[James Brancheau]

Yeah, Julie, "certain strands" kinda qualifies that into oblivion. I'm not sure wars prove a difference in thinking, only that we're all guilty. I would agree that believing the West, or America, is at the root of all evil is its own kind of arrogance.

* I would like to add, that after meeting an American from upstate NY (it would have to be upstate), a person who had the temerity to debate the wall with me, I realized that I may be arguing less than essential points. He went on about "white" statistics, whites addicted to drugs, whites in prison (which I believe are still the minority).We have a real problem here. Even in Taipei, they are misinformed and militant.

[R. S. Gwynn]

Michael F, old Walt builds his arguments out of anitheses. So did Blake, who had four of them.

[Julie Steiner]

The point I was trying to make was "Must every set of contrasting identities be treated as if one is good and the other is bad?"

If people thought my point was "East good, West bad," that's a very discouraging answer to my question.

[John Isbell]

That is discouraging! But it's also kind of funny.

John

[Michael F]

Sam,

There is something redolent of Hegel in the air, but I’d submit that rather than resolving in a new thesis of the intellect, Walt’s resolution, like the Upanishads, is a movement of the emotions, with something of intuition. I think there is an intellectual reason to it, but it’s not explicitly argued; rather, he describes it lyrically, goes roundabout, and circles back to it innumerably, like a bee buzzing around the garden flowers. Not to be coy, but some things shouldn’t be said propositionally lest they lose all art.

Julie, I understood your point. Walt makes the same point, strongly, IMO.

But we digress. It might be fun at some point to have a thread on Whitman. Each time I read him I love him more and am more thunderstruck. Incomparable things said incomparably well…