a State, and I'm very interested in ideas of transparency (I assume visibleness is related). I'm putting it on the reading list.
I need a club to GET through the books on my night table. I'm not the greatest reader (even though I studied Intellectual History & Philosophy) I have always struggled to read in a reasonable amount of time.
Very insightful. As a collector of many old things, this essay resonated with me. I'd like to see the last idea - that change now arises from intimate spaces and moves outward, as opposed to the opposite in the past - expanded upon. I have found in the isolation and turmoil of recent years, that my online nervous system expands rapidly, but so does my intense connection with the past, through all of the old things. Is this just an attempt to have more control, as you seem to imply? I think it's more than that.....
Excellent as always Wessie.
"But it has also been observed that what Voltaire called “tending one’s own garden” – seeking happiness in the things we can actually control – becomes more attractive at moments when public life is chaotic or inaccessible." - this was very helpful, I am too quick and eager to assign consumerism to cultural modes of purchasing/acquisition and had not thought of this "other side of the coin".
And I know the wonderful feeling of a book being transformative. Wendell Berry in a single essay often does this to me regularly - but the last book that was outstandingly transformative was James C Scott and his magnificent work Seeing Like a State. His concept of state-induced "visibleness" has been highly transformative to my thought, especially in agriculture.
Thanks Hadden. You are the second person to recommend Seeing Like a State, and I'm very interested in ideas of transparency (I assume visibleness is related). I'm putting it on the reading list.
I sure would like to be in a reading club with you all.
I've always liked the idea of a reading club but I've got too many books to get through as it is!
I need a club to GET through the books on my night table. I'm not the greatest reader (even though I studied Intellectual History & Philosophy) I have always struggled to read in a reasonable amount of time.
I could tell you when I’m starting a book, then you can read it if you feel like it?
Very insightful. As a collector of many old things, this essay resonated with me. I'd like to see the last idea - that change now arises from intimate spaces and moves outward, as opposed to the opposite in the past - expanded upon. I have found in the isolation and turmoil of recent years, that my online nervous system expands rapidly, but so does my intense connection with the past, through all of the old things. Is this just an attempt to have more control, as you seem to imply? I think it's more than that.....