Tuesday, Nov. 29, 1960 University Daily Kansar
Page 3
By John Brown
"THE SELF-CONSCIOUS SOCIETY," by Eric Larrabee. Doubleday & Co. $3.50.
Eric Larrabee, a former associate editor of Harper's, is at present the Managing Editor of American Heritage. He has also written several articles for the Reporter and the New York Times Magazine. In this, his latest book, Mr. Larrabee concerns himself with the inherent urge for "self-analysis" that is so much a part of American culture. On the question of whether or not America has a status system the author examines what he considers prime examples of the self-analysis urge — the works of Vance Packard, W. Lloyd Warner, C. Wright Mills, etc. — and criticizes them freely. Turning from a criticism of the social analysis tendency, Larrabee himself proceeds to analyze certain dominant "symbols" of American culture at mid-century. His topics include jazz, the mass media, parent-child relationships, the problems of abundance, and our conceptions of the role of America in the world.
"It is now an almost unchallenged commonplace that pragmatism is a superficial philosophy of optimism, of uncritical adjustment and conformity, of worship of the goddess success. Such an interpretation of pragmatism not only runs counter to what we know of the personalities of Peirce, James, and Dewey, but is based upon a tendentious reading of their work.
WHILE MY GENERAL impression of the book is that Larrabee spends too much time quoting the opinions of other authors and too little time expounding his own, there are certain essays which are very well-written and which show considerable insight on the part of the author. I would especially recommend the piece on jazz (a subject with which Larrabee is quite familiar) as an expression of American character. The selection on pornography is currently being run as an article in Harper's. Before you spend $3.50 for this book, I would suggest that you read the Harper's article. It is a fairly representative excerpt from "The Self-Conscious Society." If you like the style and the frequent use of quotation you will probably enjoy the book.
Pragmatism
From the Magazine Rack
"WHAT WAS OVERLOOKED in this caricatured account is that the nature of philosophy, as the pragmatic philosophers conceive it, makes it a method of clarifying ideas and therefore preeminently a method of criticism. It is death on bunkum and pretentious abstractions especially when they are capitalized as Success or Historical Destiny or Reality. It clarifies the meaning of ideas by uncovering their consequences in use — not merely consequences in linguistic use but in the behavior of things and people in the concrete situations in which language functions. Long before Wittgenstein, pragmatists believed that language was a form of life. It reduces differences concerning supposed first principles and ultimate necessities to their varied fruits and consequences in experience.
"Pragmatism was not only a method of clarifying ideas by exploring their consequences in behavioral use. It was also a temper of mind toward the vital options which men confront when they become aware of what alternative proposals commit them to. It stressed the efficacy of human ideals and actions and at the same time their inescapable limitations. It forsweed the promise of total solutions and wholesale salvation for piecemeal gains.
"YET FAR FROM embracing easy formulae of the ultimate reconciliation of conflicting interests and values, it acknowledged the reality of piecemeal losses even when we risk our lives to achieve the gains. No matter how intelligent and humane our choices, there are, William James insists, 'real losses and real losers.' We live in a dangerous and adventurous and serious world and 'the very "seriousness,"' James goes on to say, 'we attribute to life-means that ineluctable noes and losses form part of it, that there are genuine sacrifices, and that something permanently drastic and bitter always remains at the bottom of the cup.'
"This aspect of the philosophy of pragmatism has been almost completely ignored by its critics. It seems to me, however, to be central in pragmatism and to provide an illuminating perspective from which to survey the problems and predicaments of men. It is grounded in a recognition of the tragic sense of life..."
(Excerpted from "Pragmatism and the Tragic Sense of Life" by Sidney Hook in the May 1960 Commentary.)
Worth Repeating
It is quite obvious that time is running out. . . In a very short time no less than fifteen countries will have the scientific and industrial capacity to join the nuclear club.-Howard C. Green
It is simply not possible for small oases of prosperity in the world to continue to exist amidst vast deserts of poverty without engendering storms that might engulf those oases—B. K. Nehru
The Packards, the Galbraiths and the Schlesingers are getting through to college students. And somebody has to set the record straight.-Hazen H. Morse Jr.
KU Graduates Get Advances
Advanced positions have lured four University graduates from their present jobs, it was announced by the respective departments of the University today.
Around the Campus
Sidney Anderson, formerly an instructor of zoology as well as an assistant curator at the University's Museum of Natural History, was appointed Assistant Curator at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Mr. Anderson was born in Topeka in 1927 and earned his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at KU.
Donald I. Kane, an instructor of industrial design here from 1946-51, joined the industrial design department at Remington Rand Univac, St. Paul, as a human factors engineer.
Mr. Kane received his B.A.in fine arts in 1948 and his M.A.in design in 1950 at KU.
Remington Rand also announced the appointment of Robert Lauck, 1954 LLB, graduate of the KU Law School to the legal counsel for the Remington Rand Univac Military division at St. Paul.
Prior to this appointment Mr. Lauck was employed in the office of the general counsel for the Navy Department in Washington, D.C.
George H. Weber, has been appointed chief of the Technical Aid Branch of the Children's Bureau in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
Mr. Weber received his M.A. in psychology in 1949 and his Ph.D. in sociology in 1954 from KU. He also had advanced training in psychological testing and psychotherapy at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka.
Official Bulletin
Items for the Official Bulletin must be brought to the public relations office, 231 Strong, before 9:30 a.m. on the day of publication, not bring Material to The Daily Kanam Notices should include name, place, date, and time of function.
TODAY
Business Placement Bureau Appointments. The Companies will be Rath Packing Company and Kennedy and Coe. Inning Stevens, director 202 Summerfield Hall.
*Nurses'* Club. 7 to 8 p.m. 110 Fraser
Ireland will speak on Missionary
NURSE'LP, IR, INDIA*
Naval Reserve Research Co. 7:30 p.m.
Room 104, Military Science Bldg. Collating Printed Books. Professor Charlton Hinman. CDR. USNR-Ret.
ASC Meeting. 7:30 p.m. Trophy Room.
Kansas Union.
Episcopal Evening Prayer. 9:30 p.m.
Danforth Chapel.
TOMORROW
Business Placement Bureau Appointments. Socony Mobil Oil and Kansas Power & Light Companies will inter- serve our organization from Dana Stevens, Director, 2012.
Catholic Daily Mass. 6:30 a.m. St.
John's Church, 13th & Kentucky.
Episcopal Morning Prayer and Holy Communion, breakfast follows. 6:45 a.m.
GLASS AUTO GLASS TABLE TOPS Sudden Service AUTO GLASS
Auditions to Be Held For Workshop Plays
East End of 9th Street
V1 3-4416
Open auditions for Actors Workshop plays will be held tomorrow and Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Experimental Theatre.
GOING ON A PICNIC?
Crushed Ice
Ice Cold 6-Pacs
of all kinds
Picnic Supplies
The workshop plays will be 15 minute scenes directed by members of the directing class. Auditions for plays ranging from musical comedy to serious drama are open to any interested student.
ASC to Install Members Tonight
Newly elected members of the All Student Council will be installed at 7:30 tonight at the ASC meeting in the Trophy Room of the Kansas Union.
LAWRENCE ICE CO.
6th & Vt., VI 3-0350
Representatives from living districts were elected in the general election Nov. 15-16. Ronald Dalby, Joplin, Mo., senior and student body president will install nine members of the University Party and four from Vox Populi. Three members of the Council were re-elected in the election.
A new treasurer will also be elected since Barbara Rhodes, Little River senior and ASC treasurer did not run for re-election.
Record Honoring Jayhawks on Sale
KU's Sport's Publicity director, Don Pierce, has written the notes for a special long-play Hi-Fi record "A Tribute to Victory 1960" now being sold by a local recording studio.
The record was made at last Tuesday's student convocation honoring the Jayhawk football team which defeated Missouri 23-7 Nov. 18 to win the Big Eight Championship. It also includes portions of the play-by-play broadcast of the game by Tom Hedrick, Director of the KU Sports Network, and Dick Harp.
Basketball Book Has Foreword by Allen
Forrest C. (Phog) Allen, professor emeritus and long time basketball coach at KU, has written the foreword to Alexander M. Weyand's book, "The Cavalcade of Basketball" published October 24 by the Macmillan Co.
Law Review Board Honored Recently
Ten law students received top honors recently by being selected to the Kansas Law Review Board of Governors. The Kansas Law Review is published three times a year by the KU Law School.
Elected to the Review were William H. Dye, Wichita, editor-in-chief; Charles J. Woodin, Lawrence, associate editor; Robert E. Edmonds, Lawrence, business manager; Ronald K. Badger, Kansas City, Kan.; Stanley N. Adams, Lawrence; Mikel L. Stout, Lawrence; William Hines Jr., Olathe, and Philip L. Bowman, Hutchinson, all third year law students.
John Hurley, Wichita and C. Jepson Garland, Wellington, second year law students.
Sororities' Serenade Is Prelude to Party
Junior Panhellenic members sennaded the sorority houses during dinner last night to advertise the Panhellenic Party Wednesday in the Kansas Union.
The party, a sorority mixer, begins at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m.
Entertainment includes skits, a trio,
and Christmas carols.
Doughnuts and cider will be served.
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