Example Bertrand Russell's humour

[James Warren]

Example Bertrand Russell's humour (The Faithful)

"I admire especially a certain prophetess who lived beside a lake in northern New York State about the year 1820. She announced to her numerous followers that she possessed the power of walking on water, and that she proposed to do so at 11 o’clock on a certain morning. At the stated time, the faithful assembled in their thousands beside the lake.
She spoke to them saying: ‘Are you all entirely persuaded that I can walk on water?’ With one loud voice they replied: ‘Yes, we are.’ ‘In that case’, she announced, ‘there is no need for me to do so.’
... And they all went home much edified."

[Mike Spencer]

James Warren <jwwar...@gmail.com> writes:

> Example Bertrand Russell's humour (The Faithful)
>

> 'Are you all entirely persuaded that I ca walk on water?' With one

> loud voice they replied: 'Yes, we are.' 'In that case', she
> announced, 'there is no need for me to do so.' ... And they all
> went home much edified.

Sounds just like TFG and the MAGA Granfalloon.

--
Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada

[James Warren]

Are his followers really edified though?

[Mike Spencer]

James Warren <jwwar...@gmail.com> writes:

> On Sunday, 5 March 2023 at 19:44:11 UTC-4, Mike Spencer wrote:
>
>> Sounds just like TFG and the MAGA Granfalloon.
>

> Are his followers really edified though?

If you mean "instructed and encouraged in moral, intellectual, and
spiritual improvement. enlightened - having knowledge and spiritual
insight", no.

But in the story of the prophetess, neither are her followers. They
enjoy a warm and fuzzy feeling that their specious beliefs have been
validated and the happy but spurious sensation that they have been
"instructed...enlightened...." etc. In this sense, edification is
what suckers enjoy when their gullibility weakens but is then
revived by some reinforcing event.

Without recalling any specific cases, I have a feeling that "edified"
is often used in this ironic or derisory sense, a sense that could not
have escaped Russell in the context quoted.

The MAGA granfalloon is actually quite heterogeneous and rent with
inernal controversy but they can all feel a unifying sense of
belonging and edification (in the above spurious sense) in a
"collection of people engendered and unified by some shared
characteristic that is of no substance or consequence."

[James Warren]

On Sunday, 5 March 2023 at 22:21:18 UTC-4, Mike Spencer wrote:
> James Warren <jwwar...@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > On Sunday, 5 March 2023 at 19:44:11 UTC-4, Mike Spencer wrote:
> >
> >> Sounds just like TFG and the MAGA Granfalloon.
> >
> > Are his followers really edified though?
> If you mean "instructed and encouraged in moral, intellectual, and
> spiritual improvement. enlightened - having knowledge and spiritual
> insight", no.
>
> But in the story of the prophetess, neither are her followers. They
> enjoy a warm and fuzzy feeling that their specious beliefs have been
> validated and the happy but spurious sensation that they have been
> "instructed...enlightened...." etc. In this sense, edification is
> what suckers enjoy when their gullibility weakens but is then
> revived by some reinforcing event.
>
> Without recalling any specific cases, I have a feeling that "edified"
> is often used in this ironic or derisory sense, a sense that could not
> have escaped Russell in the context quoted.
>
> The MAGA granfalloon is actually quite heterogeneous and rent with

> internal controversy but they can all feel a unifying sense of

> belonging and edification (in the above spurious sense) in a
> "collection of people engendered and unified by some shared
> characteristic that is of no substance or consequence."
> --
> Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada

I too am now edified. Merci.