No two persons ever read the same book.
Edmund WilsonRead
I find more and more that I am a man of the 1920s. I still expect something exciting. Drinks, animated conversation, gaiety: the uninhibited exchange of ideas.
Interpretation
The quote reflects a longing for the vibrant social atmosphere and intellectual excitement of the 1920s.
In this quote, Edmund Wilson expresses nostalgia for the lively and dynamic essence of the 1920s, emphasizing the importance of engaging conversations and the free flow of ideas. This longing highlights a desire for a more vibrant, stimulating, and joyous social experience, reflecting his belief in the value of connection and creativity in human interactions.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of creativity in modern life.
The barrenest of all mortals is the sentimentalist.
To pin your hopes upon the future is to consign those hopes to a hypothesis, which is to say, a nothingness. Here and now is what we must contend with.
Mankind is at its best when it is most free. This will be clear if we grasp the principle of liberty. We must recall that the basic principle is freedom of choice, which saying many have on their lips but few in their minds.
If the greatest god is the stillness all the motions add up to, then we must ineluctably be included.
Bad evangelism says: I'm right, you're wrong, and I would love to tell you about it
Deep religious beliefs stemming from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible inspired many of the early settlers of our country, providing them with the strength, character, convictions, and faith necessary to withstand great hardship and danger in this new and rugged land. These shared beliefs helped forge a sense of common purpose among the widely dispersed colonies - a sense of community which laid the foundation for the spirit of nationhood that was to develop in later decades.
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