Adler was a venerated philosopher, even though his staunch defense of the Western tradition and universal values brought him into conflict with a later generation of activists and politically correct multiculturists. Adler, however, stood his ground: "You can't be a philosopher and an activist," he said. "If you do, you get all mixed up." Unlike most ivory-tower types, Adler was not interested in writing for an academic audience. He sought to take his message to the masses and, to that end, was a founder of the Great Books Foundation, on the theory that discussing great literature is a big part of the learning process. "Solitary reading is as horrible as solitary drinking," he said. Adler, who authored 45 books himself, was also a driving force behind Encyclopedia Britannica.
Passage: Mortimer Adler, 98
Adler was a venerated philosopher, even though his staunch defense of the Western tradition and universal values brought him into conflict with a later generation of activists and politically correct multiculturists. Adler, however, stood his ground: "You can't be a philosopher and an activist," he said. "If you do, you get all mixed up." Unlike most ivory-tower types, Adler was not interested in writing for an academic audience. He sought to take his message to the masses and, to that end, was a founder of the Great Books Foundation, on the theory that discussing great literature is a big part of the learning process. "Solitary reading is as horrible as solitary drinking," he said. Adler, who authored 45 books himself, was also a driving force behind Encyclopedia Britannica.
