For the kind words and birthday wishes. They are greatly appreciated no matter the language in which they are expressed.
As I was taking my morning walk in the 24° temperature, it occurred to me that this might be a good day to try one more time to explain, without the mathematics, the central thought that I expressed in my 1981 essay on Marx's labor theory of value. It could be a good way to distract me from the terrible condition that this country is now in with a pandemic killing 3000 Americans a day, a president soothing his wounded feelings by causing as much pain as possible, a Republican party finally revealing the true emptiness of its soul and countless Americans, having joined a death cult, refusing to believe in the reality of the virus even as they lie dying in intensive care.
How is that for birthday cheer?
That sounds like a great way to mark your 88th birthday, a genuine gift to those of us who
ReplyDeletetune out when they read or hear the words "linear algebra".
Thanks for your intellectual generosity and once again, happy birthday.
I believe it's his 87th not 88th birthday, even though he's starting his 88th year. There's something a little counterintuitive about the way birthdays are marked and celebrated, but just as you start your second year immediately after your first birthday, you start the 88th year immediately after the 87th birthday. And if it was simply a typo on your part, s.w., my apologies.
ReplyDeleteLFC,
ReplyDeleteI believe it depends on whether you capitalize, or do not capitalize, the “b” in Birthday. If you capitalize the “b,” then you are referring to a commemorative date, so that the 1st Birthday is commemorated on the beginning of one’s second year of life. If you are counting the number of birthdays which have occurred at the time you turn the age of 1, you have had two birthdays by the time your turn 1. S. Wallerstein did not capitalize the “b,’ so technically he is correct. Just sayin’, as the expression goes.
P.S.:
ReplyDeleteProfessor Wolff, enjoy celebrating your 87th Birthday!
I just watched the end of Face the Nation, in which they showed a video review of every losing presidential candidate since Hubert Humphrey congratulating the president-elect and calling for the country to unify in his support. Our current President has until noon on January 20th to keep the tradition alive, but, of course, he won’t.
LFC,
ReplyDeleteAs I said above, math isn't my thing.
Happy birthday, Prof. Wolff!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Professor Wolff!
ReplyDeleteIn dark times like these, I'm glad to participate in this online intellectual community. Thank you for hosting it.
Happy birthday and happy New Year, Professor! (2021 can't get here soon enough!)
ReplyDeleteHappy B prof!
ReplyDeleteProfessor Wolff --
ReplyDelete24 degree walk in N. Carolina -- I hoped you skipped the short pants (some people never grow up).
-- Jim
Joyeux anniversaire, prof!
ReplyDelete(Did you edit the numbers in your original post from Saturday?)
In the news this weekend, a roundup of luminaries who died this year included mention of Shere Hite. She reportedly had been in a doctoral program at Columbia studying social history around the time you were there. She is said to have dropped out after becoming disheartened by the university's "conservative standards for her studies," as a piece in the NYT magazine put it. Did you ever happen to meet her, or hear of her, in those days?
For someone who is so careful about COVID-19, you sure take the risks with the cold weather.
Oops, a clipboard error there.
ReplyDeleteI meant to post this:
Jared Diamond on risk management
(One of the disadvantages of not giving in to Google & creating an account is that I can't edit my posts.)
Eric, I am afraid I nevver did. However I did get to know T Grace Atkinson rather well since she was a graduate student in the philosophy department. I am not quite sure what she meant by the Universiity's conservative standards or her studies but it sounds as though she may have left for the same reason that I did in 1971.
ReplyDelete