Even superficial pop-philosopher Slavoj Zizek can’t quite bring himself to say that if Communism was bad maybe capitalism is good, and the Times gives him space today to mope about how there still ought to be some third way, socialism with a human face.
II. Much as I hate to see abstract metaphysical arguments tarred with the largely-irrelevant politics of their devisers, it’s fun to see the Times also reporting on a new book that reminds everyone that leftist-beloved philosopher Martin Heidegger was a Nazi — and that maybe, just maybe, the sort of individualism-bashing Continental philosophy in which he engaged is not wholly unlike his fascist political views.
Some of his defenders will likely insist that his philosophy is perfectly compatible with socialism, as if that saves him from charges of Naziism, and more honest defenders will point out that most of his philosophy is too vague and near-meaningless to have any terrible political implications, except in the hypnotic, despairing way that all Continental philosophy induces a stupor that makes recruiting for the socialist revolution easier.
III. The most interesting Teutonic-sounding political development in my city in the past seven days, though, is surely the election to the New York City Council of Republican, libertarian, and Thor-admiringly-pagan Dan Halloran, who I notice speaks to one faction of the New York Young Republican Club this Thursday, Nov. 12, sometime between 7:30 and 9:30, at the Soldiers’, Sailors’, Marines’ & Airmen’s Club on Lexington between 36th and 37th. Will we look back upon his election, making him one of only five GOP on the whole fifty-one-seat Council, as the start of our own liberation from socialism? Note this moment in your calendars for later reflection.
5 comments:
I’m most likely going to attend that YR meeting, despite the fact that I’m probably not going to re-enroll in the Republican Party when I move to Staten Island.
Anyway, a bit off-topic, but I stumbled upon this through a link on Jack Shafer’s Twitter:
How Kathleen Parker, blah, blah, blah…
Now, I’m not one to reflexively deride the venue writers choose to appear in, especially if they’re compensated for their work, and The American Prospect is probably one of the more intellectually compelling, reasonable journals of the left.
That being said, isn’t it a bit odd that someone who’s a contributing editor at an ostensibly libertarian magazine would seek out a bully pulpit that was founded, and is edited, by Robert Kuttner, a doctrinaire social democrat and the foremost proponent of contemporary industrial policy?
Even superficial pop-philosopher Slavoj Zizek can’t quite bring himself to say that if Communism was bad maybe capitalism is good, and the Times gives him space today to mope about how there still ought to be some third way, socialism with a human face.
Be grateful there wasn’t an audio clip accompanying his op-ed. As I was listening to his commentary track on Children Of Men I felt like I needed some sort of spit guard as a protective covering.
I hate to bring up something that might spoil the party, but has anybody asked this Odin-worshipper if he maybe has some kind of connection to the Odin-worshipping white supremacist movement that has been on the rise lately?
Mais oui!
Don’t you know that New York City is the locus of the resurgent white power movement?
Grand Ol’ Pagan
After talking with several members of the local theods and looking at what Halloran and others have written, the Germanic neo-heathenism of New Normandy appears to be an inclusive, family-friendly pursuit. Local members enjoy researching history, dressing up, and trying as much as possible to live within the customs and beliefs that one might find in 12th century pagan Denmark while actually living and working in 21st century New York.
JustWondering,
Should every Muslim who gets elected to public office be asked if he maybe has some kind of connection to Islamist terrorist organizations, too?
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