Doug Henwood wrote:
>
> On Aug 3, 2006, at 4:00 PM, Carl Remick wrote:
>
> > They seem to be too lazy and easily distracted to spend any time
> > *learning* about how they are indeed getting fucked over.
>
> Path of least resistance. Why devote a lot of time to understanding
> how you're fucked over, when it'll just depress you?
Yes!
Even for workers in relatively 'comfortable' economic conditions the world is an uncertain place, hours are too long, problems are too many, .....the world is too complicated, ....
Perhaps also relevant, the contrast between the last lines of PL and the lines 'corrected' by Bentley in his edition:
Milton:
Some natural tears they drop'd, but wip'd them soon: The World was All before them, where to choose Their place of Rest; and Providence their guide : They hand in hand with wand'ring steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.
Bentley's Correction:
THEN hand in hand with SOCIAL steps their way Through Eden took, WITH HEAV'NLY COMFORT CHEER'D.
The isolated individual (within "the lonely crowd" of isolated individuals) reasonably keeps hoping that Bentley knew more than Milton did.
Carrol