“Every age yearns for a more beautiful world. The deeper the desperation and the depression about the confusing present, the more intense that yearning.” – Johan Huizinga, Dutch cultural historian and author of “The Autumn of the Middle Ages” and “Homo Ludens” (in which he suggests that play is primary to and a necessary [though not sufficient] condition of the generation of culture), who was born on 7 December 1872. Some quotes from Johan Huizinga: “The susceptibility of the average modern to pictorial suggestion enables advertising to exploit his lessened power of judgment.” “An aristocratic culture does not advertise its emotions. In its forms of expression it is sober and reserved. Its general attitude is stoic.” “A superstition which pretends to be scientific creates a much greater confusion of thought than one which contents itself with simple popular practices.” “History can predict nothing except that great changes in human relationships will never come about in the form in which they have been anticipated.” “History is the interpretation of the significance that the past has for us. “If we are to preserve culture we must continue to create it.” “It is impossible to strive for the heroic life. The title of hero is bestowed by the survivors upon the fallen, who themselves know nothing of heroism.” “Physical nature lies at our feet shackled with a hundred chains. What of the control of human nature? Do not point to the triumphs of psychiatry, social services or the war against crime. Domination of human nature can only mean the domination of every man by himself.” “Systematic philosophical and practical anti-intellectualism such as we are witnessing appears to be something truly novel in the history of human culture.”
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 12:58:34 +0000
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