The Voyage of Life: Manhood

Cole's renowned four-part series traces the journey of an archetypal hero along the "River of Life." Confidently assuming control of his destiny and oblivious to the dangers that await him, the voyager boldly strives to reach an aerial castle, emblematic of the daydreams of "Youth" and its aspirations for glory and fame. As the traveler approaches his goal, the ever-more-turbulent stream deviates from its course and relentlessly carries him toward the next picture in the series, where nature's fury, evil demons, and self-doubt will threaten his very existence. Only prayer, Cole suggests, can save the voyager from a dark and tragic fate.

From the innocence of childhood, to the flush of youthful overconfidence, through the trials and tribulations of middle age, to the hero's triumphant salvation, _The Voyage of Life_ seems intrinsically linked to the Christian doctrine of death and resurrection. Cole's intrepid voyager also may be read as a personification of America, itself at an adolescent stage of development. The artist may have been issuing a dire warning to those caught up in the feverish quest for Manifest Destiny: that unbridled westward expansion and industrialization would have tragic consequences for both man and nature.

More information on this painting can be found in the Gallery publication _American Paintings of the Nineteenth Century, Part I_, pages 95-108, which is available as a free PDF at https://www.nga.gov/content/dam/ngaweb/research/publications/pdfs/american-paintings-19th-century-part-1.pdf

Matthew AlbertellDecember 17, 2023art, m, symbolism, Matthew Charles Albertell

Consequences Matter

“Social Justice Fallacies”

In this wide-ranging interview, Dr. Sowell discusses the consequences of our society’s embarking on a quest for equality at the expense of merit. Even if every group in society is given an equal chance, he explains, these groups will end up with disparate levels of income or education. Dr. Sowell also criticizes the concept of systemic racism; his research reveals it doesn’t appear to apply to blacks (watch the interview to see why that word isn’t capitalized here) who are married. The interview concludes with Dr. Sowell reading a moving passage from his book.

Poverty Is Engineered

Thomas Sowell

In 1995, Thomas Sowell sat down with Ben Wattenberg to discuss his new book, “The Vision of the Anointed.” Today, we see the notions discussed surface as the vision of the woke.

Stage 1 - Stage A Crisis

Stage 2 - The Solution For The Crisis

Stage 3 - Put In Results

Stage 4 - Blame