Hannah Arendt.
I'm doing a seminar on her. I go to packed out public lectures about her, Freiburgers spilling into the aisles. The newspapers publish tributes to her. In Berlin they have art space exhibitions inspired by her.
They do not talk about her personal life. They talk about her ideas - her drive to understand the horrors of her century and to come out of it all affirming the 'vita activa'.
This makes me love Germany. A female philosopher ought get such attention, laudation elsewhere. But I do wonder if she would?
posted by Harriet at 8:52 am
3 Comments:
You think the Germans recognise intellectual achievement regardless of external factors like sex or race etc, more so than other places? Or you think they have adopted feminist ideals more thoroughly? Please qualify why you think this is so.
Believe me, my heart is still in Australia. Just credit where it's due.
But in fact, no, I wouldn't really put it down to the germans being more enlightened about matters of sexism. Rather their passion for culture, philosophy seems to overleap such concerns.
Their interest in Hannah Arendt has really thrilled me - in stark contrast to her unmodishness in Australia. It also probably has something to do with the fact that she comes from here. But more than that too.
My experience here has been a revelation of 'high' literary, philsophical culture. The newspapers are amazing in this respect as is the radio. So many students here, even who haven't studied art, philsophy, literature are impressively versed in these.
I am not saying that this high elitist culture ought always be especially championed - it just happens to knit with some of my interests. And in the case of Hannah Arendt who gives an amazing diagnosis of power plays in the modern world - i think it is a thoroughly good thing.
Besides, it was a question. If you think female intellectuals get such a fair run elsewhere, I'd be very excited to hear of it.
I actually wasn’t intending to come out defensive for the case of Australia. I think we’ve definitely got our fair share of sexism and anti-intellectualism here. I didn’t fully understand what you meant, but now I do.
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