Blogging the Bookshelf

Blogging my bookshelf – one book at a time

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Entries Tagged as 'Psychology'

A Bank Run in Louisianna – “Huey Long”, T. Harry Williams

September 12th, 2012 · Comments Off on A Bank Run in Louisianna – “Huey Long”, T. Harry Williams · Economics, Policy, Politics, Psychology, Social Psychology

(The first man in line in a bank run) soon appeared (at the opening of the bank), waving a check for $18,000 and confident that he, at least, would get his money. Entering the office, he was startled to see Governor Long behind the desk. Huey was waving a check himself. “The state of Louisiana […]

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Tags:Bank Runs·Banking·economics····The Depression·us politics

The Two Ways – “If This Is A Man” – Primo Levi

April 15th, 2012 · Comments Off on The Two Ways – “If This Is A Man” – Primo Levi · Genocide, Humanism, Philosophy

We do not believe in the most obvious and facile deduction: that man is fundamentally brutal, egoistic and stupid in his conduct once every civilized institution is taken away, and that the Häftling is consequently nothing but a man without inhibitions. We believe, rather, that the only conclusion to be drawn is that in the […]

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The Hierarchy of Pain – “If This Is A Man” – Primo Levi

April 15th, 2012 · Comments Off on The Hierarchy of Pain – “If This Is A Man” – Primo Levi · Humanism, Sociology

For human nature is such that grief and pain — even simultaneously suffered — do not add up as a whole in our consciousness, but hide, the lesser behind the greater, according to a definite law of perspective. It is providential and is our means of surviving in the camp. And this is the reason […]

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Tags:··relativity

The Impossibility of Perfect Unhappiness – “If This Is A Man” – Primo Levi

April 13th, 2012 · Comments Off on The Impossibility of Perfect Unhappiness – “If This Is A Man” – Primo Levi · Humanism, Philosophy, Sociology

Sooner or later in life everyone discovers that perfect happiness is unrealizable, but there are few who pause to consider the antithesis: that perfect unhappiness is equally unattainable. The obstacles preventing the realization of both these extreme states are of the same nature: they derive from our human condition which is opposed to everything infinite. […]

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Tags:···relativity

Mourning – “Life and Fate” – Vasily Grossman

April 5th, 2012 · Comments Off on Mourning – “Life and Fate” – Vasily Grossman · Writing, WW2

The people at the hospital had been struck by her calm and the number of questions that she had asked. They hadn’t appreciated her inability to understand something quite obvious – that Tolya was no longer among the living. Her love was so strong that Tolya’s death was unable to affect it: to her, he […]

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Tags:Death·Mourning····

The Disposition Not to Prepare for the Harder Alternative – “The Guns of August 1914”, Barbara Tuchman

March 30th, 2012 · Comments Off on The Disposition Not to Prepare for the Harder Alternative – “The Guns of August 1914”, Barbara Tuchman · Complexity, History, Leadership, Philosophy, Politics

One constant among the elements of 1914—as of any era—was the disposition of everyone on all sides not to prepare for the harder alternative, not to act upon what they suspected to be true.

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General Cummings on Modern Man – “The Naked and the Dead” – Norman Mailer

February 18th, 2011 · Comments Off on General Cummings on Modern Man – “The Naked and the Dead” – Norman Mailer · Sociology

The natural role of twentieth-century man is anxiety.

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Take a Good Look at Yourself and Turn Your Hatred Inward – Anthony Burgess – “A Clockwork Orange” 

February 9th, 2011 · Comments Off on Take a Good Look at Yourself and Turn Your Hatred Inward – Anthony Burgess – “A Clockwork Orange”  · Quotes

The only alternative was to do as my mother had instructed and take a good look at myself. This was an old trick, designed to turn one’s hatred inward, and while I was determined not to fall for it,

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It’s Not Fair on the Music – Anthony Burgess – “A Clockwork Orange” 

February 8th, 2011 · Comments Off on It’s Not Fair on the Music – Anthony Burgess – “A Clockwork Orange”  · Crime, Culture, Music

“I don’t mind about the ultra-violence and all that cal. I put up with that. But it’s not fair on the music. It’s not fair I should feel ill when I’m slooshying lovely Ludwig van and G. F. Handel and others. All that shows you’re an evil lot of bastards and I shall never forgive […]

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Music Always Sort of Sharpened Me Up – Anthony Burgess – “A Clockwork Orange”

February 7th, 2011 · Comments Off on Music Always Sort of Sharpened Me Up – Anthony Burgess – “A Clockwork Orange” · Civilisation, Culture, Music

I had to have a smeck, though, thinking of what I’d viddied once in one of these like articles on Modern Youth, about how Modern Youth would be better off if A Lively Appreciation Of The Arts could be like encouraged. Great Music, it said, and Great Poetry would like quieten Modern Youth down and […]

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