From the desk of Steve Kogan on Wed, 2011-02-02 20:00 This is Part 4 (B) of "'I See Further Than Others': Reflections On Oswald Spengler'sThe Decline of the West and The Hour of Decision", a serial essay by Steve Kogan. Early in The Decline, Spengler cautions the reader that the “Destiny-idea,” like "inward certainty," will always elude strict analysis, although it makes perfect sense in the high arts and among those whose vocation seems innate, such as Spengler's "born" historian, physicist, or leader. Michaelangelo believed that his statues existed fully formed within their blocks of stone; Leonardo said that a drawing should be complete in its very first line, and Spengler would have found an exact parallel to the awakening of a cultural destiny in Delacroix's reflections on the origins of a pictorial masterpiece: The first outlines through which an able master indicates his thought contains the germ of everything significant that the work will offer. Raphael, Rembrandt, Poussin . . . they make a few rapid strokes on the paper, and it seems that there is not one of them but has its importance. For intelligent eyes, the life of the work is already to be seen everywhere . . . it has scarcely opened to the light, and already it is complete. (1) From the desk of George Handlery on Wed, 2011-02-02 15:09 The Arab world is endeavoring to topple its governments. At the time of this writing the extent and the success of the effort is still undetermined. Comparable occurrences in other world neighborhoods are not unlikely. The attempt to bring about change against resistant dictatorships is understandable. Being that, it is, therefore, also predictable. When the chapter is closed, some of these oppressive systems might continue to hold on. After all, beyond a ruthlessly applied machinery of suppression, significant supportive forces stand behind them. From the desk of Dirk Crols on Wed, 2011-02-02 13:51 Paul Belien will surely forgive me for usinghis well-known expression. It was simply the first thing that crossed my mind when I read the article with the revealing title 'Breaking up is hard to do' in the European Voice a couple of weeks ago. Author Tim King wonders whether it would be easier for the eurozone to break apart or for Belgium to split up. True, both scenarios are fraught with difficulties. In King's view, both putative break-ups have in common that it is unclear whether there is an exit strategy.
The History Of A Metaphor (2)
Egypt: From Hope To Disillusion?
The Belgianisation Of Europe, Part 11
Thursday, 3 February 2011
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