Say The Word
And you'll be free. And be like me. Im talking here about Capitalism, a word which has vanished from the middle brow American discussion, and not Love, a word which still gets bantered about endlessly. Watching Gwen Eifel (PBS newshour) lead a panel at some sort of Aspen Institute "ideafest"I was struck by the quality of the discourse, quite high, along with the fact that they danced and darted and skirted what is ,after all, the essential question, the economic system. They talked about war and civil liberties and poverty and rights but the word capitalism is never mentioned at that level of discourse. It is in fact taboo. It is never said on your TV, in your newspapers, and rarely in your magazines. It's right here in the blogosphere though, everyday.
In a winning essay (Nation Student Writing Contest) young Sarah Stillman's analysis is brilliant as far as it goes, but she can't say the Word ,can't make the leap.Describing her generations conundrum:"Our left brains are working furiously to catalogue and explain innumerable injustices, while our right brain screams that we must respond creatively...we are a generation...utterly confounded about how to bridge our intellectual realizations about social problems with our imaginative capacity to enact solutions."
Its called the Left, darlin, and it was not that long ago that the idea had force. Say it Sarah, Capitalism. Say it a couple of times, it will get easier and easier.
It looks like Commandante Marcos and the Zapatistas got what they wanted. Am I wrong or are there parallels with the Ralph Nader Voters getting what they wanted in 2000? Maybe it is the best strategy for REAL change, but the practical me still thinks an Obrador win would have been a victory for the true Left. Onward through the fog.
We are getting lots of rain here in Montana, the land is green and the rivers are still running high. The trout are loving it and look good, the skinny Big Hole rainbows notwithstanding.
posted by troutsky @ 6:45 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
You're right, progressives duck the C word.
I doubt Obrador would mention the C word. I do think his victory, could give momentum to struggle in Mexico.
Thus it remains to work within the system of the C-word, no?
What exactly is "within the system" my friend? Electoral democracy? I have explained at length my problems with that facade. Or should one just get rich and become a philanthropist? The academic world of economic reform, theory and political appointments and that whole route has done little to lessen the suffering of the masses. I could become head of the WTO or World Bank but first I would have to become like Wolfowitz and then I would have to kill myself.By the way, Wiser, I saw Buchanan deny that he was a libertarian the other day (McLaughlin Report) and call himself a "traditionalist". Talk about a quasi-category.
I don't think it's a quasi-category at all. Buchanan does not support libertarian positions on free trade and open borders. He hails from "tradionalist" republican thought, and would closely espouse the idealogy and governing policy of president post-Lincoln and pre-Wilson.
Buchanan is also, like myself, a Catholic, and no doubt finds the libertarian acceptance of abortion repugnant.
As for "the system": a friend and I have had many debates about whether one should work within the system or simply withdraw from it. A third option, which seem to be a variant of the former, is simply to remove the current system and replace it with a better one.
As for the options: the first is discouraging as the results are small and generally unnoticed; the second smells of cowardice and despair; and the third is impractical if novel.
I tentatively plan on instructing my future children in the doctrines of Catholic Christianity in the hope that, my living as nobly and justly as I can in my own life, and serving as an example to my children, we can affect change in the wilder world.
And the ladies tell me I'm not romantic ;)
I think that is a noble strategy, but need we limit ourselves to but one option? Signed Don Quiote
Does this "tradition" include Rough Ridin Teddy Roosevelt?
Does this "tradition" include Rough Ridin Teddy Roosevelt?
Heck no cowboy. =)
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