The World in Time / Lapham’s Quarterly Episode 93: Aaron Sachs
Aug 26, 2022
Aaron Sachs, a historian and author of "Up from the Depths," dives into the intricate parallels between the struggles of Herman Melville and Lewis Mumford and today's challenges. He argues that understanding these historical moments can inspire hope amid current adversities. The conversation explores societal anxieties across American history, critiques of technology and urbanization, and the profound themes of life and death in literature. Sachs emphasizes the cyclical nature of history and the potential for renewed political engagement.
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Questioning Unprecedented Times
- Historians often hear claims that current times are unprecedented and uniquely dark.
- Aaron Sachs argues such claims are disheartening and not fully accurate through historical comparison.
Darkness in Melville and Mumford's Eras
- Melville's antebellum America was anxious, unsettled, and violent over slavery.
- Mumford's era covered world wars, the Depression, and the 1918 flu pandemic, also very bleak times.
Rediscovering Melville's Legacy
- Melville was forgotten for decades until Mumford rediscovered him in difficult times.
- Mumford needed an intellectual ancestor who understood societal darkness and violence.
