Comments on: The Myth of Hope http://www.secularconservative.net/morals-and-values/the-myth-of-hope/ Mon, 10 May 2010 01:39:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Janus http://www.secularconservative.net/morals-and-values/the-myth-of-hope/#comment-3674 Janus Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:22:03 +0000 http://www.secularconservative.net/?p=286#comment-3674 1) As you said, there are many, many, many versions of this myth. Basically every which way a person can tell the story has been told over 2,500 years. In a few hope is good. In most, it's not. Actually, to be perfectly truthful, most don't mention hope's "alignment" (if I can borrow a gaming term). Sort of 2) Hope is also described as being the last thing to escape because it is the laziest and least motivated of the things put in the box, if you really want to quibble over the various translations. The rest of 2) Actually, I think he has. http://www.secularconservative.net/conservative/turnabout-is-not-change/ 1) As you said, there are many, many, many versions of this myth. Basically every which way a person can tell the story has been told over 2,500 years. In a few hope is good. In most, it’s not. Actually, to be perfectly truthful, most don’t mention hope’s “alignment” (if I can borrow a gaming term).

Sort of 2) Hope is also described as being the last thing to escape because it is the laziest and least motivated of the things put in the box, if you really want to quibble over the various translations.

The rest of 2) Actually, I think he has. http://www.secularconservative.net/conservative/turnabout-is-not-change/

]]> By: Mike http://www.secularconservative.net/morals-and-values/the-myth-of-hope/#comment-3584 Mike Sun, 05 Apr 2009 07:32:16 +0000 http://www.secularconservative.net/?p=286#comment-3584 All well stated but I have a few quibbles: 1) You say that the Greeks would see hope as being in the box because it is fundamentally an evil. I really don't think the source text can let you say that about the Greeks, with many versions of the myth explicitly stating that hope was placed in there as an act of mercy by the gods. If you want to invert the meaning of the myth that's cool, but don't pin it on the Greeks. 2) You attack hope because you say that it is a vacuous call to inaction, when in reality hope is clearly a call TO action. You can say what you want about Obama, but he clearly has not called for passivity or the status quo. All well stated but I have a few quibbles:

1) You say that the Greeks would see hope as being in the box because it is fundamentally an evil. I really don’t think the source text can let you say that about the Greeks, with many versions of the myth explicitly stating that hope was placed in there as an act of mercy by the gods. If you want to invert the meaning of the myth that’s cool, but don’t pin it on the Greeks.

2) You attack hope because you say that it is a vacuous call to inaction, when in reality hope is clearly a call TO action. You can say what you want about Obama, but he clearly has not called for passivity or the status quo.

]]> By: Cephus http://www.secularconservative.net/morals-and-values/the-myth-of-hope/#comment-3541 Cephus Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:51:01 +0000 http://www.secularconservative.net/?p=286#comment-3541 Excellent piece. I agree entirely that people who offer hope and change don't mean anything until they actually provide hope and change, there's far too much empty rhetoric and not enough actual action and accomplishment in the world today. Excellent piece. I agree entirely that people who offer hope and change don’t mean anything until they actually provide hope and change, there’s far too much empty rhetoric and not enough actual action and accomplishment in the world today.

]]> By: Andrew http://www.secularconservative.net/morals-and-values/the-myth-of-hope/#comment-3521 Andrew Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:57:53 +0000 http://www.secularconservative.net/?p=286#comment-3521 Very impressively written, I like it. Very impressively written, I like it.

]]> By: Andrew Clunn http://www.secularconservative.net/morals-and-values/the-myth-of-hope/#comment-3518 Andrew Clunn Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:15:15 +0000 http://www.secularconservative.net/?p=286#comment-3518 Historical or mythological anecdote, substance of argument, emotional appeal with repeating rhythmic structure. Good job! My one recommendation would be to use similes more often, for example the word meaningless is used a bit too often at the end of the second to last paragraph. You get the powerful effect of repetition with the consistent sentence structure, you don't need to repeat the leading word. Otherwise a very good first draft for the type of political speech that we can only HOPE the current right wing had the balls to give. Historical or mythological anecdote, substance of argument, emotional appeal with repeating rhythmic structure. Good job! My one recommendation would be to use similes more often, for example the word meaningless is used a bit too often at the end of the second to last paragraph. You get the powerful effect of repetition with the consistent sentence structure, you don’t need to repeat the leading word. Otherwise a very good first draft for the type of political speech that we can only HOPE the current right wing had the balls to give.

]]> By: Janus http://www.secularconservative.net/morals-and-values/the-myth-of-hope/#comment-3516 Janus Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:38:06 +0000 http://www.secularconservative.net/?p=286#comment-3516 Hey Chuck, I like your stuff too. I'm throwing you up on the blogroll ;) Hey Chuck, I like your stuff too. I’m throwing you up on the blogroll ;)

]]> By: ArchangelChuck http://www.secularconservative.net/morals-and-values/the-myth-of-hope/#comment-3515 ArchangelChuck Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:14:24 +0000 http://www.secularconservative.net/?p=286#comment-3515 Spot on, brilliant, well-written. Spot on, brilliant, well-written.

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