25 April, 2006

Revolutions - lasting?

The Economist does a survey in every issue. This week's survey is about the New Media - blogs, wikis, podcasts - versus the Old Media. Very cool. It's about 10 articles long, and starts here.

The final article begins with this quote that I found really, really solid and completely new to me:
AS A rule, some people, such as Jacobins, tend to be more enthusiastic about revolutions than others, such as monarchs. Another fairly reliable rule is that revolutions abrupt enough to be associated with a single year (1642, 1789, 1848, 1917) tend to cause trouble but rarely bring lasting change. By contrast, revolutions gradual enough to be associated with a name (Renaissance, Reformation, Industrial Revolution) often do have enduring effects. A third rule, or hypothesis, might be that revolutions seem never to be entirely for the better or the worse, but somehow manage to combine both.

Nope. I had never noticed that, but yeah. That groks.

How long I have longed for a revolution in the church! Now I know that I am hoping for a nice, patient, slow one.

10 comments:

Milly said...

Patients is a virtue.
]-(((*>

Kevin Knox said...

I'm a clown?! What's that?? :-D

]-(((*>

Milly said...

You are also a !:-) (scholar) Guess who this is? //o-o\\ Can you Imagine?

DougALug said...

~(_8^(|)

Doh!

Kevin Knox said...

Milly,

Little Orphan Annie? (She never had pupils in her pictures.) Hmmm. Your clue says it's John Lennon, and it's sure the right glasses and hair. Cool.

DugALug,

Don't tell me that's Homer! That's too cool.

I can hear it now:
Kids, don't try this at home. These are professionals, and without their training, you could get hurt.

Milly said...

Yep! It's John.

My daughter loves the song Empty Garden. ^j^

I was trying to figure out a way to write a post using these silly things. A friend in college use to write notes drawing pictures it was fun to read every morning. B-)

Milly said...

And. . .Codepoke I dated a clown. Nut'n wrong with being a clown.
:->

Kevin Knox said...

I once had a clown hitting on me. Or at least that's what my wife said at the time. She was really, really mad and I didn't even know it was happening.

Story of my life.

pearlie said...

Codepoke,
you are making me miss The Economist a lot. Had been subscribing to it since 1991 but stopped recently due to not receiving issues in time because of censorship problems. Then when I want it back, I can't afford it any longer.

As far as clowns are concerned for now - we steer clear: my son's phobia.

Kevin Knox said...

I love the Economist, too. I don't often get to read nearly as much of it as I would like.

Censorship troubles! (I am answering this one after learning the little bit of your background) Wow.

Praise the Lord for your steadfast faith in a place where even the Economist is questioned!