A Wicked Company

New book: Philipp Blom's A Wicked Company: The Forgotten Radicalism of the European Enlightenment (2010). Revolves around Denis Diderot (1713-1784) and Paul-Henri Thiry, Baron d'Holbach (1723-1789), their circle and the comings and goings of various bright lights of the 1700s. Aside from being interesting in their own right, these folks were way ahead of their time and, still in many ways, of our time. They generally advocated for freedom of thought, expression and ideas, against abuses of power and the then-accepted status quo (divine right of monarchies and equivalent). They formed oases for "hanging out" and carrying on despite socio-political oppression nearly everywhere around them. In addition to Diderot and Baron d'Holbach, Voltaire, Rosseau, Ben Franklin and many others are in there. Above all, they were visionary hepcats who enjoyed living.

From the introduction: When we look into the future, we instinctively fear the Apocalypse . . . Next to the beatific vision of a perfect market, a science-fiction future without wars and energy problems [is counterposed] the looming prospect of an overheating planet, a nuclear World War Three, collapsing ecosystems, wars about water and other natural resources . . .  The possibility of humanity's simply muddling through . . . avoiding some catastrophes while suffering others (some of them self-inflicted), is simply less instinctive to our theologically conditioned brains than the thought of salvation or damnation, of heaven or hell (page xvii). 

Today's Rune: Breakthrough.