Intersectionality was au courant 20 years ago, the era of pitched skirmishes over identity and resistance to postmodernism, when the politics of theory was substituted for a theory of politics. Today, only extremely late adopters trot it out as a cudgel. Around this idea an academic church of sorts has formed, whose adherents, operating much like orthodox Lacanian disciples, are enthralled by a catechism. They mostly speak to each other, policing errors, reaffirming the faith, rarely venturing outside their beloved community. This is why a simple question can set off a fierce counter-attack: the adherents experience it like a sharp slap in the face. It is as if the intersectionalists suddenly realize there’s a reality outside their idea that doesn’t receive it as an article of faith. The shock of this negative epiphany can be met only by a swift over-reaction.
Remembering Thatcher.
The UK had a longstanding colonial presence in Argentina. USA was ok with the Argentine military junta (a bulwark against communism) until it bit the UK. It must have been a deep moral dilemma for US decision-makers: side with Monarchy or with anti-Communism. Monarchy won out.
The war was exciting to watch from afar. British navy steaming thousands of miles to a tiny island populated by sheep. Prince Andy representing the Crown. Exocet rockets representing the junta. The Brits sunk the Argentine battleships and that was that. It was 1588 all over again, Thatcher channeling Liz I.
White smoke means the bong is clean.
Tomasky’s two cents on the disastrous Republican Party of the present:
“God knows, policy positions are a problem. But they are not the problem. The problem is that the party is fanatical—a machine of rage, hate, and resentment. People are free to scoff and pretend it isn’t so, but I don’t think honest people can deny that we’ve never seen anything like this in the modern history of our country. There’s a symbiosis of malevolence between the extreme parts of the GOP base and Washington lawmakers, and it is destroying the Republican Party. That’s fine with me, although I am constantly mystified as to why it’s all right with the people I’m talking about. But it’s also destroying the country and our democratic institutions and processes, which is not fine with me.
The party can change all the positions it wants, but until people stand up and yell “Stop!” to this fanaticism, it won’t mean anything. In fact, the problems feed into each other, because the idea that today’s Republican Party can change its stripes on same-sex marriage or immigration is absurd, and it is absurd precisely because of the rage and fanaticism I’m talking about, much of which is directed at brown people and gay people. Such a party cannot change its stripes on these issues until the mindset and world view are changed.”
The problem with Tomasky is that he addresses the symptoms but not the deeply rooted causes, which extend far beyond the Republican Party apparatus. Simply saying “Stop!” to bigots and homophobes (and the “Rape caucus” which he fails to mention) would be as superficial and inconsequential as the minor policy tweaks he dismisses.
Too obvious pursuit of profit is one of those curious disqualifications for an artist. The penniless poet who is discovered to be a genius only after his/her miserable death from consumption is just too literary to be real.
The inability to find attributes of a shared humanity in other people, such as the ability to love in the same way as others, goes to the heart of the problem (from my point of view).
Certainly, direct experience improves the imagination. I’m a hopeful Kantian on this point though. If one recognizes another human being as such, one should be able to imagine they possess the same human attributes as one’s self. Denial of humanity short-circuits this act of imagining.
I think Salecl (Perversions of Love and Hate) might have pointed out (paraphrasing) that envy of the pleasure of the Other is the source of hatred of the Other.
The NRA position is “evolving.” It used to be that private gun ownership could not be infringed in any way because it would prevent individual citizens from defending themselves against Tyranny. Now, it appears Tyranny is failing and the loss of it will lead to Anarchy, which means assault rifles are a necessary component of the survivalist toolkit.
The spectres haunting Europe have become spectators.
My cat once had a vet who tasted all brands of cat food and made recommendations. Also his name was Dr Katz.
