De Tocqueville On Literature in Democracies

Robert:

Alexis de Tocqueville, undisputedly one of the most brilliant thinkers of the early 19th century (or maybe ever), had the following insights into the character of a culture's literature, as influenced by its form of governance.


“In democracies it is by no means the case that all who cultivate literature have received a literary education, and most of those who have some acquaintance with good writing go into politics or adopt some profession which leaves only short, stolen hours for the pleasures of the mind. They therefore do not make such delights the principal joy of their existence, but think of them rather as a passing relaxation needed from the serious business of life. Such men will never have a deep enough understanding of literature to appreciate its refinements. Fine nuances will pass them by. With but short time to spend on books, they want it all to be profitable. They like books which are easily got and quickly read, requiring no learned researches to understand them. They like facile forms of beauty, self-explanatory and immediately enjoyable; above all, they like things unexpected and new. Accustomed to the monotonous struggle of practical life, what they want is vivid, lively emotions, sudden revelations, brilliant truths, or errors able to rouse them up and plunge them, almost by violence, into the middle of the subject.

Alexis de Tocqueville

He continues:

By and large the literature of a democracy will never exhibit the order, regularity, skill, and art characteristic of aristocratic literature; formal qualities will be neglected or actually despised. The style will often be strange, incorrect, overburdened, and loose, and almost always strong and bold. Writers will be more anxious to work quickly than to perfect details. Short works will be commoner than long books, wit than erudition, imagination than depth. There will be a rude and untutored vigor of thought with great variety and singular fecundity. Authors will strive to astonish more than to please, and to stir passions rather than to charm taste,” – Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America.

The trends he describes have only accelerated in our internet age. One can only wonder how dismayed, or amused, de Tocqueville would be by our current click bait, soundbite, hook-book mentality.

Video Tour, Villa Los Sauces

Here's the new video tour of Villa Los Sauces. It is shot and uploaded in HD. Just in case you don't know, YouTube often automatically defaults to a lower resolution setting, depending upon your bandwidth. There is a manual override to restore playback in high definition.

Click the small gear icon below the YouTube screen., and you can then choose 720 or 1080 for maximum clarity. However, if you have a slow connection, the video might stop and start, stop and start, when using the higher settings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmqL2v0W_0s&edit=vd

Sayulita Ranch, From $899K to $699K

There are some properties we list that I really wish I had the wherewithal to buy. This is one.

 


Sayulita Ranch is 6  plus hectares (more than 15 acres), and includes a comfy, attractive 2 bedroom ranch house! Plus small casita for ranch-hand; corrals, etc.


 


This is a mixture of tropical forest and cleared pasture, just outside of Sayulita. What a tranquil lifestyle!

For larger and more photos, and complete data, go to: Sayulita Ranch
Or call Deborah Foster 322 117 3099

New Luxury Listing - Villa Vista Hermosa, Playa Estates

Patty de la Mora has just listed this magnificent tropical home, located in Playa Estates, on the road to Punta de Mita. The house has 4 bedrooms and 8 baths (5 full baths and 3 half baths).

There are big bay views, and palapa-shaded terraces...this is a very open, bright, tropical home.

In addition to the private pool, there is a beach side common clubhouse, with kitchen, showers and baths, and a large common pool.

Outdoor palapa kitchen.

Indoor spacious gourmet kitchen.

Master

$845,000 USD furnished and equipped.

For more photos and data go to Villa Vista Hermosa

Or call Patty de la Mora at 322 278 6961

New Listing - Villa Los Sauces

We've just listed Villa Los Sauces, a 3 bedroom 2.5 bath home in Flamingos Residential, behind Mega. This is an exciting property; it's a lot more house than you would expect in this price range.

 
It's stylish, spacious and impeccable.

People drive by this subdivision all the time, with no idea of what an appealing, well-kept neighborhood is inside the gates. The streets are wide. The density is low. And the homes are attractively styled.

Monthly fees are only 360 pesos, and include maintenance of the streets, street lights, common green area landscaping, sewage, and 24 hour security.

$234,900 USD appliances included, furnishings negotiable.

For more photos and data, click here: Villa Los Sauces
Or call Robert, 322 135 5979

"Sometimes I Wonder..."

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it."

Mark Twain

Casa Cantera Now $499K

Casa Cantera, in the heart of the Zona Dorada, with partial bay views from three of the four bedrooms, and panoramic bay views from the rooftop terrace, has been reduced to $499K.

Many people feel this is the most elegantly beautiful home in Bucerias. And it's just 1 1/2 blocks from the beach. 4 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths. The structural and finish quality is evident throughout.

Heated pool.

Spacious gourmet kitchen.

 For the dedicated web page hi def video tour, plus more photos and data, go here:   rfasoc.com/cantera.html

Or call Deborah Foster, 322 117 3099

Tranquility Through Perspective, Insights From the Gulag

“What about the main thing in life, all its riddles? If you want, I’ll spell it out for you right now. Do not pursue what is illusionary — property and position: all that is gained at the expense of your nerves decade after decade, and is confiscated in one fell night. Live with a steady superiority over life — don’t be afraid of misfortune, and do not yearn for happiness; it is, after all, all the same: the bitter doesn’t last forever, and the sweet never fills the cup to overflowing. It is enough if you don’t freeze in the cold and if thirst and hunger don’t claw at your insides. If your back isn’t broken, if your feet can walk, if both arms can bend, if both eyes can see, if both ears hear, then whom should you envy? And why? Our envy of others devours us most of all. Rub your eyes and purify your heart — and prize above all else in the world those who love you and who wish you well. Do not hurt them or scold them, and never part from any of them in anger; after all, you simply do not know: it may be your last act before your arrest, and that will be how you are imprinted on their memory,” – Aleksander Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956: An Experiment in Literary Investigation.

Two Adjacent Canal Lots, Bargain Price!

Robert:

We have just taken an interesting listing. Lot 161 and 160, adjacent canal lots in Section II of Nuevo Vallarta.  Each lot is approximately 20 meters by 38 meters, 771 sq meters (8,295 sq ft) each, for a total of 1,542 sq meters (16,592 sq ft).

Each lot has 20 linear meters of canal frontage, so a total of 40 linear meters on the canal (131 ft).

Lot 160

 This is on the best section of Jacarandas Street, on a good, navigable section of secondary canal, with clean homes all around. The price for both lots is just $395,000 USD. Finding two adjacent lots on a good street and good section of canal is extremely rare.

HOWEVER, there is a very large home, 8 (yes, eight!) bedrooms and 3 baths, on lot 161. Conceivably, the home could be extensively repaired and remodeled. But, I think most people would consider it a tear down. It is in seriously bad condition.



In my opinion, this should be viewed as an opportunity to own two spacious lots, haul away the rubble of the old house, and build something extraordinary.

We have 161 newly listed in both MLS systems here, with a side note that 160 is also for sale, pending some paperwork issues being resolved (they can and will be).

Looking at back of house (on 161)  from back of lot 160

However, if someone wanted to make an offer on just one lot, the owner says she would consider that, although her ultimate goal is to sell them both, preferably as a package.