I'd forgotten how often we saw Magritte (colubra) wrote,
I'd forgotten how often we saw Magritte
colubra
  • Mood: having trouble swallowing it
  • Music: 'Where Is My Mind', Placebo

Because it seems to be in danger of being forgotten:

The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies. They are the standing army, and the militia, jailers, constables, posse comitatus, etc. In most cases there is no free exercise whatever of the judgment or of the moral sense; but they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and stones; and wooden men can perhaps be manufactured that will serve the purpose as well. Such command no more respect than men of straw or a lump of dirt. They have the same sort of worth only as horses and dogs. Yet such as these even are commonly esteemed good citizens. Others—as most legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers, and office-holders—serve the state chiefly with their heads; and, as they rarely make any moral distinctions, they are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God. A very few— as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men— serve the state with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated as enemies by it.

[...]

How does it become a man to behave toward the American government today? I answer, that he cannot without disgrace be associated with it.

--Henry David Thoreau, excerpts from 'Civil Disobedience'

Plus ca change, plus ca c'est la meme chose.
Subscribe

  • random update

    Okay, if anyone can pull it off, they can.

  • Saw The Aristocrats

    That movie is goddamned funny. Really foul, but REALLY funny. And laden with nine million and one people. I don't know that there's anybody I think…

  • They just keep getting better, with practice.

    Howl's Moving Castle was terrific. Wonderful. People are saying it's confusing in their reviews. I did not find it confusing, but I have to admit…

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    Anonymous comments are disabled in this journal

    switch
    default userpic

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    Help
  • 1 comment