Soft Despotism and Rambling

I am in deep appreciation mode for Alexis de Tocqueville's "Democracy in America" ( well the abridged 2 volume edition). At the moment I am writing my final short paper for my civ 291 class before the big research paper. I chose to write about Tocqueville's new fears of that democratic nations such as the U.S. allow for this new type of despotism which rots the brain of the people as the people continue to praise it for beneficial. The few sections we've read for class are unbelievable, I can totally admit the slight intellectual crush I have on this 19th century Frenchman.

"After having thus successively taken each member of the community in its powerful grasp and fashioned him at will, the supreme power then extends its arm over the whole community. It covers the surface of society with a network of small complicated rules, minute and uniform, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate, to rise above the crowd. The will of man is not shattered, but softened, bent, and guided; men are seldom forced by it to act, but they are constantly restrained from acting. Such a power does not destroy, but it prevents existence; it does not tyrannize, but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd." (Vol II, Pt IV,Ch VI)

I am so lucky to be exposed to such captivating texts at the LAC (ok..Kant and Hegel are not captivating...sue me!).

So I haven't been doing much exploring lately as I seem to be sick again; which I am definitely attributing to babysitting a sick 3 year old. But I have been baking a lot more, recently I made a lemon sponge cake with a vanilla butter cream frosting. I have also suprisingly started eating chicken again. I never stopped but I did grimace whenever I was given chicken since I really don't enjoy it. But with my gas stove and fresh supply of chicken breasts and Kosher Cornish Rock Hens (supplied by my mummy) I have rediscovered my love of chickens. Yay? sure.

my meanderings and musings have been non-existent lately, perhaps it's the cold dead of winter slowing me down. But spring is almost here and the sun has decided to start peaking through with more regularity. I am hopeful.

so very hopeful...