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Taka Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

this

I used to think that young Americans began whatever education they were to get at the age of eighteen, that their early lives were spiritually empty and that they arrived at the university clean slates unaware of their deeper tires and the world beyond their superficial experience. The contrast between them and their European counterparts was set in high relief in the European novels and movies into which we were initiated at the university. The Europeans got most of the culture they were going to get from their homes and their public schools, lyceés, or gymnasiums, where their souls were incorporated into their specific literary traditions, which in turn expressed, and even founded, their traditions as peoples. It was not imply or primarily that these European schoolchildren had a vastly more sophisticated knowledge of the human heart than we were accustomed to in the young or, for that matter, the old. It was that their self-knowledge mediated by their book learning and that their ambitions were formed as much by models first experienced in books as in everyday life. Their books had a substantial existence in everyday life and constituted much of what their society as a whole looked up to. It was commonplace for children of what they called good families to fill their imaginations with hopes of serious literary or philosophic careers, as do ours with hopes of careers in entertainment or business. All this was given to them early on, and by the time they were in their late teens it was part of the equipment of their souls, a lens through which they saw everything and which would affect all their later learning and experience. They went to the university to specialize. (Allan Bloom)

What exactly does 'this' refer to?
  

Top answer

Taka I used to think that young Americans began whatever education they were to get at the age of eighteen, that their early lives were spiritually empty and that they arrived at the university clean slates unaware of their deeper tires and the world beyond their superficial experience. The contrast between them and their European counterparts was set in high relief in the European novels and movies into which we were initiated at the university. The Europeans got most of the culture they were going to get from their homes and their public schools, lyceés, or gymnasiums, where their souls were incorporated into their specific literary traditions, which in turn expressed, and even founded, their traditions as peoples.

— Pieanne

  • Taka I used to think that young Americans began whatever education they were to get at the age of eighteen, that their early lives were spiritually empty and that they arrived at the university clean slates unaware of their deeper tires and the world beyond their superficial experience.
  • The contrast between them and their European counterparts was set in high relief in the European novels and movies into which we were initiated at the university.
  • The Europeans got most of the culture they were going to get from their homes and their public schools, lyceés, or gymnasiums, where their souls were incorporated into their specific literary traditions, which in turn expressed, and even founded, their traditions as peoples.
  • It was not imply or primarily that these European schoolchildren had a vastly more sophisticated knowledge of the human heart than we were accustomed to in the young or, for that matter, the old.
  • It was that their self-knowledge mediated by their book learning and that their ambitions were formed as much by models first experienced in books as in everyday life.
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6 Answers
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TakaI used to think that young Americans began whatever education they were to get at the age of eighteen, that their early lives were spiritually empty and that they arrived at the university clean slates unaware of their deeper tires and the world beyond their superficial experience. The contrast between them and their European counterpar
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PieanneI'm not answering your question, Taka, but I'm wondering about the highlighted word...

Must be a typo for 'simply'.
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Yes, you must be right, Davkett; I was focusing on "imply/implied..." !
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Taka
What exactly does 'this' refer to?

It's a convoluted read, but I'll say 'all this' refers to-- self-knowledge, as gained from either literary, philosophic, entertainment, or business career models.

Should 'deeper tires' be 'deeper ties'?
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DavkettIt's a convoluted read, but I'll say 'all this' refers to-- self-knowledge, as gained from either literary, philosophic, entertainment, or business career models.



OK. Thank you, davkett!

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