Quote Of The Day #43
Other wars end eventually in victory, defeat or exhaustion, but the war between men and women goes on forever.
Sometimes I think wanting to be good is just another form of vanity.
Probably he isn’t taking proper care of himself because of self-hatred…
He could see no way out: it was like a multiple-choice test in which none of the answers were right.
I mean, isn’t that just going along with everything that’s messed up in this society? If you just do it because you’re afraid of prejudice, isn’t that sort of helping to perpetuate it?
She never complained of being bored like her daughter-in-law. Every day for her was important, presenting a constant series of problems in moral arithmetic. Every detail of behavior, down to setting a mousetrap or taking another slice of cake, was good or bad; every night there were complicated moral sums to add and subtract—even to multiply—in private dramatic consultation with God.
Bill was an ambitious, cautious, personable young man; an executive type, devoted to the smooth functioning and greater glory of the department, but without strong opinions of his own.
…for on close acquaintance, Wendy’s malleability has proved just as intractable as Erica’s stubbornness. She will agree to anything, accept his opinion on any matter; but a few hours later she will meet Linda or some other friend, hear a lecture, read a magazine article, and change her mind.
It was agreed everywhere, also, that Mrs. Hyde was the worse; or at least the more responsible. A father might possibly avoid blame for the awfulness of his children—a mother never.
I’ve had this book forever but for years I couldn’t get past the first few pages. Then last weekend, I opened it by mistake and read it. It’s a great book. What a surprise. The title is, “The War Between The Tates” and it’s written by Allison Lurie, who passed away in 2020.
It’s about Erica and her husband Brian Tates, who’s a professor of Political Science in a university in Upstate New York. (It is said it is referring to Cornell University) And the book is set in 1960s when protests were common and campus controversies were everywhere. Brian had an affair with a student named Wendy and Erica kicked him out of the house. Erica had a hard time to make ends meet and had to take a part time job. Brian also had a hard time since he had to rent an apartment and prepared to divorce Erica in order to marry Wendy. However things didn’t go as planned. It all culminates at the point when Brian encouraged Wendy and her fellow students to take Professor Dibble’s class. Dibble was very conservative and very dismissive of women. Brian was Dibble’s archenemy in the department. Needless to say Dibble’s lecture and his attitude enraged the women who took his class. They demanded Dibble’s apology and requested him to make changes to his lecture, which Dibble refused. And the conflicts escalated until the women stormed Dibble’s office and held him hostage. I just love a story of “Amazonian” women warriors. And I can’t believe I had not read this book until last weekend.
Even though I like the book a lot, I have to say I disagree with the author in certain parts, especially in those points that concern Sandy, who was Erica’s admirer and college friend. He was described as inept, passive, shy, thin, poor, cheap, homeless who believed in Eastern philosophical thoughts, with a strong implication that he believed in Buddhism. This is quite a negative and stereotypical view of Buddhism. And it is…. Well… I don’t know what to say because it is so wrong in so many ways that it is almost a farce. And I think the author intended to be humorous and I really shouldn’t be too serious about it either.
As someone who is fascinated by the 60’s and 70’s I need to read this book as soon as I can. I think Sandy’s character is supposed to be more about those that were a part of the emerging and growing hippie movement in the 60’s rather than Buddhists. Many of the hippies believed in Eastern philosophy and were looked down on by those around them for choosing other things rather than material happiness which is a big part of Eastern religions.
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Oh, that explains it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I think you are right about Sandy and he is quite a hippie character. I guess a hippie does have a lot of negative connotations associated with him. LOL. It is a fascinating book and I bet you would love it. I also went to Betterworldbooks.com and bought five more books by Laurie.
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Oh wow let me know how the other books are too. I would very much be interested in reading those too if they’re good.
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Yes, I just finished another one of her book”The Truth About Lorin Jones” and I love it although it is not as interesting as “The War Between The Tates”. Now I am proceed to her other books but I am reading too slow. LOL.
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Hmm interesting I’ll keep that title in mind too.
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Yes, it is quite amusing. Hope you like it.
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Wars are out of power
through the blessing
the high priest
as you can see today
by the hubris men
and the endorsement
the women
already through
the millennia
by the winner
justifiably celebrated
originated
what mutual attraction
from people
in gender diversity
first the magic
then the change
then the farewell
the separation
the war
the suppression
everyday killing
the circumcision
of women and children
is the most hideous war
of men
who never get enough
of massacres
her infernal joy
that they love so much
those
the indivisible dignity of man
everyday
trample with feet
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Thank you for your poem. Human history is very very sad. Unfortunately.
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Thanks for sharing these! The quote about taking care of yourself is so important – even with self hatred, maybe something could help!
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Yes, self hatred is very hard to get rid of.
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