First in violence, deepest in dirt, lawless, unlovely, ill-smelling, irreverent, new; an overgrown gawk of a - village, the "tough" among cities, a spectacle for the nation.
Interpretation
This quote reflects on the chaotic and often unappealing aspects of a city that embodies toughness amidst societal challenges.
Lincoln Steffens describes a city that starkly represents the struggles and raw realities of urban life. By using vivid imagery and contrasting adjectives, he captures the essence of a place that is marred by violence and neglect yet possesses a unique character that stands out in the national landscape. The description signifies a reality that, despite its flaws, is vibrant and noteworthy, offering insights into the complexities of urban existence.
In practice
In a discussion about urban development, one might quote this to illustrate the gritty reality of some cities.
Whenever anything extraordinary is done in American municipal politics, whether for good or for evil, you can trace it almost invariably to one man. The people do not do it. Neither do the 'gangs,' 'combines,' or political parties.
Most men think graft a sporadic evil, breaking out here and there, with no connection between outbreaks. I shared the same opinion, but very soon I discovered that the graft in the cities always leads to the graft in the State.
Man who man would be, must rule the empire of himself.
The road to tyranny, we must never forget, begins with the destruction of the truth.
If you wish to glimpse inside a human soul and get to know a man, don't bother analyzing his ways of being silent, of talking, of weeping, of seeing how much he is moved by noble ideas; you will get better results if you just watch him laugh. If he laughs well, he's a good man.
Under the color-blind ideology of the new racism, Blackness must be SEEN as evidence for the alleged color blindness that seemingly characterizes contemporary economic opportunity.
Ideology knows the answer before the question has been asked. Principles are something different: a set of values that have to be adapted to circumstances but not compromised away.
It is not our job to apply laws that have not yet been written.
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