CATEGORY: POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY (6 min)
What did the Founding Fathers think about class?
Sure, they were revolutionary . . . in a sense. But unlike radical revolutionaries, they didn’t want to demolish class altogether.
To them, “class” meant something different from “net worth” or zip code.
Class vs. Caste
Russell Kirk expounds on their understanding in a section of his excellent little book The American Cause.
The American Founders believed “to each his own”: every person is different, with a unique nature and abilities.
That Means:
- All are equal before the law, but the law isn’t supposed to force equality of condition
- Civilized society must recognize each person’s functions and abilities
- Some are leaders, and most aren’t
- The problem isn’t class, but caste, or the “hereditary distinctions and privileges enforced by law”
Read the whole thing, because Kirk explains how this understanding of class plays out in justice, social order, and even happiness.
Or, if you’re crunched for time, you can swipe through the carousel version of Kirk’s analysis on Instagram.
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CATEGORY: CLASSICS (8 min)
Beach bods, beach symbolism, immortality, and Homer’s Odyssey . . . you rarely see all this discussed in the same article.
But Professor Dwight Lindley is exploring them all over at Public Discourse.
Would You Stay on Calypso’s Island?
The beach is symbolic to moderns for many reasons, but it was no less symbolic to people in ancient Greece. There’s a reason why Homer sets his wayfaring hero Odysseus on Calypso’s island.
Calypso is a beautiful nymph. Her island is a paradise where Odysseus’s every need and desire is met.
And yet . . . Odysseus longs for his wife, Penelope, and ultimately leaves Calypso.
Lindley reveals why in this fascinating article.
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CATEGORY: UNIVERSITY (5 min)
College brings demands, responsibilities, and pressures. How do you know if you’re getting the most out of your studies?
The beloved professor of philosophy R. J. Snell offers insights into what success looks like.
And no, it’s not the grades or the internships.
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This sale ends tomorrow—have you ordered your books yet?
Choose from more than 30 classic and contemporary books in the ISI bookstore.
Remember: This sale ends tomorrow, July 31, so grab your favorites before they go up in price.
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Unemployment has soared. The federal government is spending at staggering levels to try to pull America out of economic crisis. Socialism is getting another hearing.
This describes the crisis we’re enduring right now, yes.
But it also describes what happened ninety years ago during the Great Depression.
So what should we learn from this history? What policies worked—and which ones didn’t?
On Wednesday, August 5, at 7 p.m. ET, Amity Shlaes will reveal the answers in this episode of Conservative Conversations with ISI—answers you won’t hear from government officials or the mainstream media.
Spots are limited, so grab yours now!
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Too many college students feel isolated or attacked for questioning the ever-narrowing range of debate on campus.
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