Word: benignity
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Politics, it becomes clear, is inevitably a facet of literature. The most benign, introspective meandering can always be read as an endorsement of self-centered capitalism and possessive individualism. Epstein is arguing for a particular view of life, the traditional liberal humanist ideology, when he says that gravity is essential to great literature, and gravity depends on the spiritual. Clearly, Marxism will not appeal to Epstein. Accepting the inevitability of politics in novels, even in masterpieces by Dostoyevsky or Conrad, he resists literature blind to the rich variety of life...
...various ailments and caused birth defects in some of their children. The Government, said the judge, was "within its legal rights in refusing" to pay, since the veterans never proved that the chemical caused their problems. But Weinstein in effect criticized the U.S. for abandoning a moral responsibility. Its "benign detachment," said the judge, "may be cruel to the veterans who served their country." Weinstein pointed out that the companies had "produced at Government request what amounted to critical war supplies." Defense contractors, he said, may require exemption from liability before making such products for the Pentagon in the future...
...inanimate objects. Two female acquaintances of mine, while under its spell, came up to me with sparks in their eyes and told me, "I love you." This happens to me a lot, but most people would be taken aback, and would suspect such tenders. However, XTC is a relatively benign drug, and a few hours suffice to fade its apostles back down to our usual condition, where we don't speak of love so easily...
...second step in Nova's dance, however, weapons designers will put its powerful beams to a less benign purpose: to improve thermonuclear bombs by mimicking certain reactions in the controlled setting of a laboratory. That will save the Pentagon the expense of having to try out every newly designed bomb at an underground test site in Nevada, a procedure that costs about $10 million per explosion. Eventually, Nova could also be used in research for the Star Wars defense program...
...other night, "you've been in the White House five weeks now and there has not been a single leak. I can't stand it much longer." Regan holds the press at arm's distance, centralizes paper flow, assigns staff authority meticulously--and thus could spot any big leaker. Benign terror reigns in the back corridors. Information is sorted, compressed, confined. "I'm the small end of the funnel," Regan explains pointedly. The policy struggle around the President has been diminished. Regan is the lone briefer on many issues. He has urged more frequent news conferences for the President, mostly...