No. 24: Xi on Thucydides, prosperity gospel, and rugs

Arendt/Baldwin/Emerson/Hemingway/Machiavelli/Thucydides

Here's some things other people have been writing:

Emerson’s “New Thought” movement is a precursor to the antisocial strain of the prosperity gospel that’s taken hold of evangelical churches. newrepublic

Baldwin, in an old interview, said “There may not be as much humanity in the world as one would like to see, but there is some…There is more than one would think.” It got me thinking about humanity as the times seem to be getting darker. theatlantic

Arendt, in her report on the banality of evil, wrote “Evil comes from a failure to think”. This is what I see in the left’s blind allegiance to a Marxist model and their mainstreaming of Antisemitism. [chris: the quote in the article seems to come not from Arendt herself, but from a 2006 article by Amos Elon called ‘The Excommunication of Hannah Arendt’] breitbart

Hemingway’s work was elevated and understated, just like the rugs the co-founder of Peloton is now selling. vanityfair

Thucydides thought rising powers inevitably go to war with ones in decline. Chinese president Xi Jinping told Chuck Schumer that this “Thucydides Trap” is not inevitable. [chris; In No.11 I shared that the “Trap” leads to war 75% of the time] time

Machiavelli wrote of the best way for a Prince to rule. Lots of management books suggests looking to The Prince for guidance, but I discovered that being explicit about a firms purpose and processes yields better and more pragmatic results. economist