USA Politics

[Karl Henning]

1) Can't say I any way prefer the opposite, a demonstrative lack of culture and/or excessive vulgarity, like #45, or ... Lukashenko . A healthy dose of cultural upbringing is essential, IMHO.

2) In terms of Beckett, the absurdity and tragedy of our existence is a pretty basic human experience, that is good to know about and reflect on, it might even lead to less superficial attitudes too. It's not necessarily a manifest for passiveness or the immoral, it can be a point of reference in various ways. I'm sure Beckett upheld logic in his own life too, and he rejected suicide. In fact, Beckett has been said to be descriptive, and to render modern fatigue and disgust
("I am not a philosopher. One can only speak of what is in front of him, and that now is simply the mess"), where Sartre (who liked Waiting for Godot a lot, just as Beckett loved La Nausee) formulates strategy.

The opposite trend is the worrying one now.

Thank you.

[Florestan]

No argument with any of that.  I'd say Biden was sharing something which means a great deal to him, rather than any pretension.

It might be so. The bitter irony is that Kierkegaard's philosophy is anything but progressive or even left, that he was a conservative himself and attacked the progressives of his time in no uncertain terms. For instance, I quote from my memory (which admittedly might not be as accurate as Biden's): People always ask for new rights and freedoms but almost never make use of those they already have. They claim the freedom of the press but they don't use the freedom of thought. (Irony was one of his best used skills). He had only contempt for democracy which he called "the most tyrannical form of government" and he was deeply suspicious about reason and science. Not exactly your typical Democrat, I'd say.

[Florestan]

Of course, finding a case that failed isn't difficult, just like finding examples of narrow-minded leaders that failed isn't.
For example, decision-makers lacking historical or societal background knowledge, or cutting expenses say in the educational and the cultural sector, based on ignorance or antipathies, will have negative effects. Especially if such governments strengthen their own power to do so.

Funny you should say that because that's exactly what Iorga did, triggering the ire of teachers who went on an enraged strike. 

[Karl Henning]

It might be so. The bitter irony is that Kierkegaard's philosophy is anything but progressive or even left, that he was a conservative himself and attacked the progressives of his time in no uncertain terms. For instance, I quote from my memory (which admittedly might not be as accurate as Biden's): People always ask for new rights and freedoms but almost never make use of those they already have. They claim the freedom of the press but they don't use the freedom of thought. (Irony was one of his best used skills). He had only contempt for democracy which he called "the most tyrannical form of government" and he was deeply suspicious about reason and science. Not exactly your typical Democrat, I'd say.

What one finds inspirational need not come from a source in line with one's political leanings.


I see no irony, bitter or otherwise, in that.

[Todd]

Biden to ABC's Robin Roberts: 'I don't want to defund' the police, but Trump does

Thankfully, state and local governments can still defund the police if the feds won't.

[Florestan]

What one finds inspirational need not come from a source in line with one's political leanings.

True.

I see no irony, bitter or otherwise, in that.

I do, because if Kierkegaard had had a statue somewhere in the US, and if the recent protesters had been aware of who he was and what he thought, it (the statue, I mean) would have been put down.

[greg]

People here are so far behind the times.

Being a man of culture nowadays is not being an intellectual reader of philosophy. Come on, that doesn't matter.

It's about loving those big ole anime tiddies.

The only president so far who may have been a man of culture is Obama, for mentioning appreciation of anime.

[Florestan]

The notion that only cultured and intellectual people can make good politicians is counterfactual.

[MusicTurner]

The notion that only cultured and intellectual people can make good politicians is counterfactual.

It normally depends on what policy one defines as 'good'.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

The only president so far who may have been a man of culture is Obama, for mentioning appreciation of anime.

Nixon, Carter, Clinton, T Roosevelt, etc.
Obama's favorite snack was Matcha ice cream.

[greg]

Obama's favorite snack was Matcha ice cream.

That stuff is great, Matcha flavor just works well for ice cream. It'll always bring back the memory of the first time I had it, after walking through the Arashiyama Monkey Park and Bamboo Forest in Kyouto. 

[Florestan]

It normally depends on what policy one defines as 'good'.

I personally define as good a policy which either benefits the society as a whole, not just a few privileged groups, or doesn't make things worse than they already are.

And I maintain that being well versed in Kierkegaard or having extensive knowledge about musical Romanticism is completely irrelevant in this respect.

It's all so funny, really. In the days of yore, the aristocracy claimed they were entitled to govern by right of birth. Nowadays the inteligentsia claim they, or at the very least those who they approve of, are entitled to govern by right of education. Both claims are bogus, nobody is entitled to govern by any right.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

That stuff is great, Matcha flavor just works well for ice cream. It'll always bring back the memory of the first time I had it, after walking through the Arashiyama Monkey Park and Bamboo Forest in Kyouto. 

I go to Kyoto mostly every year. I posted pics of my Jogging route in Kyoto at the thread of favorite walks below. If you haven't, you may want to check out the dvd of Memoir of Geisha.

https://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,30052.40.html

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I personally define as good a policy which either benefits the society as a whole, not just a few privileged groups, or doesn't make things worse than they already are.

Yes but based on the ideology, the people are divided on which policy would benefit the entire society and which policy would hurt it.

[Florestan]

Yes but the people are divided on which policy would benefit the entire society and which policy would hurt it.

True. That's why politics is neither an exact science nor a humanities, and why no policy will ever please anybody. That's also why politics is the curse of humanity.

As Nicolás Gómez Dávila (how's that for culture and intellectual curiosity?) put it, "History clearly demonstrates that governing is a task that exceeds man's ability."

[greg]

True. That's why politics is neither an exact science nor a humanities, and why no policy will ever please anybody. That's also why politics is the curse of humanity.

Well, the obvious solution is to murder everyone who disagrees with your ideology- nothing wrong with that, right?

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

True. That's why politics is neither an exact science nor a humanities, and why no policy will ever please anybody. That's also why politics is the curse of humanity.

I hate to complicate the issue, but many academics and analysts observe that one's ideology determines her policy preference, rather than her policy preference determining ideology. Very many scholars and analysts observe (based on statistical/regression analyses of survey opinion polls, not a yelling competition) that the people's ideology/partisanship is largely, or even mostly,  influenced/determined by one's fear of losing White America and fear of cultural diversity. Opinion on tax cut, pro-life, gun rights etc., are just pretexts.

[Florestan]

Well, the obvious solution is to murder everyone who disagrees with your ideology

Has been tried multiple times. Did not work.

[Florestan]

many academics and analysts observe that one's ideology determines her policy preference, rather than her policy preference determining ideology.

How surprising! 

Very many scholars and analysts observe (based on statistical/regression analyses of survey opinion polls, not a yelling competition) that the people's ideology/partisanship is largely, or even mostly,  influenced/determined by one's fear of losing White America and fear of cultural diversity. Opinion on tax cut, pro-life, gun rights etc., are just pretexts.

This might be true in the USA, but the world is much larger than that. I'm very curious what scholars and analysts have been observing Romanian politics and what they found.

[Todd]

Opinion on tax cut, pro-life, gun rights etc., are just pretexts.

Tax cuts are always good.  Most other domestic issues are either unimportant or entirely unimportant.

This might be true in the USA, but the world is much larger than that.

Since when?