The American taxpayers got their money's worth in Tuesday's Jefferson Lecture at the Warner Theatre, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Harvard University political science professor Harvey Mansfield, author most recently of "Manliness," delivered a dazzling display of erudition worth every cent of the $10,000 NEH honorarium.
Mr. Mansfield's lecture was entitled "How to Understand Politics: What the Humanities Can Say to Science," and his arguments were subtle, complex and wide-ranging. He cited such sources as Plato, Aristotle, Homer's "Illiad," Tocqueville and Lyle Lovett.
Yes, that Lyle Lovett, the country singer whose marriage (1993-95) to Julia Roberts was an inspiration to ugly guys around the world.
Mr. Mansfield was referring to thumos -- a Greek term for "animal spirit" that can also be translated as "passion" -- and its importance to politics when he had cause to discuss the poetic brilliance of the Texas-born Mr. Lovett:
For how can you have a politics of identity or of meaning without using the names that go with identity and meaning? Lyle Lovett has a song, "You're Not From Texas" that ends like this: "That's right, you're not from Texas, but Texas wants you anyway." Lyle teaches us the central problem of multiculturalism: If it's so important to come from Texas, how can Texas want you if you're not? Those of us not from Texas have to live with the shame of it, rather doubtful that Texas us wants us anyway. For with honor goes the shame of dishonor.I reckon that paragraph alone ought to be worth $10,000 in the eyes of the Texan-in-Chief. (President Bush did not attend, but former NEH chairwoman Lynne Cheney -- whose husband works for Mr. Bush -- was on hand.)
Just before the lecture began, I found myself standing in line with another reporter at the Starbucks across the street from the Warner. The reporter, employed by another newspaper, noticed I was reading the advance copy of Mr. Mansfield's lecture (the full text is online here) provided to the press. We talked briefly and I remarked on the Lyle Lovett reference.
The other reporter confessed he did not get Mr. Mansfield's point. But ... he's not from Texas.
-- Robert Stacy McCain, assistant national editor, The Washington Times
