Re: CHAT: Against stupidity

Quoting bnathyuw <bnathyuw@...>:

>  --- HCLE Quernheim <mail@...> wrote: > > P.S.
> > > "kämpfen mit" can also mean something like "to
> > > struggle with".
> >
> > so one interpretation could be that the gods
> > themselves have to deal with their own stupidity (
> > and they fail ) ?
>
> well, the translation "Against stupidity the gods
> themselves contend in vain" implies that it's
> stupidity in general . . . and therefore at least
> inclusive of other people's
>
> the implication then could be that we all have to deal
> with ( other people's ) stupidity, and often don't
> manage ; but there's consolation in the fact the gods
> themselves don't do much better
>
> i suppose knowing the context would help . . . !
Right, and the context both of the Asimov story, and of
Schiller's life all suggest it means that when mankind
acts stupidly, there's not much that divine intervention
can do about it.  I doubt Schiller would have thought
about the other interpretation.

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Thomas Wier            "I find it useful to meet my subjects personally,
Dept. of Linguistics    because our secret police don't get it right
University of Chicago   half the time." -- octogenarian Sheikh Zayed of
1010 E. 59th Street     Abu Dhabi, to a French reporter.
Chicago, IL 60637