Sunday, March 3, 2013

Listomania: 7 quotes (of quotes) from 'Status Anxiety'


I saw this title on my sister's bookshelf and was immediately intrigued - this blog post is a 'thank you' for the lend.  I'd heard good things about the author and the title seemed relevant in the context of the incredible popularity of social networking websites.

Upon reading, Alain de Botton not only reveals himself to be an eloquent writer and insightful social commentator, but also an incredibly thorough reader of history and philosophy.  I highly recommend reading the whole book, but in the meantime, here are some notable references that he makes:


1.  

"When inequality is the general rule in society, the greatest inequalities attract no attention.  But when everything is more or less level, the slightest variation is noticed… "

-        French lawyer and historian Alexis De Tocqueville analysing the relationship between dissatisfaction and high expectation


2.

"Self-esteem = Success / Pretensions"

-         Psychologist William James’ equation that backs the cognitive strategy of lowering expectations


3.  

"I have often seen chance marching ahead of merit, and often outstripping merit by a long chalk."

        -    Renaissance philospher Michel de Montaigne illustrating the point that success isn't always planned.



4. 

"Public opinion is the worst of all opinions."

-         French writer Nicolas Chamfort expressing that the views of majority of the population are often confused or wrong


5.  

"There is in the world only the choice between loneliness and vulgarity"

-         Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer explaining the folly of attaching too much value to the opinions of others


6.  

"… the desire to remove human error, clear human confusion and diminish human misery" 

-         Critic Matthew Arnold on the characteristics of the work of any great artist



7.

"... those who most keenly felt wonder beneath the stars at night or were best able to interpret and alleviate the sufferings of others."

        -    Art critic John Ruskin's hope for the new definition of 'the wealthy'


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