Around the Table

[Aravis]

General philosophical discussions.

[Wyndham]

Anybody ever read Thorstein Veblen, Theory of the Leisure Class?

Here's a bit from a conference recently convened to discuss him, and the application of his ideas to contemporary realities:

www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2004/12/12/weary_of_the_leisure_class?pg=full

Last paragraph is, I think, insightful. Perhaps Veblen got alot right. Interesting, however, that university pinks are taking him up now, and a sign of the origin of their debility -- how can they ever succeed in convincing anybody of anything if Veblen is right, and the world is run by pillagers (US Dems as bad as Reps), and inhabited by dupes?

[wordswordswords]

I read Veblen's THEORY OF THE LEISURE CLASS a couple of times. It was required reading in college, though we weren't told that the same institution requiring us to read him had also fired Veblen when he was there. ;D

Years later I reread the book in connection with some work I was doing on William James.

I think Veblen would find a lot to object to if he looked around the contemporary scene. Wonder what he'd think of cell phones?

[Wyndham]

Good question Words. Wonder too what he'd make of a Cadillac or Lincoln SUV -- my personal bugbears incidentally. SUV: Stalinist Utility Vehicle (making yourself secure by taking away everybody else's security) -- costing three years after tax pay for the average permanently employed worker. There are TONS (of tons) of them. 100k a pop -- price of a modest house, for something that, sooner or later will inevitably end up in some farmer's front yard. By definition the people who buy them don't go four wheeling . . . and if they did they'd buy a Ford truck, like everybody who really needs that capability. Point of driving the thing is to prove that you can make the payments.

Now that I think of it, I have to remember to flog my wife with Vebelen tonight. She's currently engaged in spending a year's pay rennovating the kitchen. Funny thing is that she doesn't cook . . . I do, and I'm happy with a hotplate, a fireplace and some tin foil. Wonder what the bother is all about . . . (not really ).