John Stuart Mill

But in history, as in traveling, men usually see only what they already had in thier own minds; and few learn much from history, who do not bring much with them to it’s study.

John Stuart Mill, The Subjection of Women

I’m taking History 11 (American History 1) right now, and have been discovering the truth of this daily over the past couple of weeks. Certain issues, most notably immigration, have drawn more questions and opinions from the class than others, and it’s from these topics, concerning which the students have some personal experience and interest, that receive the most thorough elucidation and discussion. For his part, the instructor does a good job of identifying what doesn’t click with us naturally, and stops to spend extra time on those topics that we need to be encouraged to take some interest in.

It’s perpetually astonishing to me how useful seemingly unrelated classes can be to each other. My current reading for my upcoming English class (English Literature 2 – Romantic through 20^th Century) has been especially so for my History class, since they cover much of the same ground. When I read about how the Founding Fathers were influenced by the Enlightenment, I know, thanks to having read works from the Enlightenment, what that really means.

The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus

I just got The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus for my birthday (thanks Mom). Gomes reminds me a lot of C.S. Lewis in that he addresses a popular audience from a scholarly background, and does so eloquently and with literary skill. He is also apt to scatter his writing with rather quotable constructs.

Inner strength comes from the sure conviction that God has placed us in this world to do the work of life, and not of death. (pg101)

He also frequently makes reference to other’s works. One, so far, has stood out to me particularly. From page 100:

In one of his great poems,”Choruses from The Rock,” T.S. Eliot asks,”Why should men love the Church?” This is his answer:

She tells them of Life and Death, and of all that they would forget.
She is tender where they would be hard, and hard where they would like
to be soft.
She tells them of Evil and Sin, and other unpleasant facts.
They constanly try to escape
From the darkness outside and within
By dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good…

I’m doing all of my reading for Eng 206 — which I’ll be taking in the Fall — right now so I can pursue my own studies in the class when it comes around. Eng 206 is English Literature 2, and much of what I’m reading for the class has been eerily consistent with my own reading on the side. I recently read Eliot’s The Waste Land and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. In a general sense, I’m not surprised at the fact that old works can still be relevant today. When I encounter a particular instance of the fact, however, I never fail to be caught off guard.

Funniest Thing I’ve Seen In a Long Time

From here.