I do not think that the introduction to BLAST fully prepared me for what I was about to read. The manifesto was the section of the magazine that stuck out to me the most because it basically outlines all of the signers' opinions that they attempt to flesh out in the rest of the writings. I was most struck by the obvious nationalism in the manifesto, specifically the general idea that English culture was more elevated than those of France or the US. I thought that a group of people who so highly valued artistic creation would have given some merit to France, especially considering that French artists were less limited in their subject matter than English artists because they were not as heavily influenced by the Victorian period and the resulting cultural beliefs, which is something that the manifesto condemns.

I could not tell if the boastfullness of the signers regarding the superiority of England was satirical or serious, but it reminded me of our discussion of nationalism last week in regards to race. The anti-French and anti-American sentiments expressed in the manifesto is reminscent of many of the cultural tensions that led to the War in the first place. This manifesto is interesting because, while so childish and angsty in its condemnations, it sort of neatly sums up many of the jealous/childish/irrational tensions that Europe was facing at the onset of the War.