Besides, I think this attack on Bennett comes from the Left, and Landress' defense of Bradford lays off Bennett, though he is hard on Frum, who pretty much asked for it.
In the absence of a rigorous political philosophy, one has nothing to claim but one's own virtue. This was once a specialty of the liberals, but now, alas, the conservatives have gone mainstream.
I admit to enjoy the spectacle of Alan Bloom chainsmoking his way through a diatribe on the necessity for classical selfrestraint.
Did Dostoevsky claim to be a good man? Or only to have known evil closely enough to feel the need for the Grace of God?
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branchandroot
Re: good precedent
Date: 2003-05-02 01:41 pm (UTC)Besides, I think this attack on Bennett comes from the Left, and Landress' defense of Bradford lays off Bennett, though he is hard on Frum, who pretty much asked for it.
In the absence of a rigorous political philosophy, one has nothing to claim but one's own virtue. This was once a specialty of the liberals, but now, alas, the conservatives have gone mainstream.
I admit to enjoy the spectacle of Alan Bloom chainsmoking his way through a diatribe on the necessity for classical selfrestraint.
Did Dostoevsky claim to be a good man? Or only to have known evil closely enough to feel the need for the Grace of God?