Category Archives: sociability

Individualism and Authenticity in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”

Posted on July 15, 2014 by hessd

“…the perturbation of Elizabeth’s feelings was every moment increasing.  She was quite amazed at her own discomposure.” [1] Even if Elizabeth Bennet were not famous as the heroine of Pride and Prejudice, this little clip would still probably be recognized … Continue reading →

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Surrogates

Posted on May 30, 2014 by hessd

“Don’t go out without your surrie.”  That’s what Maggie Peters says to her husband, Tom Peters.  Doesn’t it sound just a little like “Don’t go out without your umbrella.”? “Surrie” is what people in the movie, Surrogates, call the robots … Continue reading →

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“I will never be able to forgive myself.”

Posted on April 18, 2014 by hessd

I don’t remember ever saying that myself, but I’ve heard actual people say it and I’ve seen it in a lot of movies.  There are two reasons why a person might say this sentence.  One is that he or she—I’ve … Continue reading →

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What to wear to the commons

Posted on April 2, 2014 by hessd

  “Nobody washes a rental car,” runs an oft-repeated conservative lament. “Farmers don’t prevent their cattle from overgrazing and killing the commons” runs an oft-repeated liberal lament. You can’t exactly say either of these is false, but I think we … Continue reading →

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Why the NCC Works

Posted on February 28, 2014 by hessd

One of the groups I belong to calls itself, modestly, the Northwest Corner Caucus (NCC).  We meet at “our Starbucks” most mornings.  We solve problems; we cause problems—it’s your ordinary group of guys (mostly) sitting around with too much caffeine.  … Continue reading →

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Two Cheers for the Community of Loiterers

Posted on January 24, 2014 by hessd

Here is today’s dilemma.  I don’t really know what to do about it.  That’s why it gets only two cheers. THERE’S an old Italian saying, “A tavola non si invecchia,” which means: At the table, you don’t grow old.” All … Continue reading →

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Public Porn

Posted on July 23, 2012 by hessd

The two most common responses I have heard to protests against pornography are these: a) it doesn’t hurt anybody and b) what they (the consumers of pornography) do in the privacy of their homes is nobody’s business. The New York … Continue reading →

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