It is perhaps the most distinctive mark of the modernist that he never can imagine that his views are anything but revolutionary, even (or especially) when they are ubiquitous. Thus we have the amusing spectacle of a man sneering at ‘conformists’ while never straying an inch from the common assumptions of his own age and … Continue reading Thought of the Day: Perpetually Revolutionary
Thoughts
Sunday Thought
At the end of the day, religion is a present thing. You can talk about history, the Bible, prehistory, and so on and so forth, but all that is secondary compared to what is happening right here and right now while you are at prayer or receiving the Sacraments. Just like when you meet someone, … Continue reading Sunday Thought
Friday Flotsam: Starts Grim, Gets Happier
1. An exhausting week full of discouragement. I’m really realizing how much I dislike coding, but the trouble is that I don’t know what else I can do for a day job. I’d really like to have a job that I can actually be invested in, even if it isn’t the Final Goal, but there … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Starts Grim, Gets Happier
Victims of Liberalism Day
On this date, the French celebrate the time an angry mob stormed an almost-empty prison that was already slated for demolition, freed four criminals and three lunatics, and burned it to the ground in the name of liberty. Which is to say, the freedom of sufficiently wealthy people to cast votes for one of a … Continue reading Victims of Liberalism Day
An Imagined Scene
Setting: Disney animation department. "Hey, you know how the first Lion King was kind of based on Hamlet, and the sequel was kind of based on Romeo and Juliet?" "Yeah, so?" "I was just thinking...we really shouldn't have done Othello for the third one."
Friday Flotsam: Dr. Johnson versus Congress (Or, I’m Not Being So Nice This Time)
1. We’re done with the Fourth and heading toward the Fourteenth, so I feel like now’s the time to be a little harsher and more frank with regards the Revolution. 2. I did some reading of Dr. Johnson’s political tracts this past week, which I’d previously only given a rather cursory look over. I found … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Dr. Johnson versus Congress (Or, I’m Not Being So Nice This Time)
A Not At All Edifying Thought on the Feast of Ss. Cyril and Methodius
Today's the Feast of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Apostles to the Slavic peoples (hey, that’s me!). Among other regions, St. Methodius – who outlived his brother by several decades – evangelized Dalmatia, which makes me wonder… "So, Methodius, you're evangelizing Dalmatia! Any converts so far?" "Let’s see, last count...one hundred and one. By the way, … Continue reading A Not At All Edifying Thought on the Feast of Ss. Cyril and Methodius
Smart Appliances are a Stupid Idea
Great post from David Stewart here about his experience moving into a house with a ‘smart’ thermostat and why ‘smart’ appliances are a stupid idea in general. Recommend reading the whole thing and the comments. Rudolph Harrier makes an excellent point in the latter: that smart appliances are not actually intended for convenience, they’re meant … Continue reading Smart Appliances are a Stupid Idea
Superversive Again, and Other Thoughts
On Sunday I went on Superversive livestream again to continue talking Disney with Ben Wheeler, Anthony Marchetta, and Caroline Furlong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E56uDVZT3_Y&ab_channel=SuperversiveSF This one got a little heavier and heated in places, though still a good time overall. A good chunk of the first hour is spent discussing whether Mulan is better interpreted as a feminist … Continue reading Superversive Again, and Other Thoughts
Thoughts on “Twelve Angry Men”
One of the great American films is Twelve Angry Men, Sydney Lumet’s 1957 drama based on stage play about the deliberations of a jury in a murder trial. The facts of the case are presented entirely through dialogue as the jurors discuss the case. An eighteen-year-old boy from a rough neighborhood is accused of stabbing … Continue reading Thoughts on “Twelve Angry Men”
Serpent's Den 