Sign in  |  Register

The New Criterion

America’s leading review of the arts and intellectual life
- Harry Mount, the London Telegraph

Notes & Comments

February 2010

Dhimmitude at the Met

On the Met's new galleries dedicated to art from the "Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Late South Asia."

The most successful form of intimidation, because it is the most economical for the party doing the intimidating, is preemptive intimidation. It works like this: You get the party being intimidated to do all the heavy lifting. They supply whatever element of coercion is needed, which is often very little. They make the concessions, often without a murmur. Overt threats or acts of violence are mostly in the past. Every now and then, a ritual show of power might erupt to keep memories fresh, but for the most part the really successful intimidator relies on his victims to provide the stick with which to keep themselves cowed. They don’t call it a stick, of course. They call it “prudence,” being “responsible,” acting with “sensitivity towards the feelings of others.”

Remember, to take one example, the action of Yale University Pre ...

This article is available to subscribers and for individual purchase

Subscribe to TNC (Print and Online editions)

Subscribe to TNC (Online only)

Purchase article credit and clip this article

If you already have an account login first

This article originally appeared in The New Criterion, Volume 28 February 2010, on page 1

Copyright © 2012 The New Criterion | www.newcriterion.com

http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Dhimmitude-at-the-Met-4382
rate this article for your user profile

E-mail to friend


The New Criterion

You might also enjoy

Romancing radicalism

On The New York Times's love letter to the Weather Underground member Judy Clark.

Helen Frankenthaler, 1928–2011

On the passing of the painter.

Shall they defend the island?

Do the British still have backbone?

Most popular

view more >

The New Criterion is now optimized for Mobile Devices

Webcasts

Anthony Daniels on the Euro Crisis
The New Criterion author Anthony Daniels delivers remarks in New York City about the "European experiment." With an introduction by editor Roger Kimball. Recorded on November 30, 2011.


Andrew C. McCarthy: The Muslim Threat
The New Criterion contributor Andrew C. McCarthy delivers remarks in Effingham, Illinois, about the threat of Islamism to the United States. A Friend of The New Criterion, Dwight Erskine, introduces McCarthy to the Effingham audience. Recorded on October 1, 2011.


Roger Kimball: The Grim Future of Statism
The New Criterion editor Roger Kimball delivers remarks in Effingham, Illinois, about the future of statism and The New Criterion's 30th anniversary. A Friend of The New Criterion, Dwight Erskine, introduces Roger Kimball to the Effingham audience. Recorded on October 1, 2011.

Weblog