--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While this book makes a similar if more…" description: "\"“While this book makes a similar if more modest claim for the social significance of its own fundamentally ambivalent “sentiments of disenchantment” (a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/sianne-ngai-12114_beauty_while-this-book-makes-a-similar-if-more_1716059.jpg" --- # While this book makes a similar if more modest claim for… ![“While this book makes a similar if more modest claim for the social significance of its own fundamentally ambivalent “sentiments of disenchantment” (an ambivalence demonstrated by the fact that all are mobilized as easily by the political right as by the left, as the histories of disgust and…” quote by Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/sianne-ngai-12114_beauty_while-this-book-makes-a-similar-if-more_1716059.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/sianne-ngai-12114_beauty_while-this-book-makes-a-similar-if-more_1716059.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d5/sianne-ngai-12114_beauty_while-this-book-makes-a-similar-if-more_1716059.jpg) > ““While this book makes a similar if more modest claim for the social significance of its own fundamentally ambivalent “sentiments of disenchantment” (an ambivalence demonstrated by the fact that all are mobilized as easily by the political right as by the left, as the histories of disgust and paranoia illustrate so well), it is useful to recall that with notable exceptions like Hobbes or Niccolò Machiavelli, who made fear central to their theories of modern sovereignty and the state, it is the discourse of philosophical aesthetics, rather than that of political philosophy or economy, in which emotions have traditionally played the most pivotal role—from Longinus to Immanuel Kant on the sublime (perhaps the first “ugly” or explicitly nonbeautiful feeling appearing in theories of aesthetic judgment), to the twentieth-century mutation of this affect I describe in my chapter on stuplimity.”” [Sianne Ngai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sianne-ngai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emotions, especially fear and disgust, shape philosophical aesthetics more than political or economic theory, influencing how we judge the sublime and the ugly. **In simple terms:** Feelings drive aesthetic judgments more than politics. Key Takeaway Consider emotional impact when evaluating art. Themes aesthetics emotion philosophy politics Mood analytical critical Type academic theoretical When to use this quote - art criticism - political theory - cultural analysis - academic research Key Concepts sublime disgust fear stuplimity Questions to Reflect On - How do fear and disgust shape your artistic preferences? - Can aesthetics be judged without emotional response? A Different Perspective Relying solely on emotion can obscure rational critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Nature of Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-beauty/) [Political philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [“It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-goldstone/it-must-be-considered-that-there-is-nothing-more-difficult-to-carry/) [Nancy Goldstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-goldstone/) > [“I watch Fox news for the comedy, MSNBC when I need to be reminded that mind midgets exist and CNN when I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-senior-fellow-the-center-for-cyber-influence-operations-studies-ccios/i-watch-fox-news-for-the-comedy-msnbc-when-i-need-to-be-reminded-that/) James Scott, Senior Fellow, The Center for Cyber Influence Operations Studies (CCIOS > [“Who was it who said, 'The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present'?" 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