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Jose Ortega y Gasset

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Philosopher

The Resume

    (May 9, 1883-October 18, 1955)
    Born in Madrid, Spain
    Founded the magazine 'Revista de Occidente' ('Review of the West,' 1923)
    Spent the Spanish Civil War and World War II in exile in France, Argentina and Portugal
    Wrote 'Meditations on Quixote' (1914), 'Invertebrate Spain' (1921), 'The Theme of Our Times' (1923), 'Ideas on the Novel' (1924), 'The Dehumanization of Art' (1925), 'What Is Philosophy?' (1929), 'The Revolt of the Masses' (1930), 'History as a System' (1934), 'Man and People' (1939) and 'The Origin of Philosophy' (1943)
    Maxim was 'I am I and my circumstance'

Why he might be annoying:

    He described leaving Spain for post-graduate studies in Germany as 'fleeing the vulgarity of my country.'
    He got his first job writing for a newspaper founded by his grandfather.
    He was an elitist who felt the people needed to be guided by an intellectual minority.
    Despite his pessimism that liberal democracy could flourish in Spain, he served in parliament, then quit after a year, disillusioned with politics (1931-32).
    He alienated many of his former colleagues from the Spanish Republic when he returned to Franco's Spain (1945).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He is considered his country's leading philosopher.
    He was a friend and mentor to Frederico Garcia Lorca and several other writers from the 'Generation of 1927.'
    His writings did not require the reader to be an expert in philosophical jargon.
    He said, 'An unemployed existence is a worse negation of life than death itself.'
    A variety of white wine grape was named in his honor.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying