I've been reading a bit of Jacques Barzun lately. This lecture in his Forgotten Thinkers series by Wes Cecil is a nice summary of Barzun's work. You have to overlook Wes Cecil's weird habit of pronouncing the "s" at the end of Jacques Barzun's first name, but such pettiness aside, this is pretty compelling stuff.
The lecture is an hour long, but go bake some cookies or something while you listen, and you won't even notice the time passing. Meanwhile your intellect will be exercised even as your belly anticipates expansion.
My favorite section of the lecture is when Dr. Cecil talks about the three things that Barzun says are the enemies of the intellect. You won't be able to anticipate Barzun's list – it is so counter-intuitive – yet when he makes his argument for why these three things are enemies of the intellect, it makes so much sense. Barzun was something of a prophetic voice, if it's possible for an intellectual and academic to also be a prophet.
Jacquesss... you're right... thanks for pointing it out or I wouldn't get past it!
Ha! Glad I could help. Sort of inexplicable that Cecil does this but hopefully it didn't distract too much. Thanks for checking it out!
Yes! I like the part about the artist's statement. Barzun is ahead of our time!
this was very helpfull man , thank you
His idea that removing classic works from academic study has actually solidified the existing canon further and made it even more exclusive, as opposed to "democratizing" it, is especially interesting. His definition of a decadent culture also seems to have presaged the post-structuralist idea of the collapse of the meta-narrative as a period of time without shared fundamental ideals or ethics. Fascinating thinker, and wildly ahead of his time!
This just feel so right..... Really appreciate it
I always listen to audiobooks before sleeping, this sounds interesting so I will listen to this tonight.
Although likely incorrect, I must take a guess on the three things..
Religion
The ego
Emotions.
I want to say education as sometimes we think we know for a fact things regarding our areas of expertise, we refuse to contemplate ideas we have been taught were otherwise.. But education teaches critical thinking, so it can't be that.
Thanks for your comment; I'm sure you could make a good case for all three of your thoughts on what the enemies of the intellect might be.