Also the Ronald Dahl censorship/editing had me spitting mad. I think I scared my husband a little bit. I cannot begin to understand how the people think the proper response to potentially problematic elements in literature is to erase and replace. Quite aside from the fact that it shows an arrogant attitude towards the past (as if we today are morally perfect and superior to our predecessors) it eliminates a chance for adults and children to discuss, learn, and grow. Thoughtful footnotes and discussion questions are a much better solution and inspire critical thinking instead of slavish adherence to prevailing norms. Finally, how on earth are we supposed to make moral progress as individuals or cultures if we rehearse evidence of potential issues and moral failings from the past? You can’t confront the sin of racism, for example, without confronting the forms it took (and still takes) in our cultural milieu.
I also clicked through to the Roald Dahl drama, and my husband and I had a very similar conversation about the lost opportunities for discussion and growth. Ugh!!
Ho boy! The article about the female intellectual life hit HOME. I was a Great Books and History major at Notre Dame who taught before discerning a call as a SAHM. So many of my struggles and insecurities were addressed in that article (the monotony of the every day, the feeling of being less than for not being involved in formal academia, the need to prove my worth by productivity around the home). I definitely will be looking into the book. Also to that end, I’ve so enjoyed the intellectual exercise of reading and discussing Jane Austen with others. So maybe having an “article of the week” in future news letters to read and discuss would be a neat feature. I also like the mailbag idea!
Also the Ronald Dahl censorship/editing had me spitting mad. I think I scared my husband a little bit. I cannot begin to understand how the people think the proper response to potentially problematic elements in literature is to erase and replace. Quite aside from the fact that it shows an arrogant attitude towards the past (as if we today are morally perfect and superior to our predecessors) it eliminates a chance for adults and children to discuss, learn, and grow. Thoughtful footnotes and discussion questions are a much better solution and inspire critical thinking instead of slavish adherence to prevailing norms. Finally, how on earth are we supposed to make moral progress as individuals or cultures if we rehearse evidence of potential issues and moral failings from the past? You can’t confront the sin of racism, for example, without confronting the forms it took (and still takes) in our cultural milieu.
I also clicked through to the Roald Dahl drama, and my husband and I had a very similar conversation about the lost opportunities for discussion and growth. Ugh!!
Ho boy! The article about the female intellectual life hit HOME. I was a Great Books and History major at Notre Dame who taught before discerning a call as a SAHM. So many of my struggles and insecurities were addressed in that article (the monotony of the every day, the feeling of being less than for not being involved in formal academia, the need to prove my worth by productivity around the home). I definitely will be looking into the book. Also to that end, I’ve so enjoyed the intellectual exercise of reading and discussing Jane Austen with others. So maybe having an “article of the week” in future news letters to read and discuss would be a neat feature. I also like the mailbag idea!
I am so glad you liked that article! I thought it was excellent.
What is the next Jane Austin novel that we will read together?
Emma! I'll send out the reading schedule next week!
I love the mailbag idea, and I always love more bookish content of any kind!
Yes please to the mailbag! I need allllllllll the toddler parenting advice 😅