[lit-ideas] Tony Judt died
- From: "Veronica Caley" <molleo1@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 8 Aug 2010 14:13:18 -0400
History remained uppermost in his mind, though. In "Ill Fares the Land," he
turned his attention to a problem he regarded as acute: the loss of faith in
social democracy, and the power of the state to do good, that had brought
prosperity to so many European countries after World War II.
"The historian's task is not to disrupt for the sake of it, but it is to tell
what is almost always an uncomfortable story and explain why the discomfort is
part of the truth we need to live well and live properly," he told Historically
Speaking. "A well-organized society is one in which we know the truth about
ourselves collectively, not one in which we tell pleasant lies about ourselves."
The comment by Tony Judt above is a great explanation, at least partly, for the
decline of the United States. Whether one agrees with his views on Palestine/
Israel or not. When the Tea Baggers say they want their government back, they
are saying that they can't tolerate the results of an election. And a nation
whose children are brought up on perpetual frivolity and nonsense is not an
informed citizenry the Founding Fathers expected or hoped for.
Veronica Caley
Milford, MI
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