» Assertion: “The more highly public life … Talk Islam

willow

12:00:23 am on May 25, 2008 | # | |
Tags: philosophy

Assertion: “The more highly public life is organized, the lower does its morality sink.” –EM Forster
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aziz 8:08 am on May 25, 2008 | #

Intriguing. Instinctually, I’d assume the opposite. Perhaps he meant it in the sense of rebellion? All those Edwardian/Victorian protoganists of his were always up to something, hidden carefully behind their prim and proper facades.
razib 11:23 am on May 25, 2008 | #

i think scale matters. local organizations and mobilization aren’t as easy for “free riders” to exploit toward their own ends. national mobilization often serves the interests of those who can get their hands on the levers of the system….
Willow 1:47 pm on May 25, 2008 | #

He was actually talking about enforced patriotism and false public piety–which were huge issues during the interwar years just as they are now. Later in the essay he says [sic] “If I had a choice between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I would have the courage to betray my country. I know there will be some picking up the phone to ring the police after reading such a scandalous suggestion.” (Sound familiar?) He was essentially complaining about what Thabet complains about re: life in the Gulf…highly codified and enforced “public morality” hiding hypocritical private practices.

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