“History is not an agent who goes about trampling traditions into dust, ending lives, stifling others, despoiling the land, and poisoning the sea. History is humanity on its rampage. Considering the frequency of natural calamities, our treatment of warfare as a seasonal sport, and the insatiable squirrelliness of human greed, it should be an occasion for surprise when anything excellent survives.” — William H. Gass, “The Test of Time,” from Tests of Time
Those people are doing things again
March 20th, 2012 · 4 Comments
Tags: Lit & Crit
4 responses so far ↓
1 Averil Dean // Mar 20, 2012 at 3:32 pm
“. . . the insatiable squirrelliness of human greed . . .”
This is my new favorite expression. If I could draw, I’d make a little Wall Street tree and a bushy-tailed Bernie Madoff peeping out.
2 Tetman Callis // Mar 20, 2012 at 3:54 pm
There could be a lot of squirrels in that tree.
3 Averil Dean // Mar 20, 2012 at 4:14 pm
And a lot of nuts.
4 Tetman Callis // Mar 20, 2012 at 8:26 pm
And hollow balls.
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