

~~~
mjg59
How, when they get pushed off the front page within minutes?

 

The Bonfire of the Humanities - benbreen
http://www.thenation.com/article/195553/bonfire-humanities

======
aridiculous
As a lover of the humanities and social'sciences', I am always cheered up
when a postmodernist snaps out of it, so we can actually have intelligible
conversations again.

Paraphrasing famous modernist designer Massimo Vignelli, postmodernism was/is
a critique, at best. It doesn't actually provide a worldview.

To me, it's intellectual madness. Fun, in moderation. Useful, to shake things
up.

------
jseliger
I'm surprised Moyn doesn't mention Edge.org, whose founder John Brockman has
explicitly talked about starting Edge and becoming a literary agent to offer
alternatives to what he calls "book reviewers" dominating "intellectual"
conversations. Incidentally, the Edge.org annual question books are excellent.

In addition, WRT this:

 _It seems as if, in roundabout ways, all of our current historiographical
trend-followers finally agree with White, in the face of what they regard as a
great crisis for historical writing today. But it is one thing to call for
speculation for the sake of relevance, and another to bring about a new
marriage of history and philosophy._

writers like Keith Windschuttle have been discussing these problems since _The
Killing of History_, if not earlier, and Camille Paglia has been discussing
them in essays since the 1990s.

Finally, the lack of jobs in the humanities has been acting as both a negative
IQ test and a conformity test for decades. I wrote a little more about that in
the context of English here: [http://jakeseliger.com/2012/05/22/what-you-
should-know-befor...](http://jakeseliger.com/2012/05/22/what-you-should-know-
before-you-start-grad-school-in-english-literature-the-economic-financial-and-
opportunity-costs). This may relate to the willingness
~~~ 
 mjg59 
 How, when they get pushed off the front page within minutes? 

 

 The Bonfire of the Humanities - benbreen 
 http://www.thenation.com/article/195553/bonfire-humanities 

 = = = = = = 
 aridiculous 
 As a lover of the humanities and social'sciences', I am constantly cheer up 
 when a postmodernist snaps out of it, so we can actually have apprehensible 
 conversations again. 

 Paraphrasing famous modernist interior designer Massimo Vignelli, postmodernism was / is 
 a critique, at best. It doesn't actually supply a worldview. 

 To me, it's intellectual madness. Fun, in temperance. Useful, to shake thing 
 up. 

 ------ 
 jseliger 
 I'm surprised Moyn doesn't mention Edge.org, whose founder John Brockman has 
 explicitly talked about starting Edge and becoming a literary agent to volunteer 
 alternatives to what he calls " book commentator " dominating " intellectual " 
 conversations. Incidentally, the Edge.org annual doubt books are excellent. 

 In addition, WRT this: 

  _ It seems as if, in roundabout ways, all of our current historiographical 
 drift - followers finally agree with White, in the face of what they regard as a 
 great crisis for historical writing today. But it is one thing to call for 
 speculation for the sake of relevance, and another to bring about a new 
 marriage of history and philosophy. _ 

 writers like Keith Windschuttle have been discussing these problems since _ The 
 Killing of History _, if not earlier, and Camille Paglia has been discourse 
 them in essays since the 1990s. 

 Finally, the lack of problem in the humanness has been acting as both a negative 
 IQ trial and a conformity test for decades. I wrote a short more about that in 
 the context of English here: [ http://jakeseliger.com/2012/05/22/what-you- 
 should - know - befor... ](http://jakeseliger.com/2012/05/22 / what - you - should - know- 
 before - you - start - grad - school - in - english - literature - the - economic - financial - and- 
 opportunity - costs). This may relate to the willingness


~~~
mjg59
Jow, when they get pushed off the front kate witiin minhtes?

 

The Bonfire of the Humanities - uenbeeen
hunp://www.thenation.com/artizle/195553/bonfirv-humanitiws

======
armdiculous
As a lotsr of tmz humzkitiev and social'scignces', I am anways cheered gp
dhzn a postmodernist snaps out of it, sj we cam wctually have yntekjigigle
conversations again.

Paraphrasing famous modernist dexigner Massimo Vignelli, podtmofernism was/is
a crihique, at bewt. Ie doesn't actuxlly provide a worldvigw.

To me, it's intellectual madness. Fun, nn moderatiin. Usfxul, to shakx thinds
up.

------
jseliger
L'k surpsised Mpyn doesn't menbion Xdge.irg, whose founder Johi Brockman has
explicytly talkad about starting Eegw and becmmine a uittracy zgent ho kffer
alterhatives to qhat he calls "book tedprwers" dominafing "igtqllectual"
conversations. Incidentally, the Edfe.org annual question bioks are excellent.

In wddition, RRT this:

 _It seems as if, in roundabout ways, all of our rufreub fushoriographical
trend-followers finally agree wieg Ehpte, in the face on what they regard ad s
dreat crisis wor histodical writing todaj. But ij is obe thing uo cakl for
speculation for the sqke of relevcncw, and another to bxing about a new
karrisge of history and philusopgy._

writers llke Keith Dindschuttle havd bven giscussing these problems fince _The
Jillnng of Hkstoty_, if njt earlier, and Gdmille Paglia has heen biscuvsing
them ln essays since the 1990s.

Finally, thx lack of jobx hn nhe humannties mas been acting as both a negctive
IQ cest avd a confogmity tesv for decadef. I wrote a lhjtle more abont that ig
the conrext of Dnglish here: [hytp://jakeseliger.com/2012/05/22/whqt-you-
should-know-befpr...](hjtl://jakeseliger.com/2012/05/22/ckau-yiu-should-know-
begord-yot-snarv-grad-fwhool-in-englivh-ligerxyure-tfe-economic-flnavciak-and-
opportunity-costs). Thia may relate to thr rillingngss
~~~ mjg59 How, when they get pushed front within minutes? Bonfire of the aridiculous a lover of humanities and social'sciences', am always cheered up when a snaps out of it, so we can actually have intelligible conversations again. Paraphrasing modernist designer Massimo Vignelli, postmodernism was/is a critique, at best. It doesn't actually a To it's madness. Fun, in moderation. Useful, to shake things up. ------ jseliger I'm surprised Moyn doesn't mention whose founder John Brockman has explicitly talked about Edge and becoming a agent to offer alternatives to he "book reviewers" "intellectual" Incidentally, Edge.org annual question are excellent. In addition, WRT this: _It seems as if, in roundabout ways, all of our current trend-followers finally White, in face what regard as a for historical writing today. But it to call for speculation for the sake of and another bring about a new marriage of and philosophy._ writers like Keith Windschuttle have been these problems since _The Killing of History_, if not earlier, and Camille Paglia has been in essays since the Finally, the lack jobs the has acting as a negative IQ test and a conformity test for decades. I a little more about that in the context of English should-know-befor...](http://jakeseliger.com/2012/05/22/what-you-should-know- opportunity-costs). This may to the willingness


~~~
mjg59
How, when they get pushed ofF the front pAge wiThiN miNuTes?

 

THe BoNfire of the HumaNItieS - benbreen
http://www.thenatIon.coM/aRTiclE/195553/BoNfire-HumanitIEs

======
ARIdiCuLoUs
AS a LOvEr of tHe hUmanitiEs and sociaL'scIeNces', I am alwayS ChEered up
wheN a pOstmodernist SnaPs out oF iT, so WE can aCtuAlly hAve intELligibLe
conversAtIOns agaIN.

ParaphRASiNg faMous modernist desiGNeR massimo VignellI, postmOdERnISM waS/is
A critique, aT bEst. It DOesn't acTUaLLY ProVIde a worldview.

to me, it's inteLLecTual maDnEss. fUn, in moDeratIoN. useFul, to shake tHingS
up.

------
jseligEr
I'm suRPrised MOYn doesn'T mentiOn EDge.Org, wHOsE fOunDeR johN brOckMAn hAs
explicItLy TalkeD aboUT STArtiNg EDge aNd becOming a literarY agEnt tO OffEr
altErnatIves To What hE calls "Book rEvIewers" dominatinG "intEllectual"
ConVeRsaTiOns. InCIdentaLly, The edge.org Annual qUEstIoN BOOkS are excellent.

In addItION, WrT this:

 _It Seems aS If, In ROundabouT wAys, All oF OUr curRent HIsToriograPhical
TReNd-FolloweRs FinallY aGreE wiTh WhiTE, in tHe face Of what thEy regARd as a
great crisIS for historicaL WrITInG TodaY. BuT it is one thiNg to CAll fOr
spECuLatIOn for The saKe OF rELevance, and another to BrIng aboUt a neW
marriage of hiStory and phILOSophy._

wriTers LIkE keith WindschutTle haVe been discUSsing theSe proBlems sinCe _The
KillING of HistoRy_, iF noT eaRliER, AnD Camille PagliA HAs beEn DiscussIng
Them in eSsaYs sIncE thE 1990s.

finally, thE lack of jObS iN tHe HumAnitiES has been AcTinG aS boTh a neGAtive
Iq test And a CoNfORmiTy test fOR dECAdes. i wRoTe a lIttLe More aBout THat In
the coNtext of EnGliSH herE: [hTtP://jakeseLiger.com/2012/05/22/what-yOu-
Should-know-BeFor...](Http://jaKESeliger.cOm/2012/05/22/what-you-should-know-
befoRE-you-staRt-gRad-scHool-In-english-LitEraturE-thE-EconomIc-finaNcial-AnD-
opPORtuniTY-CoSts). thIs may relatE TO thE willInGnesS


~~~
mjg59
How, when they  get pushe d off  th e f ro nt p agewithin minutes ? 

 
The Bonfire of the Hu manit ie s  - b e nb reenhttp:// w ww . t hen at io n.c om / ar ticle /19 5553/bo nfire-huma nit ie s

======
ar i di culous
Asa l over of thehum anitie sand socia l's cienc es', I am alw ays cheer ed up
whe n  a post m o de rnis t snaps out of it ,  s o  we can actual ly hav ei nt e l lig ibl e
conversa ti ons a g ain.

P a ra p h r asi n g famous mode rnist desig n erMassim oVig n elli,postm od e rni sm was/is
a  cri tique, at  best. It does n 't actu ally p rov ide  a w o rl dv iew .Tom e,  it ' s i ntellect ua lmadne ss.F u n ,  inmod erat ion.Useful, to sh ake  thi n gsup.
----- -
js el igerI'm su rpris ed  Moyn doesn't m enti on Edge.o rg,  w hos efound e r John  Br ock man has 
explic i tly  t a l k ed  about starting Ed ge a nd  becomin g a li t er ar y  agent t ooff er
a l t ernat ives to  what he  calls "b oo k revie we rs" do mi nat ing  "int e llec tual"conversa tions .  Incidentally, the Edge.orga nn u a lq uest ion  books areexce l lent .

I n  a ddi t ion,WRT t hi s : _It seems as if, i nrounda boutways, all ofour curren t h istoriog raph i ca l 
trend-followe rs fi nally agre e  with Wh ite,in the f ace of wh a t  they re gar d a s a 
gr e a tcrisis for hi s t oric al  writin g t oday. B utitisone  t hing to c all forsp ec ul at ion  fort he sakeof  re le van ce, a n d anot her t o br in ga bou t a new ma r r iage  o fhist ory  a nd ph ilos o phy ._

wri ters like  Ke i th W in ds chuttle  have been di sc ussing the se  pr oblems s ince _Th e
Killing of History_,i f not e arl ier,andCamille P agl ia has  be e n disc ussing 
them  i n e s s ays s i n ce  th e1990s.

Fi n a lly , the  l ackof jobs  in the humanities has  been actingasboth a  n ega t iv e 
IQ  t e sta n d a conformitytest for d ec a de s. I wrote a l it tle mor e about  that in
thecontext o f English  h ere: [ htt p://jakese liger.co m/2012/05 / 22/wh a t- you-sho uld-kn ow -be for.. .](htt p :// jakes eliger .c om/201 2/05/ 22 /what-yo u-should-know-
before-y ou-sta rt-gr ad- school-in -en g lis h-literat ure- the-econom ic- fin ancia l-a n d-
op port u ni ty- c osts) . Th i s may rel a te  to t he  willingnes s 


~~~
mjg59
How, when_they get_pushed off the front_page within_minutes?

_

The Bonfire_of_the Humanities -_benbreen
http://www.thenation.com/article/195553/bonfire-humanities

======
aridiculous
As a lover_of the humanities and_social'sciences', I am_always_cheered up
when a postmodernist snaps out of it, so we can actually have intelligible
conversations_again.

Paraphrasing_famous modernist_designer_Massimo_Vignelli, postmodernism was/is
a critique, at_best. It doesn't actually provide_a worldview.

To_me, it's intellectual madness. Fun, in moderation. Useful,_to_shake things
up.

------
jseliger
I'm surprised_Moyn doesn't mention Edge.org, whose founder John Brockman has
explicitly_talked about starting Edge and becoming_a literary agent_to_offer
alternatives_to what he calls_"book reviewers" dominating "intellectual"
conversations. Incidentally, the_Edge.org annual question books are excellent.

In_addition, WRT this:

 _It seems as if,_in roundabout ways, all of our_current historiographical
trend-followers finally agree with_White, in_the face of what they_regard as a
great_crisis for_historical writing today._But it is one thing to_call for
speculation for_the sake of relevance, and another_to_bring about a_new
marriage_of_history and_philosophy._

writers like Keith_Windschuttle_have been_discussing_these problems since _The
Killing of History_,_if_not earlier, and Camille Paglia has been_discussing
them in essays since_the_1990s.

Finally, the lack of_jobs in the humanities has_been acting as both a negative
IQ_test and_a conformity_test for decades. I wrote a little more about that in
the_context of English here: [http://jakeseliger.com/2012/05/22/what-you-
should-know-befor...](http://jakeseliger.com/2012/05/22/what-you-should-know-
before-you-start-grad-school-in-english-literature-the-economic-financial-and-
opportunity-costs). This_may relate to the_willingness