Pasayten's Methow Valley Bulletin Board

Voice of reason David.

I suspect Brooks' analysis of our current anomie is quite a ways off the mark. Mostly because while yes, some liberal projects have torn down or weakened some institutions in our society, conservatives have been just as busy tearing down and weakening other institutions.

Just one example: the Right has been going after the "Liberal Media" for decades. And their definition of "Liberal" doesn't exactly line up with mine and seems closer to "anyone who dares criticize us" than any actual ideology. Woodward and Bernstein were Republicans, after all. And not liberal ones.

There is obviously an appeal to over-simplified answers, especially to complex and ugly problems.

As another example is the whole border issue. Logically most of the people coming here wouldn't come here if they couldn't find a job. Somebody is hiring them (and breaking the law in the process). Why aren't those laws enforced vigorously? Why are so many businesses willing to hire people here illegally who do not have the right to work here? Not all of those businesses doing so are owned by liberal hippies. Maybe I am naive but it seems much more cost-efficient to limit illegal immigration by making it very hard for illegal immigrants to find gainful employment than it is to build a big wall. And if going after employers wrecks our agricultural industry (and it probably would) then maybe we could have an adult conversation about what we really want and really need here rather than just dueling soundbites.

Nope, never any authoritarianism from dems! Whatever clown.

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dorankj wrote: Wed Jul 03, 2024 9:09 pm Maybe someday you’ll actually gain enough wisdom to see the role you and your side have played to get to this place and take a little responsibility to correct where you may actually have influence.

And once again….WHOOSH….right over your head! Not that I expected you to ‘get’ it, anyway. You never fail to disappoint!
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Maybe someday you’ll actually gain enough wisdom to see the role you and your side have played to get to this place and take a little responsibility to correct where you may actually have influence.

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I'm not a big fan of David Brooks, but he has some interesting stuff to say here. I do enjoy watching him on Friday evening PBS Newshour where he does a weekly back and forth with Jonathan Capehart.

Food for thought…..Brooks explains that what he calls ‘extreme liberalism’ - different from democratic liberalism - has led to our population becoming disconnected from the roots of whatever moral philosophy we once had. In so many words, that disconnect leads in turn to deep general pessimism. We're no longer fundamentally connected to a family or national set of values; our institutions no longer appear trustworthy, everybody's out to get you & the system is rigged. That leaves everyone very very alone and frightened of a changing world. Enter the simple lure of Trumpism, rightwing populism, or authoritarianism:

From the video, linked below:

"...The authoritarians know exactly what to do with this (global population suffering fear of change and the consequences rise of the individual over the institution).
Whether it's Xi,Vladimir Putin, Iran, Hamas, Victor Orban, Marine Le Pen, or MAGA sponsors. What unites (populations) is they say 'I'm going to restore order. I'm going to restore order to the street. I'm going to restore order to the borders. I'm also going to restore order to your soul. They stand up for family... They stand up for everything, and they make it all about order and so a lot of people flock to the authoritarians and the populism because they're not only saying 'Screw those Elites!' They're saying I'm restoring order to your deepest anxieties, and it's just tremendously powerfully appealing to people all all around the world.
... Of course they're not really delivering a secure base. They're just delivering authoritarian narcissism, but it has this spiritual resonance with people."

Here's the video - jump to 6:00 to get past the warmup. Quote above starts about 20 min in.

https://youtu.be/oDdssTQG6Vc?t=406
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