Web Letters: Bright Oblivion

By Emily Wilson

This article appeared in the July 21, 2008 edition of The Nation.

July 1, 2008

Write a Web letter about this article.

What's a Web Letter?

Web Letters are continuously published e-mails from real people, signed with their real names. No registration is required. Each article page on The Nation includes a Web Letters link.

Read the best Web Letters on this page.

We're committed to publishing your comments as they are received. We place a red star () on the best submissions and may edit your e-mail for length or content. Your e-mail address will not be published or shared with any third party without your consent.

If you prefer, you may submit a letter to the print edition only.

We look forward to hearing from you.

  • As a student of the classics, I am sadly used to the fact that the themes and purposes of ancient drama automatically go over the heads of modern writers and reviewers. But I would really like to know where Ms. Wilson gets the idea that "human civilization is premised on the idea that human beings should not kill one another." What a misinterpretation of history! Human civilization is premised on laws, which are premised on ideas of balance, reciprocation and justice--that is, if you kill a fellow citizen, you had better have a compelling reason or the rest of your fellow citizens just may decide to kill you back. Such a glaring example of gross non-understanding in the beginning of the article very much informed the view of the play found n the rest of the article. I think Ms. Wilson--and a lot of other people--would do well to invest in a course on ancient history. Ignorance of the past does little to inform the present, and nothing to prepare the future.

    Daniel Smith

    Quincy, MA

    07/14/2008 @ 1:32pm


Advertisement
Advertisement

Blogs

» Altercation

Altercation 3.0 | Altercation takes up residence today at The Nation. In this incarnation, expect more music and movies and maybe a little less politics. But first, a word about Cass Sunstein.
Eric Alterman
Posted at 3:45 PM ET

» Editor's Cut

Obama Must Get Afghanistan Right | If he doesn't, the US will be stuck in another military catastrophe.
Katrina vanden Heuvel
Posted at 10:53 ET

» State of Change

Country First Becomes Party First | John McCain wants to emulate Howard Dean but don't expect the same results.
Ari Berman

» Capitolism

ET Come Home | Tom Friedman testifies on Capitol Hill on green technology
Christopher Hayes

» The Beat

Feingold's Outline for a Constitutional Presidency | In a letter to Obama, Constitution subcommittee chair seeks a commitment to end executive excess.
John Nichols

» The Dreyfuss Report

Panetta? Ummmmm... Well..... | Could Obama have made a weirder choice for CIA director? Here's why Panetta is doomed.
Robert Dreyfuss

» Act Now!

Allow Media into Gaza | Israel is encouraging abuses by preventing foreign journalists from entering the Gaza Strip.
Peter Rothberg

» The Notion

Hard Times Without Studs | One of Terkel’s former book editors considers a Studs-less world.
Tom Engelhardt

» And Another Thing

Bill Ayers Whitewashes History, Again | The Weathermen were not just a bunch of idealistic young people.
Katha Pollitt