Rosmerta

ORTHODOXY
GILBERT K. CHESTERTON
New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1908

What an interesting man you bring to read!

I was browsing through II. The Maniac finding good observations:

In short, oddities only strike ordinary people. Oddities do not strike odd people. This is why ordinary people have a much more exciting time; while odd people are always complaining of the dulness of life. This is also why the new novels die so quickly, and why the old fairy tales endure for ever.
Let us begin, then, with the mad-house; from this evil and fantastic inn let us set forth on our intellectual journey
Imagination does not breed insanity. Exactly what does breed insanity is reason. Poets do not go mad; but chess-players do. Mathematicians go mad, and cashiers; but creative artists very seldom. I am not, as will be seen, in any sense attacking logic: I only say that this danger does lie in logic, not in imagination.
Poe, for instance, really was morbid; not because he was poetical, but because he was specially analytical. Even chess was too poetical for him; he disliked chess because it was full of knights and castles, like a poem. He avowedly preferred the black discs of draughts, because they were more like the mere black dots on a diagram.
To accept everything is an exercise, to understand everything a strain. The poet only desires exaltation and expansion, a world to stretch himself in. The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits.
And if great reasoners are often maniacal, it is equally true that maniacs are commonly great reasoners.

Beyond Chesterton’s observation of his contemporary scientific empiricists, with our USPS workers, madness strikes both ends of logic’s extremities, those stuck in the box at the low end of infinite filing.

Thanks for the reference.
I wonder how Steyn’s commentary of Chesterton would go.

maverick muse on April 6, 2008 at 9:40 AM

JiangxiDad on April 6, 2008 at 9:20 AM

Jonah Goldberg’s Liberal Fascism notes the progressive left’s subversion of Christianity into fascism throughout Europe (Swiss always ahead) and America via Wilson and FDR, the state replacing the church, the state as the church, statolotry, statism. The New World Order has been underway well over a century now, and yet we pretend it’s something new. The PBS constantly bombard its propaganda to embrace Big Brother in all His sophistication, promoted by Dyer and Deepak Chopra, et.al.

Though Hillary and Obama overtly embrace progressive fascism, ALL of our politicians do. GWBush is converting our economy into a GLOBAL fascist enterprise as we submit our taxes. I noted ironically that besides using the tax rebate “incentive” as a bribe to vote GOP, its a way to get everyone’s full information on the updated gov’t books. McCain won’t uphold rule of law, and won’t ever secure the border. Running a war vet easily presents the sense of false security amongst the mass population.

None of the radio hosts or blogs any longer apply the perpetual pressure REQUIRED until we actually attain secure borders, rule of law, and no amnesty for illegal aliens or their employers.

The only means of leverage that Americans have is our vote and our contributions. VOICE discontent to McCain and the GOP for their plastic good manners that are fabricated as teflon for McCain’s ascent, but do not apply toward those concerned with our national security at home.

From my brief observation, I see that Chesterton notes the demise of the West when it totally embraced empiricism along with materialism and eschewed the metaphysical from modern existence.

I do not think that cultural homogeneity was the initial Roman’s demand, merely acceptance of Roman sovereignty over its world empire and payment of tribute taxation.

Jumping to what Constantine made of Christianity converted to Romanism, it was what it was and consisted of its components.

The nations that eventually evolved from the broken Holy Roman Empire evolved through Christianity. The EARLY Romantics acknowledged and celebrated that fact.

The liberals that evolved through revolutionary perpetuation until monarchies were completely annihilated birthed fascism.

Asking as a student, DOCTRINES ASIDE, what active similarities exist between Western progressive fascism and the Holy Roman Empire, or Islamic theocracy? Though a gross over simplification, they use dogma to coerce subserviance by penalty of life’s liberty. As far as the uneducated little man is concerned (that includes today’s college grads with no manual expertise creating useful objects, not merely farmers, construction workers or dishwashers) there is little effective difference really between systems of power mongers that include our government’s political parties.

maverick muse on April 6, 2008 at 10:29 AM

JiangxiDad on April 6, 2008 at 11:05 AM

“very seldom”…Even that author lends madness to any man with a mind of his own as Chapter 2 begins. But since he projects his thoughts honestly, he gives good explanation of how he sees things. From studying the effects of empirical thought on the direction(s) that 19th Century music took (see “War of the Romantics”), it’s interesting to note how religion and politics dealt with contemporary value judgments alongside musicians who at the dawn of the 19th Century considered themselves as social prophets. As far as my interest in their lives is concerned, I side with Liszt: Idea Determines Form (organic growth based upon structural balance) and CARITAS. Having read the entire correspondence between Liszt and Wagner and Watson and Walker etc. on Liszt, I see Wagner as a bastard who never gave credit or friendship where it was due to others. Brahms was a bastard, too. I am not refering to their musical accomplishments that were magnificent. Joachim and Hanslick were horrid bastards who, though stuck on stupid as “the beautiful”, contributed nothing genuine of themselves, only egotistical reproductions or critiques as they mistreated those who truly had creative genius.–Along those lines, I tend to appreciate the brief pages covered this morning from the Victorian British author, Chesterton.

It is of recent years that I’ve become more a student of political history, always pausing to reflect on points that I feel disturbed by or attracted to. Hence I tend not to rush through my readings, but to re-read as I go. As per your question about our USA, from my understanding, our founding fathers went through a confederacy of sovereign states before finalizing on the Constitution and our more perfect union. Slavery aside (yes, it was an abomination, and so were the horrid worker conditions in factories and mines that provided LESS to live on than on a decent Southern plantation–also, children were harvested from starving working class families by the government and farmed out to Western frontier settlers as serfs basically, so there was a lot of misery shared regardless of skin color by anyone poor–AND anyone new was abused and treated poorly in America)–so putting all of that aside, the Civil War affected our Constitution more than it should have. It affected the perpetual derogatory visualization of the South and the Northerners’ pompous self-righteous attitude towards the rest of the nation though they’d deny minorities work or decent wages before and following that war. Until the government protects citizens rights from abuse resulting from preferential treatment given to illegal aliens, it IS a big deal that states’ rights have been suffocated by the North’s IMBALANCED interpretation of right and wrong. Naturally, everyone has their own opinion. And yes, I am a product of our great Southwest with parentage from both the North and the South and a family history that was simultaneously agricultural, academic, legal, and musical.

As per Fascism, it is damn depressing! That people today find bliss in ignorance is damn depressing, too. If you’re reading Jonah’s Liberal book, what say you?

maverick muse on April 6, 2008 at 5:23 PM

JiangxiDad on April 6, 2008 at 6:09 PM

For me, it seems the obvious that European state nations evolved from their own historic tribes into the powers that eventually shook off the unity base of the universal Christian church, aka Roman Catholic via Emperor Constantine, in revolutions as separation was not peacefully granted. European tribes and monarchies were native to their regions, granting migration of the Celts et.al. westward. Their lands and traditions are their own to value and uphold. That they choose to unite at this point brings them back together as a political unit. Good for them if that’s what they peacefully choose for themselves. It may be what they need in order to combat the forces that exist from the East. That Switzerland has led the charge of socialism, and centers the world banks, and coerced the Monarchies and then the Nazis to leave them alone during the World Wars, should be duly noted as something to keep in mind as the world turns.

As per deriding democracy as necessarily corrupt, it deserves defense as far better than the alternative loss of vote. Voters “rights” began with “responsibilities” including literacy. There’s no reason to deprive anyone who has studied the issues and the candidates their vote. Our government taxes provide public education to the poor (currently, citizen or not) and to everyone through highschool. The idea of taking away voter rights doesn’t sit well in America. But requiring literacy IN ENGLISH would bode well for national unity. (In Texas, the signs are bilingual, and the Spanish word stands out with the English in the background.) Offering the legislature’s online outline READILY ACCESSIBLE would improve things today, as it’s a hunt to track down ammendments prior to voting, and wording is always oriented to influence one’s initial reaction by the author.

The corruption is within man, regardless of political persuation. There is still a “benevolent monarch” in Monte Carlo, no? If a people have what works well for them, good. But note well that since King James of England, benevolent monarchs grant the people’s voice to be heard. Our America is a democratic Republic based upon the best Constitution ever, IMHO.

The ruin of any culture occurs when the worst element pervades the finest. The same freedoms that we treasure allow for our demise ONLY when left unchecked. Ours is a government with the balance of powers established. Though they’ve teetered during social unrest, no majority wants to see our Constitution or our national Union dismantled. So long as there are intelligent folks who share their views openly, things will remain balanced. It is when evil demagogues twist goodness in order to suffocate conservatives that the alarm awakens our strength as American brothers, and a cultural reaction occurs. Progressives since Wilson have always promoted the division of America in order to conquer us and rule as Fascist dictators, prosecuting anyone in their way, slandering and ruining anyone pointing out the obvious. PC promotes such.

Our problem thoughout the world today, as I see it, is that progressivism, having taken the “free world” of democracies to the brink via public education from the Left, cultured a younger generation too stupid (ignorant, lazy and self-serving) to recognize the difference between right and wrong, survival of liberty vs. subserviance to Big Brother. The progressives have deliberately and SUCCESSFULLY indoctrinated new speak, the revised convolution of definitions. Hence, to the young, “Big Brother” is simply the POTUS instead of the power that put the POTUS in office and since Reagan left office, now dictates the New World Order from both political parties. The New World Order is Big Brother. Stop “him”, be “he” the Communist or the Fascist or the Progressive, or the “scientist” who thinks he can pull the wool over our eyes. Big Brother, not Democracy, sucks the life out of us all.

My own opinion of nationalism is that in and of itself, pride of character, as with ANYTHING, too much or too little of an essential element can become troublesome. An American does not denote race; and our experience has shown that the single “pure” race eschewing ALL OTHERS as less pure or righteous is a fraud. As per cultural traditions, those that promote the ideals found in the essence of peaceful respect and love for fellow creatures such as influences similar to Buddhism or Christianity are a blessing, particularly when eminating blessings on others beyond one’s own self realm. I’ve found Joseph Campbell’s studies marvelous to read on Myth and Man etc. as he covered every world religion. Though personally I accept Jesus at his Word (though I’ve never been a Baptist, I’ve worshipped ecumenically), I shy away from pushing dogma because to become institutionalized, doctrines corrupt in practice. But that’s simply me. I’ve been through many sects and shared my love for God with many diverse populations. I’ve found the personal element needs sanctity, and that crowds or congregations may be fun, but miss the privacy Jesus spoke of, praying in secret. Still, let your light so shine…and that’s where democracy steps to the plate. Democracy allows free religious practice because of Christianity’s core virtue. Rome may have twisted it to suit its own purpose. Nonetheless, God rules supreme, and Jesus is his beloved. Without Christianity from which our nation emerged, democracy suffers demise progressively becoming totalitarian, one ultra socialism or another mutates the good ideal into evil practice. To despise one’s loving parents proves an ungrateful child; to cast off Roman-Protestant Christianity’s political gift to the world (USA) would bring about the hate spawned New World Order version of E pluribus unum. Visualizing the effects of modern warfare, we know what awaits those who would fawn over their destroyer.

Though in the USA we have regional differences, we find eachother tolerably lovable. Everyone has family somewhere, as we’ve been mobilized by our technocracy. A destructionist would idealize a fragmented USA, easier to conquer bit by bit. But we’re too fond of eachother to allow foolishly needless amputations on our marvelous body.

Recall what Chesterton wrote about the head exploding, trying to explain everything at once ad infinitum, lol. Have a good week. Signing off.

maverick muse on April 7, 2008 at 10:49 AM