tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23471801.post6224833613112525124..comments2023-10-21T07:44:20.549-04:00Comments on The Existence Machine: On modernization and its discontentsRichardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08014014605639738887noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23471801.post-80158858831875552422009-12-20T22:57:57.889-05:002009-12-20T22:57:57.889-05:00Thank you, Aaron. That's great.Thank you, Aaron. That's great.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08014014605639738887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23471801.post-26520682210043949522009-12-20T13:47:43.874-05:002009-12-20T13:47:43.874-05:00When it comes to nineteenth century theorizing abo...When it comes to nineteenth century theorizing about modernity vs. natural nature life, I'll take Thomas Paine over Marx any day: <br /><br />"To understand what the state of society ought to be, it is necessary to have some idea of the natural and primitive state of man; such as it is at this day among the Indians of North America. There is not, in that state, any of those spectacles of human misery which poverty and want present to our eyes in all the towns and streets in Europe.<br /><br />"Poverty, therefore, is a thing created by that which is called civilized life. It exists not in the natural state. On the other hand, the natural state is without those advantages which flow from agriculture, arts, science and manufactures.<br /><br />"The life of an Indian is a continual holiday, compared with the poor of Europe; and, on the other hand it appears to be abject when compared to the rich.<br /><br />"Civilization, therefore, or that which is so-called, has operated two ways: to make one part of society more affluent, and the other more wretched, than would have been the lot of either in a natural state."Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10505845165131255374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23471801.post-439958700109316452009-12-19T19:37:27.378-05:002009-12-19T19:37:27.378-05:00Thanks, J.R.; I agree with you, of course.
By the...Thanks, J.R.; I agree with you, of course.<br /><br />By the way, I've updated the post to reflect, in the last paragraph, that this is <i>not</i> the first time I've touched on these issues, etc.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08014014605639738887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23471801.post-29037227630416405962009-12-19T16:32:09.671-05:002009-12-19T16:32:09.671-05:00That's a great point about women. That's ...That's a great point about women. That's exactly why I think we have to go to them and listen.J.R. Boydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09076895859826581960noreply@blogger.com