[lit-ideas] Re: A Revolution in the USA?

  • From: "Andy Amago" <aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2006 10:57:12 -0400

Who wrote the criticism?  When I heard him speak, he was hardly a crank.  In 
fact, I was surprised that someone else had noticed that we are, in fact, in 
the New Middle Ages, which he calls the Dark Ages, and he uses hard numbers so 
support (people polled who think we don't need the First Amendment, religion 
instead of science in the schools, etc., just how ignorant even educated people 
are, etc.).  There were people in the audience who did exactly what you are 
doing, accusing him of whatever you're accusing him of.  In fact, one member of 
the audience asked him for some good news, and at least one stated in so many 
words that he resented the pessimism.  Several wanted him to show a way out, 
and he couldn't.  Many gave him a hard time because he was upsetting their 
apple cart of complacency.  So, it's no surprise, Lawrence, that you think he's 
some crank.  Much easier than looking at the reality he talks about, especially 
given that the U.S. is a laughing stock in so much of 
 the world.   Our debt is legendary.  As far as we're not an empire, what do 
you call invading other countries and "spreading democracy" if not what empires 
do?  We're not exactly keeping our hands in our pockets.  And you're right, 
we're not an empire, we only try to be.  Regardless, those days are over, which 
is exactly his point.  At best our empire is now mired for decades in Iraq at 
the cost of $1.5 billion a week.  You're right, some empire.  And some way to 
spread democracy.  



----- Original Message ----- 
From: Lawrence Helm 
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 8/14/2006 10:28:46 AM 
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: A Revolution in the USA?


Irene criticizes me for ?carrying on about the left in the U.S. undermining the 
country.?  ?There is no left,? she writes and as evidence for this strange 
assertion she cites Morris Berman and his book Dark Ages America. I have never 
read Morris Berman and so went to Amazon com to check the book:  the following 
illuminating criticism of his book (did you read his book, Irene?) describes a 
different viewpoint from Irene who upon hearing about it or reading it, took it 
as gospel:

?Berman is the archetypal Leftist and therefore compulsive critic of the status 
quo. He thrives on playing the role of silver-tongued jester to the chronically 
cranky Leftist university crowd (a modern day plague teaching our children to 
hate themselves and American society while demanding `tolerance' for all other 
societies no matter how repulsive). 
Based on Berman's canon, to be preferred over the current "dark ages" we suffer 
in this country is some imaginary world of hunter/gatherer noble savages 
communing with the sun and the moon and sharing their untreated parasites with 
egalitarian esprit de corps (and with, apparently, no need for the messy 
entanglements of modern society like regular meals, a safe place to sleep, and 
the ability to walk down the street without being kidnapped and pressed into 
dimitude by Islamofasists). 


?That said, the man is obviously of high IQ and well spoken, and his complaints 
about modern society are reflective of the things we all say to each other when 
drinking beer (or sipping wine) and flipping through the circus of reality 
shows and 24-hour news channels which have overpopulated the satellite 
networks. 


?But Berman turns social nuisances into 'empire' threatening omens. Give me a 
break! America is an aggressive watchdog - not an empire. We have stopped the 
spread of empire time and time again - and the world is better for it. And we 
are a young society, historically speaking, and should have a long way to go 
before the worming whispers of decline take on any serious meaning. 


?We ARE the world. We ARE the dream. Just look at the huge number of people who 
want to come to this country from abroad - and we are the better for it. We are 
becoming stronger and stronger for it. 
If anything, it is people like Berman who pose the main threat to this country. 
They would have our children believe that our society is not worth preserving - 
not worth fighting for. 


?In the end, as in the beginning, Berman is a typical malcontent and Leftist 
(redundant), posing as both crier and savior. High IQ, no common sense and 
angry with the world for not meeting the unrealistic demands of his ego driven 
fantasies. 
When Leftists like Berman decry Right-wing Christian fundamentalists as a bane 
to our society (even if partially true), one can only wonder at the jaw 
dropping hypocrisy of such charges. 


?Berman is a Leftist fundamentalist of the highest (and lowest) order. If 
anything, it is egomaniac Leftists like Berman (with their 95% monopoly control 
of university humanities departments and newspapers around the world) who are 
in the position, and most inclined, to destroy the civilization which has 
created them. God help us all.?

Morris Berman sounds a little bit about another anti-American other-worldly 
anti-technology, high I-Q?d former Berkeley professor by the name of Ted 
Kaczynski.

Lawrence

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