Pynchon's men (this happy breed of men)

[Terrance]

Otto wrote:
> 
> >
> > This the freeest of free commonwealths the sun in his course shines
> > upon; this one sole country nameable in history or tradition where a man
> > is a man and manhood the only rayalty; this people ruled by justest and
> > wholesomeest laws and governemt yet devised by the wisdom of men; this
> > mightiest of the civilized empires of the earth, in numbers, in
> > prosperity, in progress and in promise...our country, our giant empire.
> >
> > --Mark Twain
> >
> 
> Says Twain 150 years ago, 19th Century. 

So says the dream about America long before and long after Twain drifted
down the mighty Mississippi or Melville set his ship of fools and
confidences adrift on that river and dividing line through the heart of
America. And it's still being said and it is not the arrogant myth of
conservatives.  It is as deep as the Grand Canyon. As wide as Montana.
Broader than Broadway and a Wall Street bull. It is bigger than Alaska
and bolder than Texas. And it is not what Europeans have suffered from,
a Narcissus. No, it is purely American and it obviously on the rise at
home and abroad.  Please, don't mistake its arrogance for my own. That's
the easy way to argue this-- ad hominem. 

Recall that oft misquoted passage from GR about the business of war? 
That passage is about Germany. 
Now there is an example of arrogance and a hard fall. 
We don't find Brock Vond reading Rilke now do we. 
What does he read? Not Twain, Melville, Emerson (I think the good guys
read him, btw).