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