In reviewing Volume Two of Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America I began thinking about the concept of majority-thinking.
Intellectual Tyranny of the Majority
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Ultimate Reality and America’s Role
An interesting blog that I was informed about has stimulated reading of some speeches from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. From thence comes the following:
Systems and Freedom
Socialism initially was defined as government controlling the means of economic production. Capitalism is the opposite…completely. It is business controlling the means of government. Which is more problematic for freedom? And what is the alternative that will allow individuals, families, and communities to enjoy prosperity and freedom and to pursue happiness?
Pat Tillman and disinformation
I usually don’t discuss stuff like this, but the situation, background and evidence surrounding the death of this Army Ranger really begs questions and doubts. It saddens me that his death was treated the way it was. I’m not implying with others that there was anything planned or pre-meditated (however there is some evidence that calls it into question), but I think it’s obvious that there was a cover-up or another absolute bungle of investigation. For recent comments, especially from the family, see here. Also, you can check out a couple of other sites here.
The reason this comes to my attention was that I read portions of the original SF Chronicle article a couple of years ago and was interested that Cpl. Tillman was reading Noam Chomsky. It was this and discussions with friends that got me reading stuff from the Nobel Prize-winning U.S. foreign policy gadfly.
Often we don’t want to see the propaganda within our own media and government. We want to believe that we are part of a group/nation/country that respects truth and goodness more than money and power. However, history doesn’t demonstrate that this happens often. For this reason we must seriously question anything those with political and military power want to do, for often the truth is sacrificed for expediency.
Turn the other cheek? Are you serious?
Leo Tolstoy is perhaps the ultimate example of the late-in-life nihilist-turned-idealist. He is best known for his mid-life fiction, most notably War and Peace and Anna Karenina. He was early on somewhat of a determinist and nihilist but late in life began a study of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and came away a determined Christian, with significant misgivings regarding the Russian orthodox church specifically and organized religion and government generally. He wrote his thoughts in two books that were significantly suppressed by the Russian Church and the Czarist government.
H.L. Mencken
By mike in Uncategorized
Jul
18
As we continue to be subjected to campaign speeches and government rhetoric, it is wise to listen to the words of H.L. Mencken discussing the way to get elected (and also to retain power).
Politicians,” he notes with his characteristic wit, “seldom if ever get [into public office] by merit alone, at least in democratic states. Sometimes, to be sure, it happens, but only by a kind of miracle. They are chosen normally for quite different reasons, the chief of which is simply their power to impress and enchant the intellectually underprivileged….Will any of them venture to tell the plain truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about the situation of the country, foreign or domestic? Will any of them refrain from promises that he knows he can’t fulfill – that no human being could fulfill? Will any of them utter a word, however obvious, that will alarm or alienate any of the huge pack of morons who cluster at the public trough, wallowing in the pap that grows thinner and thinner, hoping against hope? Answer: may be for a few weeks at the start…. But not after the issue is fairly joined, and the struggle is on in earnest…. They will all promise every man, woman and child in the country whatever he, she or it wants. They’ll all be roving the land looking for chances to make the rich poor, to remedy the irremediable, to succor the unsuccorable, to unscramble the unscrambleable, to dephlogisticate the undephlogisticable. They will all be curing warts by saying words over them, and paying off the national debt with money no one will have to earn. When one of them demonstrates that twice two is five, another will prove that it is six, six and a half, ten, twenty, n. In brief, they will divest themselves from their character as sensible, candid and truthful men, and simply become candidates for office, bent only on collaring votes. They will all know by then, even supposing that some of them don’t know it now, that votes are collared under democracy, not by talking sense but by talking nonsense, and they will apply themselves to the job with a hearty yo-heave-ho. Most of them, before the uproar is over, will actually convince themselves. The winner will be whoever promises the most with the least probability of delivering anything.
Back at the Idealist
By mike in Uncategorized
Jul
18
The blog at Purim has dissolved. I will resume blogging here for the time being. Stay tuned.
New Blog Site
By mike in Uncategorized
Mar
7
I have started posting with two other bloggers (one a democratic socialist, the other a libertarian) at a political Mormon blog. They have been active at the site for over a year now and were discussing the possibility of shutting it down because of some departures of other contributors. I offered to post occasionally and have put some of my more recent stuff from here over there (plus a couple of new posts).
Please feel free to join the discussion.
Control, Ownership, and Independence: a discussion
Richard Eyre, author of numerous parenting and self-management books, wrote this column in an LDS magazine. He invited comments and discussion on the topic. Here a copy of my email to him:
A Tale of the Same Foreign Policy
One of the most concerning situation for the United States at present is the influence that Iran is wielding throughout the Middle East (and stretching into Venezuela). Iran is accused of training Iraqi insurgents and providing them with weapons. Iran has also been implicated as being the money and power behind groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. This influence into other countries using paramilitary and insurgent groups is a violation of the sovereignty of these nations.