"Mr. Rushworth was an inferior young man, as ignorant in business as in books, with opinions in general unfixed, and without seeming much aware of it himself."
-- Jane Austin, Mansfield Park
This line seems to sum up the societal expectations placed on a gentleman in Jane Austen's time. I couldn't help but think of young people today "ignorant in...books," and "opinions in general unfixed."
Thoughts?
Clearly Mr Rushworth lacked the "benefit" of centralised social media, and of university education.
There is no way a contemporary analogue could have "opinions in general unfixed". :-p
I think the more important point in the novel is that he doesn't have his own opinions. He's quick to agree with whoever he perceives as the smartest person in the room, rather than thinking deeply, formulating his own opinions, and defending them.
I think young people today are intentionally kept ignorant in books, classical thinking, logic and true critical thinking (as opposed to critical theory which amounts to pointlessly criticise everything and call it racist until the wokies control it). Post-modernity and the Hegelian religion of cultural marxism has done a number on society and sadly the youngsters are suffering for it.
Agreed. It's all part of the process of state indoctrination. Although, given the current geopolitical climate, that seems to be deteriorating, as well. The youngns aren't stupid. They observe this unfortunate circumstance, too. But, given how vast state control is, you can't blame them for not seeing a means of escape.
I read an interesting article in First Things that compares St. Paul and St. Augustine to the critical theorists of today. Like the critical theorists, they used the tools of critique to poke holes in the prevailing worldview of the time. However, they replaced it with a message of grace, unlike the modern critical theorists, who are unable to articulate a positive vision of the world they hope to bring about.
Exactly. Constructive criticism is valuable when well done and a part of doing it well is showing how things can be made better. Critical Theory is against articulating a vision based on data and outcomes for a better or more flourishing human society. All of this looking back and criticising the past and calling everyone racist is pointless, there's nothing that can or should be done about what our ancestors may or may not have done.
Critical theory and political conservatism (at least in the US) are similar to me in that I see both complaining a lot, but neither are good at articulating any positive vision.
