According to Nicolas Carr who wrote a book on the subject, too many external distractions inhibit concentration and contemplation. Thought becomes disjointed and shallow. He reports, “A series of psychological studies over the past twenty years has revealed that after spending time in a quiet rural setting, close to nature, people exhibit greater attentiveness, stronger … Read more
People have long complained of the lack of civility in society today. It is not only because people are no longer taught manners. Rather, it is largely because people are not communicating face-to-face. They may be engaged in social media but the real human contact so essential to civility is missing. Robert Putnam, author of … Read more
Some people try to find a practical solution to problems on a purely pragmatic basis without reference to moral and intellectual ideas. Such a conception of life is in the final analysis impractical since the person must constantly be searching for solutions for each problem and thus often falls into error. It deprives a person … Read more
Some of the most beautiful things in life are not planned. Good conversations, close relationships or works of art are all examples of things that usually just happen. No strict planning is needed or even desired. Marvelous things naturally develop to the extent that the intellect is in order and the instincts and tendencies are … Read more
Josef Pieper explains how our modern world has suppressed the sense of wonder and marvelousness that should be part of our spiritual, cultural and intellectual life. He writes: “Wonder does not occur in the workaday world…and in a totalitarian world of work every form of and manner of transcendence is bound to wither, (would perish, … Read more
Imagine reading the following article: Jefferson Center — Joan MacIntryre and Jane Andrews have dreamed of a wedding with all the trappings. Joan has pulled out all the stops to bring it all together. Jane is taking care of the flowers. Relatives are coming in from all over. The event is planned for late October, … Read more
In their rush to get the jump on competitors, major retailers are already starting their holiday sales offers. While shoppers are not yet lining up at box store entrances in the summer heat, they are being actively solicited by retailers with special announcements of holiday savings. Already in late August, Toys R Us declared that … Read more
When speaking of the traditional family, we must see it as more than just the sum of living members composed of a father, mother, and children. Throughout history, the family has always been understood to mean the unity of the whole lineage of ancestors and descendants. It was only with the Enlightenment that this universally … Read more
I received a very interesting e-mail from a gentleman who has bought the book, Return to Order, and raised a number of very intriguing questions and comments. His concern is that the book misdiagnoses our modern problem by not going straight to the root of the problem – capitalism. To get results, he claims, one … Read more
Since its launching, the book, Return to Order: From a Frenzied Economy to an Organic Christian Society – Where We’ve Been, How We Got Here, and Where We Need to Go, has been in the news. Many media interviews with author John Horvat II have already appeared as more and more people become aware of the … Read more
