I would say that Don Quixote is admired as much as ridiculed by people of rank in part two of the novel. The more he is initially ridiculed, the more admiration he inspires, showing that his madness is inspired by a longing for what is noble. I see his restoration of sanity as a vindication that he was never truly grotesque.
I also feel that a book cannot be a classic if it is grounded in contemporary culture. A book is a classic because, among other things, it reveals both what has changed on the surface and what has remained vitally important to people between one era and another era.
I think Mill's views on eccentricity can be understood only within the context of his time: for him, the eccentric man was rational and did not accept dogma merely because it was widespread. That is much different than admiring people who seek attention for being queer or who compete with each other for the moral high ground based on claims that they are victimized (when, in fact, they are victimizers).
I do not believe that climate catastrophe is a well-founded fear, although that is a topic for a different discussion. If the topic interests you, I recommend the following books:
--Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn't, And Why It Matters (Steven E. Koonin) (2021)
--Climate Uncertainty And Risk: Rethinking Our Response (Judith A. Curry) (2023)
--Confessions Of A Greenpeace Dropout: The Making Of A Sensible Environmentalist (Patrick Moore) (2010)
I would say that Don Quixote is admired as much as ridiculed by people of rank in part two of the novel. The more he is initially ridiculed, the more admiration he inspires, showing that his madness is inspired by a longing for what is noble. I see his restoration of sanity as a vindication that he was never truly grotesque.
I also feel that a book cannot be a classic if it is grounded in contemporary culture. A book is a classic because, among other things, it reveals both what has changed on the surface and what has remained vitally important to people between one era and another era.
I think Mill's views on eccentricity can be understood only within the context of his time: for him, the eccentric man was rational and did not accept dogma merely because it was widespread. That is much different than admiring people who seek attention for being queer or who compete with each other for the moral high ground based on claims that they are victimized (when, in fact, they are victimizers).
I do not believe that climate catastrophe is a well-founded fear, although that is a topic for a different discussion. If the topic interests you, I recommend the following books:
--Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn't, And Why It Matters (Steven E. Koonin) (2021)
--Climate Uncertainty And Risk: Rethinking Our Response (Judith A. Curry) (2023)
--Confessions Of A Greenpeace Dropout: The Making Of A Sensible Environmentalist (Patrick Moore) (2010)
Sincerely,
Anthony (age 59)
Seattle, WA