“The changing styles are the expression of a restless search for something which shall commend itself to our aesthetic sense; but as each innovation is subject to the selective action of the norm of conspicuous waste, the range within which innovation can take place is somewhat restricted. The innovation must not only be more beautiful, or perhaps oftener less offensive, than that which it displaces, but it must also come up to the accepted standard of expensiveness.” ActionBeautifulSubjectsFashionStyleExpressionWasteStandardsInnovationCome UpAcceptedRangeAestheticOffensiveNormRestlessSelective Book:A Veblen Treasury: From Leisure Class to War, Peace, and Capitalism Source: A Veblen Treasury: From Leisure Class to War, Peace, and Capitalism
“Something is funny, most of all, because it's true, and because the velocity of insight into this truth exceeds our normal standards. Something is funny because it's outside our accepted boundary of decorum. Something is funny because it defies our expectations. Something is funny because it offers a temporary reprieve from the hardship of seeing the world as it actually is. Something is funny because it is able to suggest gently that even the worst of our circumstances and sins is subject to eventual mercy.” WorldAbleSinSeeingWorstSubjectsCircumstancesOffersNormalStandardsExpectationsMercyInsightAcceptedBoundariesHardshipTemporaryExceedSeeing The WorldVelocityDecorumReprieve Author:Steve Almond
“Porgy is...an interesting example of what can be done by talent in spite of a bad setup. With a libretto that should never have been accepted on a subject that should never have been chosen, a man who should never have attempted it has written a work that has a considerable power.” MenShouldHas BeensDoneInterestingWrittenSubjectsTalentExampleAcceptedChosenSpiteSetupsGershwin Author:George Gershwin
“A libretto that should never have been accepted on a subject that should never have been chosen bya man who should never have attempted it.” MenShouldHas BeensSubjectsAcceptedChosenGershwin Author:Virgil Thomson
“When every event was a miracle, when there was no order or system or law, there was no occasion for studying any subject, or being interested in anything excepting a religion which took care of the soul. As man doubted the primitive conceptions about religion, and no longer accepted the literal, miraculous teachings of ancient books, he set himself to understand nature.” MenBookSoulCareLawOrderStudyAtheismTeachingSubjectsEventsMiracleAncientPositive AtheismAcceptedOccasionsConceptionPrimitiveMiraculousLiteralDoubted Author:Clarence Darrow