Daggers Drawn

[Mike Weaver]

Curious contrast between your last two posts, Dave, taking that 
pollutant 'politics' to mean choosing sides.

On 14/06/2015 08:41, David Morris wrote:
> Perfectly paralleled in today's political commentary. "Both Sidesism" 
> is the current culprit. The mad rampaging elephant in the room? Let's 
> agree to not see it, OK?
>
> Art is polluted by politics.

Personally I'd say Lot 49 was the last of the politically non-aligned 
books. The political anger is there in GR but he was sticking within the 
limits of John Fowles formulation:

/In every field of human endeavor it is obvious that most of the 
achievements, most of the great steps forward have come from individuals 
- whether they be scientific or artistic geniuses, saints, 
revolutionaries, what you will. And we do not need the evidence of 
intelligence testing to know conversely that the vast mass of mankind 
are not highly intelligent - or highly moral, or highly gifted 
artistically, or indeed highly qualified to carry out any of the nobler 
human activities. Of course, to jump from that conclusion that mankind 
can be split into two clearly defined groups, a Few that is excellent 
and a Many that is despicable, is idiotic. The graduations are infinite; 
and if you carry no other idea away from this book I hope you will 
understand what I mean when I say that the dividing line between the Few 
and the Many must run through each individual, not between individuals. 
In short none of us are wholly perfect; and none wholly imperfect. 
(//*Fowles*//, The Aristos, 1964) /


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