Blog Post #1

I had never considered the parallels between the Enlightenment period and the 21st century and so I'm quite excited to see what direction the class will take in this endeavor. The phrase, "History does not repeat itself, but it rhymes" comes to mind. This also makes me wonder if there are recurring periods of time throughout history in which the zeitgeist is very similar to previous points in time yet the costume and technologies serve as facade to trick the observer into thinking that his period in time is unique while unknowingly repeating the same thought men before and after him will have. The topic that draws my interest the most is politics and its waltz with literature. Having read Voltaire and Swift recently, I find that irony and satire are effective tools in showing the innate imperfections of government and relegating it to the level of men. By reminding men that government is a product of himself, this opens an easier path to holding the government accountable, an accountable government would be readily at the behest of men, and so fulfilling its role by governing those that govern it. Overall, I'm excited for this class.

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