So, are we all Montaignes now? In many ways, yes.
Few of us write long books of essays, and even fewer of us immerse ourselves in classical and historical sources until they become indistinguishable from our very selves. But we are curious, well-informed, well-connected, introspective and hyper-communicative. We never tire of talking about the things that go through our heads. The diversity of cultural perspectives is a familiar idea to us, in a way it wasn't in the 16th century, and many take it for granted that truth is relative. We know about psychology: about unconscious drives, repressed memories, hormones, and moods. We don't expect ourselves to be rational all the time. We apparently forgive ourselves a lot of bad behaviour, on the excuse that it's the fault of our upbringing or genes. Do we really need Montaigne to tell us to relax, accept our mistakes, go with the flow, and gaze fascinated at ourselves all day?
Get the answer here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/jun/21/montaigne-philosophy-essays.
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