I've said before that I thought that Republicans had rejected the old idea of gentlemanliness and descended into boorishness (while calling it virtue).What I hadnt thought of before is that Democrats have equally given up gentlemanliness, but in the opposite direction - they sit and bloodlessly take the beating that GOP bullies give them, forgetting that while a gentleman never attacks, he is well-able to defend himself when it is necessary.
Yeah, I know that this sounds like an old-fashioned idea, but gentlemanliness is really a kind of distillation of what makes societies work. If politeness and manners are the grease that lubricates the gears of civilization, then the concept of The Gentleman (or Gentlewoman, for that matter) is the delivery system for that lubricant.
4 comments:
Don't forget lack of shame. Collectively Americans show less shame/humility and more ego/pride every year.
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Well, we are Number One.
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"If politeness and manners are the grease that lubricates the gears of civilization...politicians are the sand in them."
BTW, have you heard from Gisher lately. I see his blog is invite only now.
No, I havent heard a thing. Were you not invited either? I've thought about e-mailing him, but was kind of afraid I'd just get a fuck-off from him, though I have no real reason to think that he'd do that. You'd think he'd say something though, wouldnt you?
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