by

On crowding in cities


Men are not made to be crowded together in ant hills, but scattered over the earth to till it. The more they are massed together, the more corrupt they become. Disease and vice are the sure results of over crowded cities. Of all creatures man is least fitted to live in herds. Huddled together like sheep, men would very soon die. Man’s breath is fatal to his fellows. This is literally as well as figuratively true.

Jean Jacques Rousseau

About makagutu

As Onyango Makagutu I am Kenyan, as far as I am a man, I am a citizen of the world

17 thoughts on “On crowding in cities”

  1. inspiredbythedivine1 says:
    February 28, 2015 at 18:01

    Another fascinating quote by Rousseau. I’ll have to read more of his stuff. You seem to be quite fond of him.

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    • makagutu says:
      February 28, 2015 at 18:22

      This man was a living contradiction. In this book, he is writing about education and especially about how to educate children and says parents should teach their own but he is a man who gave all his for adoption.
      He talks not so good about medicine but always had doctors come to see him.
      If you ignore the man, you get to like his ideas

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      • inspiredbythedivine1 says:
        February 28, 2015 at 18:26

        Sounds like every politician I’ve ever listened to. I’m more impressed by actions than mere ideas. If one can’t live honorably, at least honorably enough to attempt living out the very ideas they’re selling, I’ve no respect for them. Not sure this fella’s worth the effort,

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        • makagutu says:
          February 28, 2015 at 18:33

          I think he deserves a chance. If I read books based on people’s character, I would have very few people to read.
          I like Percy Shelley but if one were to read his treatment of Harriet, one wouldn’t give him a chance

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          • inspiredbythedivine1 says:
            February 28, 2015 at 18:58

            I’ll definitely check him out.

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          • inspiredbythedivine1 says:
            February 28, 2015 at 19:13

            I don’t read or not read a book based on someone’s character. I’ve read Mein Kampf, for Pete’s sake, but if I read a book on philosophy by a philosopher who doesn’t do as he preaches, or try to, I put it, and him or her, in the same camp as the religious preacher or the politician who says one thing while doing another. I’ll read more of Rousseau, though, before arguing points on him. I don’t know enough. But I place little value on those who live contradictorily to how they tell me I, or my society should live. Weakens the value, though, not always my interest, in what they have to say. I hear and read that type of rhetoric from preachers and politicians all the time. Any way, I’ll read more on the fella himself before I dismiss him.

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            • makagutu says:
              February 28, 2015 at 20:14

              you may like some of his ideas and disagree with him on others.
              in general he is not difficult to read, he tries to make his stand clear with as few ambiguities as he could manage.
              he was a good husband and I think a great friend and the thing I find sad is he didn’t make as much from his books and plays.

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  2. aguywithoutboxers says:
    February 28, 2015 at 19:22

    I agree with his assessment. Nice job, my friend!

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  3. themodernidiot says:
    February 28, 2015 at 19:37

    Perhaps true until indoor plumbing?

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  4. Doobster418 says:
    February 28, 2015 at 20:02

    I live in the heart of a major city (San Francisco) and I love it. I guess I’m doomed to die soon. I hope “soon” is a least a decade or two from now.

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