Lady Russell… must learn to feel that she had been mistaken with regard to both; that she had been unfairly influenced by appearances in each; that because [Mr. A]’s manners had not suited her own ideas, she had been too quick in suspecting them to indicate a character of dangerous impetuosity; and that because [Mr. B]’s manners had precisely pleased her in their propriety and correctness, their general politeness and suavity, she had been too quick in receiving them as the certain result of the most correct opinions and well regulated mind. There was nothing less for Lady Russell to do, than to admit that she had been pretty completely wrong, and to take up a new set of opinions and hopes.
~Persuasion, Volume II, Chapter XII
One Non-Conformist
I love this passage at the end of Persuasion where Lady Russell finally comes to realize her errors in judgment regarding Anne’s suitors, and has to come to grips with the reasons for Anne’s choice. She was misled by their “manners” (outer behavior and appearances) into making erroneous judgments about their “mind” (inner qualities, including character; see David M. Shapard’s The Annotated Persuasion, 2010). Herein lies a huge topic which I will leave for another day. But I always laughed at the wording of “correct opinions,” since to a 21st-century American reading a 200-year-old British book, the idea seems to be an oxymoron. Of course “facts” by definition are either true/correct or false, but opinions are simply a matter of personal taste. Even the word “truth” has somehow become estranged from the idea of “fact” and has migrated over to the “opinions” camp. In our current day one’s right to have–and express–an opinion is universally held in higher regard than almost any other right, including, for example, freedom of religion and the right to bear arms. One’s opinions are not held to a standard of “correctness” because people feel that “what’s true for you may not be true for me.” They are off limits, even sacred. Perhaps “correct opinions” have become extinct, if they ever existed at all.
Or so we say. But then again, consider the national fiasco begun a few days ago when Clippers CEO Donald Sterling’s private racist comments were aired publicly. Immediately banned from the NBA for life and fined $2.5 million, his case reminds us that even the free-speech-loving US has its limits–thank goodness. Then recall the more controversial decision to suspend Phil Robertson from his A&E “Duck Dynasty” show last December. His views about gay marriage were from a Bible verse in Romans, so A&E soon discovered what we already knew, namely that the American people were deeply divided in their idea of the “correct opinion” in this case; it was a no-win situation for them politically, and Phil was allowed back on the show.
Then there are the local “correct opinions.” These are not even close to the “endangered” list. As my husband and I moved from small-town Montana to urban Portland, Oregon years ago, a certain shift of perspective was expected. The power of small-town opinions is a matter of legend, though the opinions themselves differ greatly from place to place. Portland’s own little quirks form an interesting basis for observing “correctness” here–unlike in other large cities, you won’t often be judged by your fashion, unless you are overly fashionable (not an issue in my case!), but you should certainly do some research on recycling and environmental friendliness and work harder to live sustainably. Portland likes to be artsy and intellectual and down-to-earth. We like our international cuisine locally-sourced. It should also be available in gluten-free, organic, and vegan options. We like to have our own opinions, so don’t tell us how to live, thank you very much. You might get bonus points if you raise chickens, free-range, in your backyard, but no roosters in the city limits! (Of course my nephew and a few farmers have chickens in Montana, too). Since we travel so much in the summer, I haven’t been able to convince Frank yet that we could use some chickens, even though they would put a serious dent in the armies of slugs in my flowerbeds. Oh, and maybe you should bike to work….
Just a few observations, and starting to ramble… so what are the (possibly misleading) “correct opinions” among people in your social circles? (“We’ll respect your freedom of speech as long as you don’t say ________.”) With what local expectations would Jane Austen have a heyday in your town?
A Jane Austen Connection 