What are you currently reading?

[Zizekian]

In a curious coincidence, an old Wooster mate of mine is at a dance festival in Romania this week (or, these weeks), Andrei.

Was it Gussie Fink-Nottle? 

[Karl Henning]

A surprisingly trim Tuppy Glossop!

[Fëanor]

With all due respect, this is as bigot and supercilious a remark as it gets.

First of all, please define "fascism".

Secondly, please show us in what respect the Americans come close to being vulnerable to the "fascism" you previously defined.

Thirdly, please show us in what respect the Canadians are immune to the "fascism" you previously defined.

TIA.

First, then, I define fascism as a populist political ideology that relies on the bigotry, ignorance, and fear of its rant-and-file supporters in order for its leaders to assume and consolidate power their power without regard to democratic laws or traditions.  The fascist agenda tends to be economically regressive -- though there might be "bread & circuses" for the masses -- and in general fascist leaders enthusiastically seek the patronage of established elites who in term support them in order to resist progressive or democratic change.  Various actual governments have embodied fascist basics with variations: the "origiinal" Italian Fascists, various eastern European governments in the pre-War interval, Spanish Franco-Falangists, Argentine Peronists, and as it appears by current trends, the Putinist Russian Federation.

Secondly, pertaining to the US situation, the partial success of the Tea Party in the USA  is indicative of the weakness of the country.  The Tea Party quintessentially embodies grass roots "bigotry, ignorance, and fear". The Tea Partiers themselves are disproportionately religious, anti-science (viz. deniers of evolution and global warming), and inclined to believe absurd lies that humor their biases such as Obama's supposed Nigerian birth and Islamic religion. Meanwhile the Tea Party is sponsored, as fascist movements usually are, by quite funding from the economic elite, e.g. the Koch brothers.

Many Americans are encumbered by as messianic belief in the perfection of laissez-faire capitalism and, worse, in a regressive social view that we can accurately call Social Darwinism; (see William Graham Sumner). One might observe that it's inherent in the American Myth that American is the country "where anyone can succeed", the corollary is that anyone who doesn't, (especially where money is concerned), is undeserving of any sympathy or support.

Many Americans are also encumbered by a form of Christianity, (call it Evangelic or Fundamentalist), that depends on naive Bible literalism and simplistic, Old Testament moral rules.  (IMO, these Christians aren't really Christian but what I call "Neo-Pharisees" because their interpretation of righteousness precludes the essentially Christian aspect of compassion). Again, see Chris Hedges' American Fascists.

All the while so many American seem blissfully unaware that the USA is not longer democracy in the practical sense. It is now a full plutocracy run by and for an elite of the super-rich and multi-national corporations who, by their inherent situation, care nothing at all about middle-class or less fortunate citizens. US Supreme Court has seal this situation by declaring that money is free speech and corporations are people: a truly grotesque situation.

It's startling that, (according to CNN polls for example), while Obama is thought more competent than Romney in virtually every other respect, Romney is favored on the economy.  This is deeply ironic since, if enacted, the Republican austerity platform would not only not reduce the Debt but, at the same time and more importantly, precipitate a recession cum depression from which the USA might never fully recover. The frightening but quite plausible consequence of the collapse of the US economy will be a grasping-at-straws which is populist fascism -- ultimately this will do it.

Thirdly, what makes Canada immune to fascism? Unfortunately nothing.  In fact we currently have regressive Conservative Party government that is bend on making itself as much like the Republican Party, and Canada as much like the USA, as it possibly can.

By the way, I'm currently finishing and strongly recommend ...

Robert B. Reich: Beyond Outrage

[Fëanor]

On behalf of the people of the United States: thank you, Andrei!

I urge Americans, our neighbours, to pull their heads out of the sand -- or from "where the sun don't shine".

[Fëanor]

That is (interesting, but) genuine science-fiction. (And not very flattering, but let that go.)

Just won't happen. Neither the religious element of the US population, nor the "1 percent," are anywhere near so monolithic to "go there." And there's not going to be any burning of the Reichstag. The US (by the way) has a longer-established home Rule of Law than even Canada, let alone the hapless Weimar republic.

As yet the USA is favored by rule of law. But then so was Germany before the Nazi take over. Circumstances might change. With sufficient hardship and disaffection of the American people coupled with an economic near-collapse -- such as might very will result from enactment of the Republican Party's agenda -- the unexpected could happen.

The Reichstag wasn't burned by the Nazis, (as postulated by William L. Shirer, for example), but by a Dutch Communist. But the situation was exploited by the Goering and the Nazis to clamp down on any & all dissent from Nazi rule. Certain parallels to post 9-11 are disturbing.

[Karl Henning]

I urge Americans, our neighbours, to pull their heads out of the sand -- or from "where the sun don't shine".

Very flattering (and certainly neighbourly) again, thank you.

[CaughtintheGaze]

Currently:

Prosthetic Impulse edited by Smith  and Morra (cyberpunk)
First Look at Communication Theory by Griffin (communications)
Mass Communication Theory by Baran and Davis (communications)
Stagecraft and Statecraft by Schill (communications)
In the Flesh by Pitts (cyberpunk)
Communicating in the Third Space by Ikas and Wagner (communications)
Liberal Eugenics by Agar (cyberpunk)

[SonicMan46]

The Last Lost World: Ice Ages, Human Origins, and the Invention of the Pleistocene (2012) by Lydia V. Pyne  & Stephen J. Pyne - nice bargain from the 'History Book Club' - title is self-explanatory, i.e. the Plesitocene start is dated @ 2.6M years ago and ends @ 10-12K years (the start of human civilization), so encompasses the evolving Homo genus - excellent so far (half way through) if you're into this topic - recommended!

Spray Finishing - Made Simple (2010) by Jeff Jewitt - as some of you know, I'm an amateur woodworker, and now that I'm retired, I've been updating my basement shop and getting better organized (now that I have time!) - WELL, I decided to get into spraying finishes and basically 3 choices: 1) wipe them on; 2) brush them on; and 3) spray them on (or a combination) - I've been doing the first two for ever, so NOW want to try spraying finishes; Jeff's book + my new acquisition, i.e. the Earlex Spray Station shown @ the bottom will get me started; have made a plastic spray booth and tomorrow will construct a revolving spray platform (as suggested by Jewitt) - and then, will give this HVLP sprayer a trial run -


 

[Florestan]

pertaining to the US situation, the partial success of the Tea Party in the USA  is indicative of the weakness of the country.  The Tea Party quintessentially embodies grass roots "bigotry, ignorance, and fear". The Tea Partiers themselves are disproportionately religious, anti-science (viz. deniers of evolution and global warming), and inclined to believe absurd lies that humor their biases such as Obama's supposed Nigerian birth and Islamic religion. Meanwhile the Tea Party is sponsored, as fascist movements usually are, by quite funding from the economic elite, e.g. the Koch brothers.

If the only evidence you can offer for the American fascism is the Tea Party movement I'm afraid you have a very weak case. TP is anything but fascist: it has no strong and charismatic supreme leader, it has no clearly defined ideology, it has no anthem, uniform and emblems, it organizes no marches and holds no grandiose parades and meetings, it doesn't want to conquer the power by any means in order to do away with all other political parties and adversaries etc etc etc.

It is now clear for me that you apply the term "fascist" to anyone and anything you dislike, regardless of whether it really qualifies or not.

[Karl Henning]

He's also not paying any particular attention to US politics (normally, who could blame him? Only he's accusing us Americans of brewing the cauldron for a new Hitler).  The Tea Party's "success" was an entirely predictable reaction-vote in Congressional mid-term elections;  they've been a signal failure in the House, and have tended to alienate members of even their own party (i.e., Republicans).

The book seems to make the all-too-common error of starting with the sensational conclusion — the US is turning to fascism! — and back-loading facts to seem to drive the conclusion.  It's tabloid pop-poli-sci.  But I guess people in Canadian airports need something to read while waiting for their planes, too.

[Fëanor]

He's also not paying any particular attention to US politics (normally, who could blame him? Only he's accusing us Americans of brewing the cauldron for a new Hitler).  The Tea Party's "success" was an entirely predictable reaction-vote in Congressional mid-term elections;  they've been a signal failure in the House, and have tended to alienate members of even their own party (i.e., Republicans).

The book seems to make the all-too-common error of starting with the sensational conclusion — the US is turning to fascism! — and back-loading facts to seem to drive the conclusion.  It's tabloid pop-poli-sci.  But I guess people in Canadian airports need something to read while waiting for their planes, too.

The USA isn't "turning to fascism", nor did I say that. I said there was predisposition and a risk. Ignore that at your peril. If circumstances worsen -- which is likely -- Americans could turn to something that resembles fascism in critical respects.

I've got to give the Tea Party credit for the fact that these folks know that something is wrong -- pity that they've scarcely a clue what it is, much less what to do about it. People in this condition are the fodder of fascist movements.

Whose book are you referring to? Hedges's or Reich's? Hedges is a serious intellectual but given to occasional hyperbole. Reich's is aimed at a general audience but is very solid economics and very solid about the plutocratic character of US governance today.  If you want to criticize Canadians, find something of substance to criticize -- everyone needs something to read in airports.

Actually I follow US federal politics a good deal more closely than most Americans. Present company excepted perhaps, but present company seems to have a very myopic insight into the current state of affairs.

[Fëanor]

If the only evidence you can offer for the American fascism is the Tea Party movement I'm afraid you have a very weak case. TP is anything but fascist: it has no strong and charismatic supreme leader, it has no clearly defined ideology, it has no anthem, uniform and emblems, it organizes no marches and holds no grandiose parades and meetings, it doesn't want to conquer the power by any means in order to do away with all other political parties and adversaries etc etc etc.

It is now clear for me that you apply the term "fascist" to anyone and anything you dislike, regardless of whether it really qualifies or not.

Good point about no charismatic leader nor uniforms, perhaps is the main missing ingredients. What the TP has got is a lot of ignorant, irrational, bigots: they are the key input for any fascist movements.

[Florestan]

Good point about no charismatic leader nor uniforms, perhaps is the main missing ingredients. What the TP has got is a lot of ignorant, irrational, bigots: they are the key input for any fascist movements.

Your equating ignorance and bigotry with fascism is far-fetched and historically inaccurate. Fascist movements attracted intelligent people as well, both in file-and-rank and the top echelon, while the original and arguably the only fascists proper, the Italians, were notoriously irreligious and anti-clerical.

Besides, ignorant or bigot members are not limited to TP; any party in any country has them in scores.

OTOH, do conservative Christians have the right to organize politically and to act by peaceful and democratic means in order to achieve their goals?

[Leon]

What the TP has got is a lot of ignorant, irrational, bigots: they are the key input for any fascist movements.

From where I sit, you are the only one meriting something like these pejoratives.  Nothing like smearing with a broad brush a lot of people, none of whom you have probably ever met or had a single conversation with to base you rather hyperbolic opinion on.

TD: [asin]0226041298[/asin]

So far, this book is proving to be a very enjoyable read.

[Gurn Blanston]

If anyone wants to have a further discussion of Fascism in America, perhaps starting up a thread in The Diner would be preferable to continuing it here. Then we can all pitch in.

Thanks,

[Gurn Blanston]

TD: [asin]0226041298[/asin]

So far, this book is proving to be a very enjoyable read.

I look forward to further elucidation, Arnold.   0:)

[Karl Henning]

Help! Help! I'm bein' repressed!

[Leon]

I look forward to further elucidation, Arnold.   0:)

I've only just begun to scratch the surface of it - but judging from what I've read so far, it is a most welcome book.   His style is not so scholarly as to be obtuse, although it is a well researched book, but that does not render it an unpleasant read. 

When I have assimilated enough of his overall premise I will post in The Haus my thoughts.

[Opus106]

If anyone wants to have a further discussion of Fascism in America, perhaps starting up a thread in The Diner would be preferable to continuing it here. Then we can all pitch in. That way, it makes it easier to put a lock on the damn thing ASAP.

Thanks,

0:)

[Gurn Blanston]

Help! Help! I'm bein' repressed!

No more than you should be. 

I've only just begun to scratch the surface of it - but judging from what I've read so far, it is a most welcome book.   His style is not so scholarly as to be obtuse, although it is a well researched book, but that does not render it an unpleasant read. 

When I have assimilated enough of his overall premise I will post in The Haus my thoughts.

Good deal. I found his essay  (in Sisman's book "Haydn & His World", IIRC) to be quite readable too. The other authors in your book are all familiar names, so that speaks well for the scholarship in there. The writers are the ones who are obtuse? Hell, I thought it was me!