A small note of thanks. I discovered the Huxley quote via one of my subscribers. It should be much better known. The Epictetus epigraph was suggested by another reader in a separate conversation in the Gadfly chat.
And while I’m here, another subscriber recently recommended ground.news, which I’ve been finding fascinating. It aggregates news from across the political spectrum and shows how different outlets frame the same story and where blind spots appear in media coverage.
I really do have the best subscribers.
Also, if you don’t know Hazlitt’s famous essay 'On the Pleasure of Hating', Richard Parker has kindly posted a link to it in the comments below – well worth a read!
I get what you're going through. These toxic hate-posts by rabid Leftists are draining. Their hatred for Trump and Israel is so intense that they're blinded to all else. I had my own brief encounter with one, which you can read at the link below. He defended the Iranian regime, which is unconscionable. It was the second time I'd sparred with him, and the last: I blocked him. The toxic reply is from "Franz Kafka"
I continue to go back to Rene Girard's theory of scapegoating to explain this. I think it's the most robust explanation for how entire groups of people lose their minds in a collective frenzy - against Trump, against Israel -- and long before that, many other targets going back into prehistory -- though Jews have always been a favoured target in the last few thousand years because they are successful and intelligent, so they inspire resentment. The same thing happened to whites and East Indians in Uganda in 1972 for the same reason.
William Hazlitt’s “On the pleasure of hating” (1826, I think) is still a favourite essay of mine. A sample:
“The pleasure of hating, like a poisonous mineral, eats into the heart of religion, and turns it to rankling spleen and bigotry; it makes patriotism an excuse for carrying fire, pestilence, and famine into other lands: it leaves to virtue nothing but the spirit of censoriousness, and a narrow, jealous, inquisitorial watchfulness over the actions and motives of others.”
Yes! I should have mentioned Hazlitt. That essay is a classic – thanks for linking to it. I’ll give it another read (and be mortified and humbled, as always, at how brilliant the prose is).
How utterly deliciously factual Frederick. Like yourself I’m sure, I have grown quite the hate following on social media, including on here. Yes at times I do get rather irate, I’m turning into a grumpy old cow it appears, but I do believe in facts and truth and I do try to pursue those. However with these up and coming youthful progressives anything other than the truth, in fact whatever suits their narrative, stands in for truth. It’s astonishing, and yet their righteous indignation at their version being correct is something else. Just yesterday I saw a clip of the wonderful persian Younes Sadaghiani ( hope I’ve spelt that correctly) asking young liberals in London what they feel about the military action on Iran and about their views on the regime and how they treat their people, especially women. Not one of them had a single clue what they were talking about. I’m talking about well spoken clearly educated young people ( although one might say educated in what exactly) and it was truly shocking how ignorant and clueless they all were. Not a single one knew what they were supporting or speaking out against. This is the current youth of today, all moral outrage and yet no idea whatsoever of what they are for or against. Just grab onto a couple of slogans, a few unfounded belief systems and run with it. Honestly I find it really depressing that these people are our future. They are our current voters and play a massive role in shaping this country, this world that we all live in. How can anyone so misinformed about life and about politics and world affairs be allowed loose with a voting ballot? It’s like giving them a loaded gun and saying “go cause some trouble”. I think the entire political sphere needs a massive shake up, as does the media and education establishments and most definitely the voting system. I don’t know but maybe we need an IQ test to see if a person should be given the right to vote? Truth and honesty really needs to make a comeback in the media especially. Bigotry and bias has had its day and it’s time to stope being woke and put on your big panties or else toddle off and do some other job so called journalists.
Thank you for your regular quotes Frederick, I actually love them. You see, intellect and honesty lasts throughout the ages. Young progressives should take note!
A small note of thanks. I discovered the Huxley quote via one of my subscribers. It should be much better known. The Epictetus epigraph was suggested by another reader in a separate conversation in the Gadfly chat.
And while I’m here, another subscriber recently recommended ground.news, which I’ve been finding fascinating. It aggregates news from across the political spectrum and shows how different outlets frame the same story and where blind spots appear in media coverage.
I really do have the best subscribers.
Also, if you don’t know Hazlitt’s famous essay 'On the Pleasure of Hating', Richard Parker has kindly posted a link to it in the comments below – well worth a read!
I get what you're going through. These toxic hate-posts by rabid Leftists are draining. Their hatred for Trump and Israel is so intense that they're blinded to all else. I had my own brief encounter with one, which you can read at the link below. He defended the Iranian regime, which is unconscionable. It was the second time I'd sparred with him, and the last: I blocked him. The toxic reply is from "Franz Kafka"
https://www.junonews.com/p/cbc-pushes-unbelievable-propaganda/comment/222039496
I continue to go back to Rene Girard's theory of scapegoating to explain this. I think it's the most robust explanation for how entire groups of people lose their minds in a collective frenzy - against Trump, against Israel -- and long before that, many other targets going back into prehistory -- though Jews have always been a favoured target in the last few thousand years because they are successful and intelligent, so they inspire resentment. The same thing happened to whites and East Indians in Uganda in 1972 for the same reason.
Will take a look at this exchange later today and comment back. 👍
The only problem with the Huxley quote is that
"in favour of some good cause"
should simply read
"in favour of some cause".
William Hazlitt’s “On the pleasure of hating” (1826, I think) is still a favourite essay of mine. A sample:
“The pleasure of hating, like a poisonous mineral, eats into the heart of religion, and turns it to rankling spleen and bigotry; it makes patriotism an excuse for carrying fire, pestilence, and famine into other lands: it leaves to virtue nothing but the spirit of censoriousness, and a narrow, jealous, inquisitorial watchfulness over the actions and motives of others.”
(There’s a link here for anyone who doesn’t yet know this piece: https://essays.quotidiana.org/hazlitt/pleasure_of_hating/ )
As another commenter notes, Girard is also well worth reading (or rereading). None of us are immune, but we must all try to be aware.
Yes! I should have mentioned Hazlitt. That essay is a classic – thanks for linking to it. I’ll give it another read (and be mortified and humbled, as always, at how brilliant the prose is).
How utterly deliciously factual Frederick. Like yourself I’m sure, I have grown quite the hate following on social media, including on here. Yes at times I do get rather irate, I’m turning into a grumpy old cow it appears, but I do believe in facts and truth and I do try to pursue those. However with these up and coming youthful progressives anything other than the truth, in fact whatever suits their narrative, stands in for truth. It’s astonishing, and yet their righteous indignation at their version being correct is something else. Just yesterday I saw a clip of the wonderful persian Younes Sadaghiani ( hope I’ve spelt that correctly) asking young liberals in London what they feel about the military action on Iran and about their views on the regime and how they treat their people, especially women. Not one of them had a single clue what they were talking about. I’m talking about well spoken clearly educated young people ( although one might say educated in what exactly) and it was truly shocking how ignorant and clueless they all were. Not a single one knew what they were supporting or speaking out against. This is the current youth of today, all moral outrage and yet no idea whatsoever of what they are for or against. Just grab onto a couple of slogans, a few unfounded belief systems and run with it. Honestly I find it really depressing that these people are our future. They are our current voters and play a massive role in shaping this country, this world that we all live in. How can anyone so misinformed about life and about politics and world affairs be allowed loose with a voting ballot? It’s like giving them a loaded gun and saying “go cause some trouble”. I think the entire political sphere needs a massive shake up, as does the media and education establishments and most definitely the voting system. I don’t know but maybe we need an IQ test to see if a person should be given the right to vote? Truth and honesty really needs to make a comeback in the media especially. Bigotry and bias has had its day and it’s time to stope being woke and put on your big panties or else toddle off and do some other job so called journalists.
Thank you for your regular quotes Frederick, I actually love them. You see, intellect and honesty lasts throughout the ages. Young progressives should take note!