As for the Republicans -- how can one regard seriously a…
““As for the Republicans -- how can one regard seriously a frightened, greedy, nostalgic huddle of tradesmen and lucky idlers who shut their eyes to history and science, steel their emotions against decent human sympathy, cling to sordid and provincial ideals exalting sheer acquisitiveness and condoning artificial hardship for the non-materially-shrewd, dwell smugly and sentimentally in a distorted dream-cosmos of outmoded phrases and principles and attitudes based on the bygone agricultural-handicraft world, and revel in (consciously or unconsciously) mendacious assumptions (such as the notion that real liberty is synonymous with the single detail of unrestricted economic license or that a rational planning of resource-distribution would contravene some vague and mystical 'American heritage'...) utterly contrary to fact and without the slightest foundation in human experience? Intellectually, the Republican idea deserves the tolerance and respect one gives to the dead.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote condemns a perceived group for being fearful, greedy, nostalgic, and disconnected from history, science, and human sympathy, while claiming intellectual tolerance for their ideas only as one would for the dead.
In simple terms: It criticizes a group for being selfish and out of touch, yet says we should tolerate their ideas like we tolerate the dead.
Key Takeaway
Recognize bias and demand evidence‑based policies.
Themes
politics
criticism
history
humanity
economics
Mood
skeptical
critical
serious
Type
political
analytical
critical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- academic discussions
- media analysis
- public education
- political campaigning
Key Concepts
nostalgia
greed
intellectual tolerance
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence supports these claims?
- How can we balance critique with constructive dialogue?
A Different Perspective
The argument may overgeneralize and ignore legitimate concerns of the group.