"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"

[KittyWampus]

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way."

Charles Dickens "A Tale of Two Cities".


No commentary, just thought it seemed appropriate somehow.

[Aristus]

1. Dickens was an incredible writer, and a great progressive advocate.

But the opening of "A Tale Of Two Cities" is a rare exercise in reductio ad absurdum for him.

[KittyWampus]

2. English major?

;)

I listen to A Prairie Home Companion, if you get the reference. :hi:

[RagAss]

3. It is always appropriate, every time in history since those words were first conceived and written.

[ladjf]

4. For me, it's getting somewhat difficult to even remember the "best of times".

nt

[Dr Morbius]

5. It's a manichean nation.

Or we're a manichean species. Everything is dichotomy. And it isn't.

[Hawkowl]

6. No, simply the worst of times....

There is no liberating revolution in any way shape or form on the horizon. Simply an Orwellian/Kafka-esque nightmare.

[Greyhound]

7. How?

[Odin2005]

8. That describes the last 20 years perfectly.