About
30 December, 2006 — RickBSusan Sontag’s principal gifts to our civilization were not that easily packaged, but were a brilliant, non-stop commentary on contemporary art practices and their effects on our emotions. She did get off one sound bite in an interview on television, which was to me a stunning sermon in and of itself. She was asked what she had learned from the Holocaust, and she said that 10 percent of any population is cruel, no matter what, and that 10 percent is merciful, no matter what, and that the remaining 80 percent could be moved in either direction.
-Kurt Vonnegut
RickB
Human, Artist, Fool.
Ynys Mon, UK.
And I’m writing it because I need the therapy and I lust for world domination.
13 May, 2007 at 11:51 pm
I don’t know anything about Susan Sontag, except that she was some kind of singer, and maybe popular during the Veitnam war. She was wrong: it isn’t 10%, it’s 37%. Google “Stanley Milgram”
14 May, 2007 at 12:08 am
ha, ahem. Ah yes Milgram, well actually that result is only the final shock level, the adamant refusers only began at the 300 volt level so the percentage is arguable. In Sontag’s case she was talking in the context of society not the narrow terms of the Milgram study and I find it a fairly good approximation that explains the actual course of human history. Unfortunately.
12 July, 2007 at 9:37 am
Interesting and worthwhile stuff here. I’ve added Ten Percent to my blogroll. Keep up the good work.
Peace.
12 July, 2007 at 8:01 pm
Thanks frolix22, I’ll do likewise.
15 August, 2007 at 7:04 am
Hold forth on the Fool aspect sometime, please. We need more of a certain kind; not too many though, or it could get cacophonous.
15 August, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Everyday tells me I am a fool, for I continue living.
23 February, 2008 at 8:26 am
Hi, thanks for the link. I also added your fine blog to the roll
23 February, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Hey homeyra, I was most remiss in not having read you before, anyway that is now rectified and thanks for the link!