Progressive, melioristic liberalism once again on the brink. Revisiting Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain in an age of authoritarian revival. Or: why Martin Wolf thinks The Magic Mountain with Hans...
"The collapse of the Belle Époque in 1914 was less a sudden catastrophe than the culmination of decades of mounting tensions and not quite sufficient reforms." But if the Germans had not seized Alsace Lorraine in 1871, could WWI have been avoided? Was it possible (or even probable) that Germany and Russia could have evolved into constitutional monarchies if not for bad luck?
One of my favorite authors is Frederik Pohl. Despite dropping out of high school at age 17 and never going to college, an army IQ test (when he was drafted in WWII) showed he scored above 160. He was also an American communist in the 1930s, and later became an amature expert on the Roman Empire. Anyway, I recall he once pointed out that humanity has NEVER resolved the issue of the best form of government or how to live together in harmony. As another American author once said "And so it goes."
Was it just me, or was Hans always moderately unsatisfied with the Settembrini-Naphta duality? Why can't you two meet on some common ground? Meanwhile, both Mamdani and the very idea of social democracy remain somehow beyond our current pales...
"that deep, active reading is indeed, even for those who are the most extremely skilled and well-trained professionals in it, a chancy, contingent, mysterious, and sorcerous process."
So Brad, what is your opinion regarding the alleged inability or unwillingness of the current generation of college students to read challenging books or articles?
I feel like Hans. Living through a time of change and turmoil and soon to disappear from the scene. Damn!!! I wish for another 90 years to live the coming changes. To share the fate of our grandchildren.
Brad, this piece is terrific. I, too, fell in love with The Magic Mountain, pretty much at the same time as you. You got me today to pull down my dogeared copy and look through all the underlines and notes in the margins that I had scribbled. I had not applied it to what's happening today but that is a compelling thesis. Will mull more on that. Thanks to you, and Martin, for the insight.
"The collapse of the Belle Époque in 1914 was less a sudden catastrophe than the culmination of decades of mounting tensions and not quite sufficient reforms." But if the Germans had not seized Alsace Lorraine in 1871, could WWI have been avoided? Was it possible (or even probable) that Germany and Russia could have evolved into constitutional monarchies if not for bad luck?
That is THE big, good question... - B.
One of my favorite authors is Frederik Pohl. Despite dropping out of high school at age 17 and never going to college, an army IQ test (when he was drafted in WWII) showed he scored above 160. He was also an American communist in the 1930s, and later became an amature expert on the Roman Empire. Anyway, I recall he once pointed out that humanity has NEVER resolved the issue of the best form of government or how to live together in harmony. As another American author once said "And so it goes."
Was it just me, or was Hans always moderately unsatisfied with the Settembrini-Naphta duality? Why can't you two meet on some common ground? Meanwhile, both Mamdani and the very idea of social democracy remain somehow beyond our current pales...
Excellent!
"that deep, active reading is indeed, even for those who are the most extremely skilled and well-trained professionals in it, a chancy, contingent, mysterious, and sorcerous process."
So Brad, what is your opinion regarding the alleged inability or unwillingness of the current generation of college students to read challenging books or articles?
I feel like Hans. Living through a time of change and turmoil and soon to disappear from the scene. Damn!!! I wish for another 90 years to live the coming changes. To share the fate of our grandchildren.
You might like this Wiki about the start of mass production: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_Block_Mills
Brad, this piece is terrific. I, too, fell in love with The Magic Mountain, pretty much at the same time as you. You got me today to pull down my dogeared copy and look through all the underlines and notes in the margins that I had scribbled. I had not applied it to what's happening today but that is a compelling thesis. Will mull more on that. Thanks to you, and Martin, for the insight.
Thank you for giving me permission to read the Magic Mountain. I have discarded all of my previous blocks , doubts, and sloth. ben