Let us look away from the individual to the great war that is still devastating Europe. Think of the colossal brutality, cruelty, and mendacity which is now allowed to spread itself over the civilized world. Do you really believe that a handful of unprincipled place-hunters and corrupters of men would have succeeded in letting loose all this latent evil, if the millions of their followers were not also guilty? Will you venture, even in these circumstances, to break a lance for the exclusion of evil from the mental constitution of humanity? -- Ninth Lecture, A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis
Quote of the Day: David Sedaris's Advice to Oberlin College Grads
December 29, 2022
Choose one thing to be terribly, terribly offended by, this as opposed to the dozens or possibly hundreds that many of you are currently juggling.
Stand up for what you believe in, as long as I believe in the same thing. Those of you who’d like to ban assault rifles, I am behind you 100 percent. Take the front lines, give it your all, and don’t back down until you win. Do not, however petition to have a Balthus painting removed from the Met because you can see the subject’s underpants. The goal is to have less in common with the Taliban, not more.
-- sdl