Quote of the Day: Reconciling All Europe

 

“Je mettrais plutôt toute l’Europe d’accord que deux femmes.” — Louis XIV de France et Navarre

For those who don’t read French, a loose translation might be, “I could sooner reconcile all Europe than two women.” Of course, when he said it, most of Europe was run by men.

Ah, human nature never changes.

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  1. Gary McVey Contributor
    Gary McVey
    @GaryMcVey

    Nietzsche might say that in both cases, only ruthless, unquestionable conquest can effect a sufficient shock to unify their interests. What this amounts to in practice I don’t really know. I leave it to less delicate imaginations than mine, Arahant’s, and I’m sure the gentle reader’s.

    • #1
  2. Vectorman Inactive
    Vectorman
    @Vectorman

    Arahant: Ah, human nature never changes.

    Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. FIFY


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    • #2
  3. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    Why don’t women get along with each other?

    • #3
  4. Amy Schley Coolidge
    Amy Schley
    @AmySchley

    Gary McVey (View Comment):
    Nietzsche might say that in both cases, only ruthless, unquestionable conquest can effect a sufficient shock to unify their interests. What this amounts to in practice I don’t really know. I leave it to less delicate imaginations than mine, Arahant’s, and I’m sure the gentle reader’s

    https://goo.gl/images/SSzRoA

    • #4
  5. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    One good quote deserves another. Here is C.S. Lewis on why the man should be head of the household, which may or may not cover the case that Louis 14 had in mind:

    He  [the husband] has the last word in order to protect other people from the intense family patriotism of the wife. If anyone doubts this, let me ask a simple question. If your dog has bitten the child next door, or if your child has hurt the dog next door, which would you sooner have to deal with, the master of that house or the mistress? Or, if you are a married woman, let me ask you this question. Much as you admire your husband, would you not say that his chief failing is his tendency not to stick up for his rights and yours against the neighbours as vigorously as you would like? A bit of an Appeaser?

    You can read more of the context here, which is a web page I found when I googled for that quote.

    • #5
  6. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    The Reticulator (View Comment):
    One good quote deserves another. Here is C.S. Lewis on why the man should be head of the household, which may or may not cover the case that Louis 14 had in mind:

    He [the husband] has the last word in order to protect other people from the intense family patriotism of the wife. If anyone doubts this, let me ask a simple question. If your dog has bitten the child next door, or if your child has hurt the dog next door, which would you sooner have to deal with, the master of that house or the mistress? Or, if you are a married woman, let me ask you this question. Much as you admire your husband, would you not say that his chief failing is his tendency not to stick up for his rights and yours against the neighbours as vigorously as you would like? A bit of an Appeaser?

    You can read more of the context here, which is a web page I found when I googled for that quote.

    Is it that way in African or Arab societies?

    • #6
  7. Quake Voter Inactive
    Quake Voter
    @QuakeVoter

    I believe the great American philosopher Al Swearengen had more to say than Nietsche about these matters.

    • #7
  8. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    Quake Voter (View Comment):
    I believe the great American philosopher Al Swearengen had more to say than Nietsche about these matters.

    Got a youtube quote?

    • #8
  9. Quake Voter Inactive
    Quake Voter
    @QuakeVoter

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Quake Voter (View Comment):
    I believe the great American philosopher Al Swearengen had more to say than Nietsche about these matters.

    Got a youtube quote?

    Yeah, but I’d rather try touching the moon than slipping them past the CoC.

    • #9
  10. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    The Reticulator (View Comment):
    One good quote deserves another. Here is C.S. Lewis on why the man should be head of the household, which may or may not cover the case that Louis 14 had in mind:

    He [the husband] has the last word in order to protect other people from the intense family patriotism of the wife. If anyone doubts this, let me ask a simple question. If your dog has bitten the child next door, or if your child has hurt the dog next door, which would you sooner have to deal with, the master of that house or the mistress? Or, if you are a married woman, let me ask you this question. Much as you admire your husband, would you not say that his chief failing is his tendency not to stick up for his rights and yours against the neighbours as vigorously as you would like? A bit of an Appeaser?

    You can read more of the context here, which is a web page I found when I googled for that quote.

    Is it that way in African or Arab societies?

    I don’t know, but I don’t know why it would be any different, given that biological reproduction works the same for all of us.

    • #10
  11. Hypatia Member
    Hypatia
    @

    H’mmm, I have always heard this, like Oscar Wilde’s “Women never call each other “sister”  until they have called each other a great many other things first!”

    I’ve led a charmed life, I reckon, happily  avoiding the mean-girl atuff.   While I have in some couples observed, as P.G. Wodehouse woulda put it, that “the f. of the s. is more d. than the m”, it’s not the case with me ‘n’ my mate. O I can be fierce, but he would stand at the mouth of our den menacing all comers!

    The ladies Louis was surrounded with were in a deadly battle for precedence, for his favor and that of his court. What one gained, another. must necessarily be losing.

    But do women truly and in general,  feel that way about each other, as a default position?

    I’m really humbly  asking.  I’ve always kinda preferred the company of the gents.

    • #11
  12. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    [weak link]

    • #12
  13. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

     

    • #13
  14. Hypatia Member
    Hypatia
    @

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):
    Why don’t women get along with each other?

    IF this is cliché is true, I think it may in part br the kind  of thing you see among any class of people that feels disadvantaged: they develop distinctions and prejudices among themselves, sort of a caste system, even though people outside their group don’t notice the distinctions. Lord I thank thee that I am not as that woman..

    Maybe the millennial girls  will change this, taking each other to parties as a “plus one “, adopting that “I will not be afraid of women” song as their anthem.

    • #14
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