[lit-ideas] Re: A Revolution in the USA?
- From: "Simon Ward" <sedward@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2006 18:22:05 +0100
"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."
Indeed, providing you read the views of a rabid right wing reviewer. His only
other Amazon review was on the book: The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy.... bluh
bluh...
Incidentally, why is this political separation only happening in America. Why
are 'left wing' and 'liberal' insults only in America. It does make me laugh
sometimes when Lawrence calls list members leftists and liberals as though he's
seriously castigating them (and me) for crimes too repugnant for words. And yet
I'm happy to hold up my hand and say (with a small voice) 'hey, I'm left
wing...is it so bad'.
Well it seems it is in America. Why is that?
Simon
----- Original Message -----
From: Lawrence Helm
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, August 14, 2006 3:28 PM
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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