November 2007 archive

(by pyrrho for publishing jointly at MLW and DocuDharma)

Cynicism: Diogenes
philosophy for life in
the streets

I will be using the print version of the Oxford “Dictionary of
Philosophy” to refresh myself for this series.

Links offered may or may not have been referenced to research this post. I
may or may not believe their assertions or have been exposed to them, but
they are given to ease your direct research further into The Cynics.

• Diogenes at
  Wikipedia
• Internet Encyclopedia of
  Philosophy
• The Cynics
  Sanctuary

This school of philosophy has a bit different origin. You have the Garden
of Epicurus, you have some pythagorean retreat, and you have even the
hardship embracing stoics, chatting on a painted porch, but the founder of
cynicism had a very different origin, the streets. He was homeless, he
begged, he lived in extreme poverty. He made a virtue of it, he was a student
of Antisthenes, whom Plato said was present at the death of Socrates… he
was known and respected, but his worldview involved waging “a crusade of
antisocial mockery, hoping to show by their own example the hollow illusions
of social life”, in the words of the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy.

Have you seen anyone, say, on the internets, wage such a crusade of
antisocial mockery? I have as a matter of fact. Cynicism is probably the most
defensible of all these schools on relevance to the modern condition, it
reflects a condition we have had consistently for the 2400 years since
Diogenes, and longer than that before. One seeks to condemn the philosophy
and philosopher, but it is drawn from realities in our culture.

I think it’s fair to think of each of these philosophies as suiting, or at
leasts adapted to, different specific niche environments, contexts within our
culture, certain subcultures or roles in culture that lend themselves to
certain realities… realities being what honest philosophers (perhaps a rare
breed) attempt to make world views of. And for the cynics, that is life in
the streets.

I am a Centrist. I believe the Democratic Party is a centrist Party. I wish the Democratic Party would fight for its centrist ideals. Like ending the the war in Iraq. Like not going to war in Iran. Like bringing balance to our tax system by reversing the extreme and radical Bush tax cuts. Like doing something about global warming. Like protecting equal rights for all Americans. Like protecting the right to choose. Like offering health care to all Americans. And so on. These Democratic principles stand in the center of American public opinion, held by a strong majority of Americans.

The Republican Party is an extreme party whose views are completely out of the mainstream of American thought. The views espoused by the GOP must be marginalized and beaten at every turn. It is because of this that I strongly dislike this view articulated by Sen. Hillary Clinton:

During this campaign, you're going to hear me talk a lot about the importance of balance,” she began, after acknowledging that the Bush Administration had gone too far toward deregulation in most areas. “You know, our politics can get a little imbalanced sometimes. We move off to the left or off to the right, but eventually we find our way back to the center because Americans are problem solvers. We are not ideologues. Most people are just looking for sensible, commonsense solutions.”

I think the views may be correct but it is poor politicking. Clinton needs to espouse her views on issues. Her problem solving views, not give silly buzzwords that implicitly relegate her Party to the extremes. It ignores that there is an extreme political party in the United States. The Republican Party. It ignores that there is a pragmatic, centrist problem solving party, the Democratic Party. This fight is not beyond politics. It is the CENTRAL political fight going on in this country. I wish Democrats, including Hillary Clinton would get that.

Military Cheer Packs is just one of many sites where you can send a package to a service-person….you can click the ‘donate’ link to send it randomly.  There’s also a link to submit the name of a ‘troop’ to be included to receive a package.

And we cant forget murrayewv’s excellent essay with links for donation to disaster relief in Mexico.

Today Bob Herbert takes his whack at the “Ronald Reagan didn’t use racist tactics” piñata. He scores a  direct hit:

To see Reagan’s appearance at the Neshoba County Fair in its proper context, it has to be placed between the murders of the civil rights workers that preceded it and the acknowledgment by the Republican strategist Lee Atwater that the use of code words like “states’ rights” in place of blatantly bigoted rhetoric was crucial to the success of the G.O.P.’s Southern strategy. That acknowledgment came in the very first year of the Reagan presidency.

Ronald Reagan was an absolute master at the use of symbolism. It was one of the primary keys to his political success.

The suggestion that the Gipper didn’t know exactly what message he was telegraphing in Neshoba County in 1980 is woefully wrong-headed. Wishful thinking would be the kindest way to characterize it.

Thank you Bob Herbert and Paul Krugman. Shame on you David Brooks.

This is an Open Thread: No hidden fees

Todays Headlines, ‘Hidden Costs’ Double Price Of Two Wars, Sticky issues for Coast Guard, Chalabi returns to prominence and power, Bhutto Put Under House Arrest, Panel Decries Terrorism Blacklist Process, Airline websites ‘are misleading’, The ANC is not known for its fondness of multinationals, plight of Zimbabwean refugees, Japan’s Leader Cites Limits In Global Security Abilities, Vietnam struggles with new flood disaster

USA

‘Hidden Costs’ Double Price Of Two Wars, Democrats Say

By Josh White

Washington Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, November 13, 2007; Page A14

The economic costs to the United States of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan so far total approximately $1.5 trillion, according to a new study by congressional Democrats that estimates the conflicts’ “hidden costs”– including higher oil prices, the expense of treating wounded veterans and interest payments on the money borrowed to pay for the wars.

Thanks Buhdy for your kind words, I really appreciated them.  I just wanted to update everyone on where I left off with promotions and what I was up to over the past 2 days.  First of all I added the recommended blog news feed to 15 more news services so your words will be getting out in a global fashion from now on.  It looks like the traffic has picked up as a result.

The wiki is at a good stopping point until the group decides what avenue to go with it all.

I started News Drop which will be a simple hit and run blog with Friday afternoon stories delivered on Monday morning with extra research and background information included.  That should keep me busy on weekends and out of everyone’s hair.  Other bloggers will be invited to go there for quick references to dumped stories by the major media.

I’ll be doing more promotion work on the news feeds and hand submitting listings to various search engines and directories as time allows.  I can’t write on the same political level as most of you but I can promote your work.

Peace and Derek Trucks

Word came down today that Al Gore joined venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and many of us thought that was further proof that he won’t be running for president. I had already been convinced by his recent interview in Rolling Stone. He will, however, be using the market to help develop green businesses, while continuing the work he’s already been doing, as the world’s greatest champion of the world’s most important cause. But more official word has also now come down.

At Daily Kos, diarist Abraham Running For Congress When I Turn 25 has just posted notice from Karen Wunderman, Chief of Staff of the Volunteer Division of AlGore.com:

We have received a communication from a member of Al Gore’s staff discouraging our efforts to put Al Gore’s name on any primary ballots. This includes California, New York, Massachusetts, and the write-in effort in New Hampshire, as well as any other states that are working to get him on the ballot.  Accordingly, effective immediately, we are recommending that all groups cease their signature collection and related fund-raising activities.

Many have said they would not give up hope until Gore asked that the petition drives be stopped. He has. It’s over.

In the Rolling Stone interview, Gore made clear that he considers himself a young 59 years old, and that there may be another time. He doesn’t think the political climate is yet ripe for what he wants to do. He will continue trying to improve that political climate. He may some day again decide to run. It won’t be next year.

It’s time we all refocused our energy by supporting Al Gore in the way he clearly wants us to: by supporting his cause. Research, write, and publicize about global warming- what it is, why it is, and what we can do to mitigate it. Support Al Gore by helping all Democrats to become better on the issue. The political campaign won’t be happening, but the real campaign will continue.

Also posted at Invictus

Troutfishing has a very good article over at Daily Kos on the near-takeover by right-wing Christian evangelicals of the U.S. Air Force Academy. Religious ideology and imagery has long mingled with military rhetoric, as my article yesterday on General Matthew Ridgway and the Korean War demonstrates. But as recent investigations make clear, there is an organizational effort to maximize religious influence in the U.S. military, something beyond the chiliastic comments of a 1950s Cold War general.

In a July 12, 2005 interview with the New York Times, Brig. Gen. Cecil Richardson, Air Force deputy chief of chaplains, stated, "…we reserve the right to evangelize the unchurched." For over a decade, the official [US Air Force] academy newspaper ran ads stating: "We believe that Jesus Christ is the only real hope for the World. If you would like to discuss Jesus, feel free to contact one of us! There is salvation in no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved." The ads were signed by 16 department heads, nine permanent professors, both the incoming and outgoing deans of faculty, the athletic director and more than 200 academy senior officers and their spouses.

(from an article published on Truthdig, The Cancer From Within, by Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) board member and decorated Vietnam War pilot David Antoon)