Words Worth Thinking About

“The essay differs from the article in at least one important point: it is the work of an individual, a man, a person, while the article may be the product of any man, or combination of men, or even a whole editorial staff. The author of an essay is significant in his own right, and his views carry weight for this reason.  The writer of an article is depersonalized; his material is the essential point of interest, not his own concepts of the material. The essay, as the work of a person can be and often is a work of art, but the article rarely rises above the level of a craft.  These distinctions could give rise to endless bickering between critics who fail to agree on some basic terms and principles, but they must be made.  In an age when human values have been minimized for the glorification of the machine and the committee, when demand for efficiency has obscured the more vital need for the preservation of the dignity of the individual, it is most important to preserve awareness of the validity of the arts.  In the arts, more than in any other products of human endeavor, the aspirations of individual men, the bright visions of the best of mankind reach their fullest expression.  The essay is one form of art which available to everyone who will take time to read and has the capacity for reflection.”

~ Homer C. Combs ~

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