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Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 10:45 pm: | 
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Hello All,
I just started Reconsidering The Souls of Black Folk and surprisingly enough, it's very readable. I'm enjoying the introduction so far. I can't wait to get to the sections where portions of the book is discussed. |
Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 10:29 pm: |
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Hello All,
I'm about half way through the book. I have to admit that it's beautifully written. The only downfall I can point out about the book is that I'm halfway through and neither Benjamin nor Crouch has really gotten to discuss the actual text of The Souls of Black Folk. Both authors are exploring the atmosphere and influences DuBois grew up and matured in before he wrote the book. I'm a little disappointed in that, but I can't downplay the wordsmith of both authors. As I said earlier, it's a beautifully written book. |
Cynique
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 12:15 am: |
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Darned if this doesn't sound like the kind of book I might want to read - non-fiction that authentically captures the essence of an era in black history! |
Chris Hayden
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 10:22 am: |
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Thump and Cynique:
I got to read that over the weekend and I found Playthell Benjamin just awesome but Stanley was just Stanley. He's becoming a parody of himself--as if someone could be a parody of a parody. They should have gotten somebody like Shelby Steele or somebody who will take the time to put forth reasoned arguments with some documentation.
Cynique: I don't think it captures the essense of an era in black history so much as it shows what two black (I was going to say intellectuals but Stanley don't fit--at least in this outing) writers think about DuBois and Souls a hundred years later. |
Cynique
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 10:28 am: |
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Well, reading what Thumper said, I kinda got the impression that the authors set the scene before proceeding with their analysis, and the scene they established had to do with how black life was when DuBois wrote the book. Maybe I assumed too much. |
Yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 11:06 am: |
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CH:
WHat is an intellectual? And how are you one in one instance and not another?
Cynique: I would suggest you take a look at the various biographies of DuBois and read the chapter/section that investigates the period in which DuBois wrote Souls of Black Folk. |
Chris Hayden
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 12:45 pm: |
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Yukio:
I'm glad you asked me those questions.
In my view an intellectual is a learned person. One who is learned and keeps on learning. One who lives a life of the mind. One who studies, reads, studies some more, writes (but not always).
Furthermore when discussing a subject in print or verbally the intellectual will base her discussion, or his points on sources heor she has studied. They will quote. They will have authority.
I am an intellectual when I discuss, say Souls of Black Folk, and quote other philosophers, writers, other works of Dubois, histories, poets. Etc. I am not an intellectual when I just fatmouth off and say, "Dubois was a bald headed old fart" or something. It might be in fact true
that he was a bald headed old fart. I myself thought he should have let the Van Dyke Beard and the homburg go in the 1930's, but he was a man of the 19th Century and I wasn't even born yet, so there was little pressure I could bring on him to that account.
I know that didn't answer your question. Nothing does. You, like the elephant child, have 'satiable curiosity.
I know my answer, reeking with a pig like sexism unseen since the days of Atilla the Hun, no whiff of which I have seemd to notice, will generate another of your epistles. I humbly await. |
Yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 02:29 pm: |
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CH:
You're amusing...there u go...u are too self-conscious. That is good. You answered my question.
Hmmmmmm.....SO if i uderstand correctly, an intellectual and being intellectual is when a learned person engages a topic with citations.
I don't necessary disagree with your definition, but i think it is missing the element of profound thought. COnsequently, I would add that an intellectual is a person with a critical analysis, which doesn't necessarily need to be fed by reading; it can emerge from common sense, and/or acess to different experiences, ie cultural, religious, etc.....
In other words, sometimes the socalled learned person merely repeats what he/she has read, but doesn't provide an analysis or commentary of their own accord....
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Chris Hayden
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 03:16 pm: |
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Yukio:
Yes, I would add that. I think though that a lot of people are allowed to bear the label intellectual without engaging in profound thought--through no fault of yours.
Remember how the Wizard of Oz gave the scarecrow some brains? |
yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 03:59 pm: |
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I'm going for the inclusion of common folk discussing politics on the street corner, as intellectuals....rather than an academic or "scholarly" position. |
Cynique
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 04:44 pm: |
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Nobody asked, but in my opinion an intellect is a very literate person, one who is well-read and well-informed, - somebody who, in being able draw from a vast store of knowledge, is conversant on a wide scope of subjects. And being able to quote from the classics is certainly a plus. |
Yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 06:46 pm: |
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Cynique:
All is welcome, of course.
Your thoughts seem similar to CH. I would add, as i did with CH, critical thinking, which is more essential, in my opinion, than being well read and well informed. I don't discount either, but they don't ensure rigorous thought, though being well read and well informed certainly helps. The virtuosity to quote merely demonstrates that you've read some books and memorized some opinions. There are others who've read a few books, and have actually studied the books, rather than just read them. And while studying the books, they've reflected about what the book(s) has to do with themselves, life, etc....thse is what i call intellectual work.
I would argue that most of us, as in AALBC posters, are intellectuals. Even with all the disagreement, there is a clarity in the posts that illustrate that most of us have really spent time to think about these things we talk about; rather than just quote what so and so said, we also engage eachother and the literature......we don't always need to be well read or informed for these discussions, but we do need to take time and reflect on the topics, and i think this is what occurs here. |
Cynique
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 07:11 pm: |
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Yeah, Yukio, I'm inclined to admit that quoting from the classics is probably more in keeping with a pseudo-intellect. And it is certainly imperative for an intellect to be able to mentally formulate a proposition and then through deductive reasoning reach a logical conclusion. I guess, in a nutshell (no pun intended), an intellect is someone who is a great thinker. |
Yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 - 09:54 pm: |
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Cynique:
Great as in Great or as in great?
I think critical thought is the optimal element...i'm not sure if any of us are great, but we are all intellectuals.... |
Cynique
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - 12:09 am: |
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"Great" as in better than "fair" or "good". I don't agree that we are all intellectuals. This term has to be used discriminately, or it loses its distinction. |
Yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - 01:21 am: |
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Yes, yes....i didn't mean everyone, but those who consciously make it their business to critically engage issues. Of course, there are different types of intellectuals, and all can not be cornel west, shelby steele, etc...
Besides, i reluctantly say that most people live their lives from analogy and habit. Therefore, they show or practice little reflection and do what they are taught and what they see others do. In addition, most folk are too busy trying to pay rent, have sex, and hang out. |
Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 09:15 am: |
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Hello All,
Chris, actually, I think Crouch is doing (I'm still reading the book) a wonderful job.
This is my first time reading Crouch's opinion. I'm kinda surprised at myself for liking what he's saying. Now, I wasn't a fan of that mammoth blowing hot air novel of his, but he's doing alright now.
Cynique: I think the book is something that you might enjoy. I can't wait to see what you think of it.
What is most interesting about the book is, from my perception only, the two commentators seem to be engaging in whether DuBois had the wisdom, knowledge to have written the book at the age of 25, which I have to admit is an awfully young age to proclaim to know the essence of a people, when most 25 years don't know themselves that well. It's obvious that Benjamin is wholly supporting and defending The book, and Crouch is taking it to task. I am going to see what Crouch's response is to the Benjamin's section that I'm reading before I can really judge how well Crouch takes Dubois and Benjamin to task.
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yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 12:39 pm: |
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Thumper:
Is the book very long? Are you reviewing it? |
Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 05:48 pm: |
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Hello Yukio,
The book is not that long, about 240 pages. Recently, I haven't been finding the time to really sit down and finish it off. I will be reviewing it. |
yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 29, 2003 - 06:27 pm: |
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Thump:
OK...thank you! is that a large or small font? |
Thumper
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 01, 2003 - 09:44 pm: |
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Hello All,
Yukio: It has a medium size font.
All: I just finished the book yesterday and I must say that I enjoyed it. I didn't necessarily agree with both of the authors on all of their views and opinions, but I did enjoy it! Playthell Benjamin is a fanstatic writer. Benjamin's sections were solidly constructed with supportive evidence. It was easy to see that Benjamin is a huge fan of DuBois. His opinions of Henry Louis Gates and Cornell West was entertaining. I would love to hear what these men have to say in response. *big smile*
Now that I've read the entire book. I have to say that I agree with Chris's assessment of Crouch. In my opinion the book is all Benjamin. By the time I finished Benjamin's last section, I was ready for the book to end. When I saw that Crouch had another section to go, I said, "Oh Stanley, you still here?" I wish Crouch had put the same amount of thought, time and space into the book that Benjamin did. And it seems to me that the book was more of a defense of DuBois and his place in our history than discussing The Souls of Black Folk. Both authors did cover The Talented Tenth theory and DuBois's relationship with Booker T. Washington.
All in all, the book was an excellent read. I highly recommended it. |
yukio
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2003 - 12:16 pm: |
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Thanks, Thump! |
Cynique
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2003 - 01:10 pm: |
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Gonna see if I can tackle this opus next week. |
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