#pol

My belief, for what it is worth, is that city dwellers cannot understand the world. Insulated from reality by complex and expert systems of provision and police, baffled by fashion and spectacle, city dwellers can distinguish neither the sources of their existence nor the consequences. ↗

— James Buchan

#belief #cannot #city #complex #consequences

One of the consequences of the Iranian revolution has been an explosion of history. A country once known only from British consular reports and intrepid travelogues is now awash with historical documents, letters, diaries, grainy video, weblogs and secret police files of questionable authenticity. ↗

— James Buchan

#awash #been #british #consequences #consular

We read too much Shakespeare at school, and view our parliamentary politics as dynastic drama, in which an impatient crown prince frets at his long subordination and begins to scheme for the throne he knows he merits, was promised and has earned. ↗

— James Buchan

#crown #drama #earned #frets #his

The writing is all done, so it's all about verbalizing everything from point A to point B, and certainly there's a bit of politics involved, so it's a different thing. ↗

— Lindsey Buckingham

#bit #certainly #different #different thing #done

Civil and political rights are critical, but not often the real problem for the destitute sick. My patients in Haiti can now vote but they can't get medical care or clean water. ↗

— Paul Farmer

#civil #clean #clean water #critical #destitute

It's unbelievable, there's a book out attacking Gore, when he's the most unfortunate loser in political history. ↗

— Vincent Bugliosi

#book #gore #history #loser #most

If you look just at the decades after 1934, you know it's hard to point to really inspired and positive support from outside of Haiti, to Haiti, and much easier to point to either small-minded or downright mean-spirited policies. ↗

— Paul Farmer

#decades #downright #easier #either #haiti

Justice is itself the great standing policy of civil society; and any eminent departure from it, under any circumstances, lies under the suspicion of being no policy at all. ↗

— Edmund Burke

#being #circumstances #civil #civil society #departure

Circumstances give in reality to every political principle its distinguishing color and discriminating effect. The circumstances are what render every civil and political scheme beneficial or noxious to mankind. ↗

— Edmund Burke

#circumstances #civil #color #discriminating #distinguishing

I think especially in a world where you have so little say about what goes on in your life, or in the politics of the world around you, it is wonderful to go into that studio, and tell yourself what to do. ↗

— Suzanne Farrell

#around #especially #go #goes #i