The Fleming Foundation Cultural Commentary

7

Tune Out

FB friend Patrick Mulvey posted a great comment on my previous scribbling:

“It may a small sample size but many of my babyboomer contemporaries and younger extended family members who suffer from ‘real’ mental illness…manic depression, bipolar disorder and worse…….all used illegal drugs regularly in their teens, 20’s and 30’s. I’m not saying this is the only cause of mental illness but one only has to look at our homeless problem and know that lack of housing is not the major reason.”

1

Herodotus, Book I

 What is important to note in this first bit of history is his willingness to give different accounts and explanations and to allow readers to make up their own minds.  It is not that he does not have opinions that he freely expresses, and he certainly, by an artful narrative style, leads us in one direction or another, but the final judgment is left up to the reader.  Would we had such a writer to day.