Mark Twain

[Quantum Windbag]

 

[Esmeralda]

All he is saying is to think for yourself. Sometimes I agree with the majority, sometimes I don't. I have found that when you don't, you are often in a difficult position, something that can have negative effects on you socially or in your job. But I don't change my mind or attitude in order to be liked.

 

[dblack]

All he is saying is to think for yourself. Sometimes I agree with the majority, sometimes I don't. I have found that when you don't, you are often in a difficult position, something that can have negative effects on you socially or in your job. But I don't change my mind or attitude in order to be liked.

I think his point is slightly more cynical than that. Namely that enlightened understanding is seldom reflected in the views of the majority, and that we should take no comfort in popular consensus.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

All he is saying is to think for yourself. Sometimes I agree with the majority, sometimes I don't. I have found that when you don't, you are often in a difficult position, something that can have negative effects on you socially or in your job. But I don't change my mind or attitude in order to be liked.

That is as far from all he is saying as it is possible to be.

 

[Esmeralda]

All he is saying is to think for yourself. Sometimes I agree with the majority, sometimes I don't. I have found that when you don't, you are often in a difficult position, something that can have negative effects on you socially or in your job. But I don't change my mind or attitude in order to be liked.

I think his point is slightly more cynical than that. Namely that enlightened understanding is seldom reflected in the views of the majority, and that we should take no comfort in popular consensus.

He may have meant that, in which case I disagree with both of you. To assume that just because something is agreed upon by the majority it is, therefore, wrong, is closed minded and intellectually limited. I'm no great fan of Mark Twain. He was a clever humorist, that's about all.

 

[Esmeralda]

All he is saying is to think for yourself. Sometimes I agree with the majority, sometimes I don't. I have found that when you don't, you are often in a difficult position, something that can have negative effects on you socially or in job. But I don't change my mind or attitude in order to be liked.

That is as far from all he is saying as it is possible to be.

On nonsense. You give him far, far too much credit. Twain is not one of the 'great minds.' I read him when I was an adolescent and teenager and have moved far beyond what he had to say years and years ago.

"...we should take no comfort in popular consensus..." He probably is saying this, which is what I said in my post, that he is saying to think for yourself. But that is hardly a thought of great depth or complexity. Face it, the statement is fairly superficial. There is no great depth of philosophical thought behind it. He's a lightweight.

 

[SAYIT]

All he is saying is to think for yourself. Sometimes I agree with the majority, sometimes I don't. I have found that when you don't, you are often in a difficult position, something that can have negative effects on you socially or in your job. But I don't change my mind or attitude in order to be liked.

I think his point is slightly more cynical than that. Namely that enlightened understanding is seldom reflected in the views of the majority, and that we should take no comfort in popular consensus.

Looks like Twain bagged another enlightened understander. You may want to adjust that mirror.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

All he is saying is to think for yourself. Sometimes I agree with the majority, sometimes I don't. I have found that when you don't, you are often in a difficult position, something that can have negative effects on you socially or in job. But I don't change my mind or attitude in order to be liked.

That is as far from all he is saying as it is possible to be.

On nonsense. You give him far, far too much credit. Twain is not one of the 'great minds.' I read him when I was an adolescent and teenager and have moved far beyond what he had to say years and years ago.

"...we should take no comfort in popular consensus..." He probably is saying this, which is what I said in my post, that he is saying to think for yourself. But that is hardly a thought of great depth or complexity. Face it, the statement is fairly superficial. There is no great depth of philosophical thought behind it. He's a lightweight.

Just because you are a psuedo intellectual pompous ass does not mean Twain was not intelligent and insightful.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Those of you who just KNOW what Twain meant ...

Why don't you ask him and get back to us.

Sheesh.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Those of you who just KNOW what Twain meant ...

Why don't you ask him and get back to us.

Sheesh.

Are you talking to the people who are saying he was shallow and was just spouting words to sound intelligent, or to me?

 

[Mr. H.]

Those of you who just KNOW what Twain meant ...

Why don't you ask him and get back to us.

Sheesh.

Clemens's will dictated that his autobiography not be written until 100 years after his death. It has been written...

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[Esmeralda]

That is as far from all he is saying as it is possible to be.

On nonsense. You give him far, far too much credit. Twain is not one of the 'great minds.' I read him when I was an adolescent and teenager and have moved far beyond what he had to say years and years ago.

"...we should take no comfort in popular consensus..." He probably is saying this, which is what I said in my post, that he is saying to think for yourself. But that is hardly a thought of great depth or complexity. Face it, the statement is fairly superficial. There is no great depth of philosophical thought behind it. He's a lightweight.

Just because you are a psuedo intellectual pompous ass does not mean Twain was not intelligent and insightful.

I didn't say he wasn't intelligent and insightful. He was. I am simply saying there is nothing of great depth in his work. He is not profound. He is not one of the great minds, not as a man of letters nor as a philosopher. I am sorry you feel that someone who disagrees with you about a man of letters and his depth or value is considered being pompous. It is a matter of opinion. I was taunted to not 'seeing' the meaning behind his words. I saw them very clearly and do not think there is much depth or complexity in them. I work every day with literature that is far more complex and has far more depth than what Mark Twain wrote. He is a satirist. He is clever, certainly, very smart. His work is primarilly studied at junior high and high school level, however.

What is quite interesting is that he is very popular, at least in American. So, the idea, the concept in the quotation you posted, would seem to suggest that you should reconsider your feelings about him, as finding him so special would tend to agree with the majority opinion.

Irony, no?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

On nonsense. You give him far, far too much credit. Twain is not one of the 'great minds.' I read him when I was an adolescent and teenager and have moved far beyond what he had to say years and years ago.

"...we should take no comfort in popular consensus..." He probably is saying this, which is what I said in my post, that he is saying to think for yourself. But that is hardly a thought of great depth or complexity. Face it, the statement is fairly superficial. There is no great depth of philosophical thought behind it. He's a lightweight.

Just because you are a psuedo intellectual pompous ass does not mean Twain was not intelligent and insightful.

I didn't say he wasn't intelligent and insightful. He was. I am simply saying there is nothing of great depth in his work. He is not profound. He is not one of the great minds, not as a man of letters nor as a philosopher. I am sorry you feel that someone who disagrees with you about a man of letters and his depth or value is considered being pompous. It is a matter of opinion. I was taunted to not 'seeing' the meaning behind his words. I saw them very clearly and do not think there is much depth or complexity in them. I work every day with literature that is far more complex and has far more depth than what Mark Twain wrote. He is a satirist. He is clever, certainly, very smart. His work is primarilly studied at junior high and high school level, however.

What is quite interesting is that he is very popular, at least in American. So, the idea, the concept in the quotation you posted, would seem to suggest that you should reconsider your feelings about him, as finding him so special would tend to agree with the majority opinion.

Irony, no?

You don't think there is anything profound about his social commentary on chivalry in "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court?" Many scholars remark about how he used the book to explore both capitalism and communism, and outline the strengths, and weaknesses, of both.

But what do I know, I never studied literature, I just read good books.

 

[Esmeralda]

Just because you are a psuedo intellectual pompous ass does not mean Twain was not intelligent and insightful.

I didn't say he wasn't intelligent and insightful. He was. I am simply saying there is nothing of great depth in his work. He is not profound. He is not one of the great minds, not as a man of letters nor as a philosopher. I am sorry you feel that someone who disagrees with you about a man of letters and his depth or value is considered being pompous. It is a matter of opinion. I was taunted to not 'seeing' the meaning behind his words. I saw them very clearly and do not think there is much depth or complexity in them. I work every day with literature that is far more complex and has far more depth than what Mark Twain wrote. He is a satirist. He is clever, certainly, very smart. His work is primarilly studied at junior high and high school level, however.

What is quite interesting is that he is very popular, at least in American. So, the idea, the concept in the quotation you posted, would seem to suggest that you should reconsider your feelings about him, as finding him so special would tend to agree with the majority opinion.

Irony, no?

You don't think there is anything profound about his social commentary on chivalry in "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court?" Many scholars remark about how he used the book to explore both capitalism and communism, and outline the strengths, and weaknesses, of both.

But what do I know, I never studied literature, I just read good books.

You are pissed off at me for doing exactly what Twain suggests in the statement you quoted: I am not going along with the crowd.

So, how effective are his words on you? Not profoudly, apparently.

 

[Mr. H.]

Twain was fond of gum. He would chew, chew, chew.

 

[Oldguy]

Twain also fled to California to avoid the Civil War, not returning until after it was over.

Along with his other attributes: a good talker, intellectually shallow and something of a smart aleck, it's not surprising that right wingers would find in him a person of interest.

He fits the bill fully, doesn't he?

 

[Mr. H.]

Gosh that was funny.

 

[TruthSeeker56]

My favorite Mark Twain quote:

"Of all the creatures that were made, man is the most detestable. Of the entire brood he is the only one--the solitary one--that possesses malice. That is the basest of all instincts, passions, vices--the most hateful. He is the only creature that has pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. Also--in all the list he is the only creature that has a nasty mind."

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I didn't say he wasn't intelligent and insightful. He was. I am simply saying there is nothing of great depth in his work. He is not profound. He is not one of the great minds, not as a man of letters nor as a philosopher. I am sorry you feel that someone who disagrees with you about a man of letters and his depth or value is considered being pompous. It is a matter of opinion. I was taunted to not 'seeing' the meaning behind his words. I saw them very clearly and do not think there is much depth or complexity in them. I work every day with literature that is far more complex and has far more depth than what Mark Twain wrote. He is a satirist. He is clever, certainly, very smart. His work is primarilly studied at junior high and high school level, however.

What is quite interesting is that he is very popular, at least in American. So, the idea, the concept in the quotation you posted, would seem to suggest that you should reconsider your feelings about him, as finding him so special would tend to agree with the majority opinion.

Irony, no?

You don't think there is anything profound about his social commentary on chivalry in "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court?" Many scholars remark about how he used the book to explore both capitalism and communism, and outline the strengths, and weaknesses, of both.

But what do I know, I never studied literature, I just read good books.

You are pissed off at me for doing exactly what Twain suggests in the statement you quoted: I am not going along with the crowd.

So, how effective are his words on you? Not profoudly, apparently.

First, I am not pissed off at you, I am sneering at your psuedo intellectual posturing for thinking you evolved beyond reading his work.

 

[Dugdale_Jukes]

"Majority" thinking limited the US to two parties instead of a range of parties resulting in good government. Pigboy Limpy is among the top individual producers in political media. Reagan was re elected in 1984. Junebug was re elected in 2004. That is about all anyone needs to know about the majority.

Twain was without question the most brilliant cynic ever produced in the United States. Like most long-lived pathological cynics he spent the second half of his life de valuing the first half.