I usually read "The Way We Live Now" - the occasional essay tucked in to the start of Sunday's New York Times Magazine. It's this "I'm a journalist criticizing something about society but still smugly pretending to be part of it" sort of thing... it's got that "we" that purports to speak for all of … Continue reading The Entourage Effect
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American Remakes
A propos of Nates' recent post about the american remake of the Swedish Let The Right One In, a survey question for OPers. Name the top three American remakes of foreign films.
Let Me In
I've just heard that they've made an English version of the Swedish film, Let the Right One In. The original, which David introduced me to, is incredible. It's kind of a vampire coming of age story, but that really doesn't do it justice. If you haven't seen it, you should just go rent it. The … Continue reading Let Me In
Mr. -Bov and the Question of Art
[Since I’ve decided Frank’s book would be perhaps four volumes instead of five if Russian names weren’t so long, from now on, Dostoevsky is going to be D. Nonetheless this entry of mine is quite long – I hope you’ll indulge me. I just had one of those experiences where a book speaks to you … Continue reading Mr. -Bov and the Question of Art
Inception
Coercion is likely to be more effective when the victim doesn't realize he is being coerced. This is one of the main themes in Christopher Nolan's new movie, Inception, which I saw Monday night with high expectations. In Nolan's movie, characters are susceptible to an exotic form of mind-control in which agents infiltrate their dreams … Continue reading Inception
The Village of Stepanchikovo
The Village of Stepanchikovo is the last novel Dostoevsky wrote before completing his military service and returning to St. Petersburg. It's also the first novel that was, to me at least, recognizable Dostoevkyian in the expected sense that the later novels are - it's got a vast array of characters, perhaps even too many, and … Continue reading The Village of Stepanchikovo
Wealthy Society out of Balance?
I thought I ought to follow the example of my fellow original positioners and post from my summer reading list. Today's reading was John K. Galbraith's The Affluent Society (1958). Galbraith begins his famous chapter on the "Theory of Social Balance" with the following claim: "The final problem of the productive society is what it … Continue reading Wealthy Society out of Balance?
Uncle’s Dream (and the Kant issue resolved!)
[Resuming the Dostoevsky-Frank reading project after a 14 day hiatus] After Dostoevsky finished his Siberian prison term, he was transferred into the military, and lived a life that was at least nominally more free than that while in actual captivity. He was to serve for as long as the Czar desired. He tried to get himself … Continue reading Uncle’s Dream (and the Kant issue resolved!)
Rawls [7], “Distributive Justice,” (1967)
After a brief segue into the topic of legal obligation, Rawls is back to elaborating on his conception of justice as fairness. In "Distributive Justice" he has three aims: 1) Explain why the just society should not be structured by utilitarian principles; 2) Clarify the Difference Principle--what, exactly, it means to require that inequalities work … Continue reading Rawls [7], “Distributive Justice,” (1967)
An Unjust Law?
The French government is banning burqas. Story here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/world/europe/14burqa.html Reasons President Sarkozy: "The burqa is not welcome in France because it is contrary to our values and contrary to the ideals we have of a woman’s dignity." I suspect I share Le Prez's ideals, but I share the concern expressed by the sole dissenter in … Continue reading An Unjust Law?
