Reviews
The First and Second Discourses by Judith R. Masters, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Roger D. Masters
marystevens's review against another edition
5.0
Rousseau's trenchant criticism of the Enlightenment and all the advances in the arts and sciences of XVIIIth century western culture is a perfect example of Enlightenment reasoning. These two discourses are answers to essay competitions run by the Academy of Dijon; the first essay won the prize and launched Rousseau on a writing career.
Rousseau says that the wonderful things we get with modernism actually enslave us because we desire them so much. For Rousseau, man was content at an earlier point in history when his concern was self-preservation and he felt a natural compassion for sentient creatures in distress. Modern man has gone from desire for modern things to boredom to outrage if we are deprived of them. Modern man is so attached to his things that he looks down on those who don't have them. Schadenfreude instead of pity.
I think we can see this today in the attitudes of the 1% and the policies of the Tea Party.
Rousseau says that the wonderful things we get with modernism actually enslave us because we desire them so much. For Rousseau, man was content at an earlier point in history when his concern was self-preservation and he felt a natural compassion for sentient creatures in distress. Modern man has gone from desire for modern things to boredom to outrage if we are deprived of them. Modern man is so attached to his things that he looks down on those who don't have them. Schadenfreude instead of pity.
I think we can see this today in the attitudes of the 1% and the policies of the Tea Party.
holtfan's review against another edition
5.0
First off, excellent translation. I don't speak French so I can't speak to its veracity, but I found it very easy to read. It was well-written.
Second, the five stars are not because I agree with Rousseau. The man was kind of crazy at times. But I think he still has some super important critiques that continue to ring true. There is a reason people struggle with the paradox in his writings well over 200 years later.
Also just fun to see how he influenced the "romantics" that followed.
Second, the five stars are not because I agree with Rousseau. The man was kind of crazy at times. But I think he still has some super important critiques that continue to ring true. There is a reason people struggle with the paradox in his writings well over 200 years later.
Also just fun to see how he influenced the "romantics" that followed.
jordi's review against another edition
4.0
Al principio era muy esceptico de sus argumentos, especialmente el primer discurso no convencio en absoluto.
Pero en el segundo discurso se pone mucho mas interesante y aunque creo que sus argumentos son muy debiles (simplemente se imagina como seria la vida de la humanidad en la naturaleza pero no tiene pruebas por ejemplo) son argumentos interesantes que me hicieron pensar.
Por ejemplo, a mas sofisticacion, mas artificiales somos, y mas infelices por no poder mostrarnos a los demas tal y como somos y no poder comprender como otra gente es.
Pero en el segundo discurso se pone mucho mas interesante y aunque creo que sus argumentos son muy debiles (simplemente se imagina como seria la vida de la humanidad en la naturaleza pero no tiene pruebas por ejemplo) son argumentos interesantes que me hicieron pensar.
Por ejemplo, a mas sofisticacion, mas artificiales somos, y mas infelices por no poder mostrarnos a los demas tal y como somos y no poder comprender como otra gente es.
jordi's review
4.0
Al principio era muy esceptico de sus argumentos, especialmente el primer discurso no convencio en absoluto.
Pero en el segundo discurso se pone mucho mas interesante y aunque creo que sus argumentos son muy debiles (simplemente se imagina como seria la vida de la humanidad en la naturaleza pero no tiene pruebas por ejemplo) son argumentos interesantes que me hicieron pensar.
Por ejemplo, a mas sofisticacion, mas artificiales somos, y mas infelices por no poder mostrarnos a los demas tal y como somos y no poder comprender como otra gente es.
Pero en el segundo discurso se pone mucho mas interesante y aunque creo que sus argumentos son muy debiles (simplemente se imagina como seria la vida de la humanidad en la naturaleza pero no tiene pruebas por ejemplo) son argumentos interesantes que me hicieron pensar.
Por ejemplo, a mas sofisticacion, mas artificiales somos, y mas infelices por no poder mostrarnos a los demas tal y como somos y no poder comprender como otra gente es.
More...