Is the US-Anglophone culture actually more progressive than continental Europe? How the American left benefits from laissez-faire economics.

Edit:  ok, so this post was done in a bit of a ‘ranting’ mood, when my wife and I were trying to find something to do, or somewhere to go, in rural Belgium, which did not cost 100 Euros for the family, between gas and/or restaurant fees.  Note at the end I begin to reiterate what I have said in other posts, which is that I am very fond of many things European, enough that I’d rather live here than in North America.  But anyway, take the first part of this as shorthand, which tries to make a number of points quickly, without pausing to be nice; I had a lot to cram into this one post, and b/c I write for a living I have relatively little time to devote to this sort of post, so I had to do it fast… anyway, it’s not at all intended to be rude, as you’ll see if you get to the end, but instead to get European continentals (who whether they wish to believe it or not can be just as smug and culture-o-centric as anyone…) to think beyond some of their cherished stereotypes of North Americans.  (It also should have the effect of causing American liberals to look beyond some of their stereotypes of the ‘European person’ as a liberal person’s Jesus figure.., and realize, in other words, that some of the things they continually criticize in the American right’s economic policies might actually be empowering their own lifestyle, to a degree that they could never realize until they lived in Europe, and found that much of what they hold dear cannot exist here due, I think, to relatively rigid continental modes of thought, which could use some shaking up.  And finally, Hey, I’m a progressive, I shake things up, whether it’s in the U.S. or Europe, so it’s good for everyone to get the cobwebs out.)

Like most progressive folks in the US, I spent most of my conscious life under the assumption that Europe was of course culturally more progressive than the US.  Because Europeans are generally quite socially liberal, and because some European countries have laws in place which tend to favour working moms, and working people in general, together with liberal views on healthcare, the environment etc., one gets the impression that European culture and society in general are not only liberal, but innovative, and interesting.  Based on the fitishization that Americans do of “European” food, furniture, clothing, cars, etc…, one would imagine that when one came to Europe that one would find fashion-forward trends in clothing, housewares, restaurants, eating habits, Eco/Green items, etc.  And based on the worship that American greens have of European green-ness, including the environmentally friendly laws that Europeans are supposed to have in place, against things like GMOs, nuclear power, and the like, one would imagine that coming to Europe one would find people who are super green, super aware, and super into green eating., etc.

I have had these ideas from the American media and advertising, and they were generally confirmed from the vegetarianism and progressivism that I found while living with British and German students for a few years in England during and after undergrad, and I found that they were also somewhat confirmed from living in Barcelona.  There were cool and hip and progressive stores and magazines, and other cultural forces at work in Barcelona, but not much of this anywhere else in Spain – but I figured that, hey the Spanish are Latins after all, and so surely the northern Europeans, such as the Dutch, Scandinavians, Germans, etc., would be that much more Green and progressive, right?

Well, imagine my surprise when I move to Holland and find that, au contraire, the Dutch are at least 10 years behind the Americans and Canadians in terms of progressive culture.  For one thing, the Dutch eat horribly.  Totally blandly.

Read Full Post »

Nah, let’s keep it “the platonist”

So, After thinking about it a bit more, I’ve realized that I really have no idea what will happen if I change the site name here, and besides, all of this was written under the heading “The Platonist.” Thus, we’ll keep it “The Platonist,” with the understanding that “The Idealist” might be a future incarnation – perhaps something bigger and better. You’ll notice of late, that there have been fewer posts, and that is because I’ve been very busy on my book and some supporting material, meaning that I’ve been too braindead to type for The Platonist–any time I could use typing here, I’ve been opening my word files for my other things instead. So it’s good – I’ve been very productive lately, just not in this forum. The hope is, that the book and accompanying articles will help to further my academic position, and make it so that I can spend more time writing on these issues, but hopefully in an even more effective format, so that I can help to bring some of these ideas not merely to a web forum, but to some of the people who are really in a position to change things for the better – if only the issues we discuss here were brought more keenly into focus for them. So, wish me luck, and I’ll keep you posted. Cheerio, – trivium.

Read Full Post »

Name change for our first birthday.

So “the platonist” has been up and running now for a year, and that’s always a good time to reflect on the state of things.  I for one can say that it’s been very useful for me to put so many of these ideas that have been running around my head into (virtual) concrete form.  For one thing, I had no idea that so many of the ideas that I have have been so connected, in so many ways.  This has really helped me to see “the matrix” that binds them all together, if you will, thus revealing strengths, weaknesses, and leads that would never otherwise have been reavealed.  So for me, this has been fabulous.

As for our reading public – well, we have gained a few devoted fans, and been a place of at least momentary interest for a few thousand individuals over the past year, so that’s definitely something.  Hopefully, you have found this place to be somewhat inspiring, and occasionally enlightening; perhaps even adding some sense that you weren’t quite as alone as you previously thought.  For me, there have been a few moments when some kind people took the time to register their pleasure at having found someone who put into words exactly what they had been thinking or feeling.  That’s the chief reward for me, and so hopefully in this second year we can expand our reach, and connect with more people.

In an effort to do that, I am making a move towards populism by changing the site’s name.  I have learned since my utter newbie days of webmastering that a name such as the platonist will strike the vast majority of readers as somewhat esoteric and off-putting, even though it does describe well what we do here.  Perhaps, too, Platonism is just too limiting of a concept for what we do here, because we do aim to be as inclusive and universal as possible.  While Plato may have been the grandfather of idealism as a defined intellectual system, it is best, of course, if no one in particular owns idealism – idealism strives to be, and is best when it is, universal.

Thus, the name change to “the idealist,” — the site thus becomes more universal, less proprietary, less ivory tower perhaps, and hopefully more accessible–without of course diluting anything that it stands for.  In a sense, then, we’ve evolved – moved out of our shell, and now feel more confident to embrace a broader readership, a broader public.  This, at least, is the ideal – let me know what you think.

Cheers,

-the idealist.

Read Full Post »

More than just pointy ears: why do people like elves, vulcans, and jedi so much?

Why do people like Tolkien’s Middle Earth so much, and why do people like Star Trek so much?  And, for that matter, why do they like Star Wars so much?  These are clearly the top 3 fictional universes that were created in the 20th century; they are very much alive in the mentality of my entire generation.  In many countries of the world, they are perhaps the core mythology of thinking people under 50–more than any religion.  These universes are, in Lennon’s words, “bigger than Jesus,” and inspire much more, seemingly longer-term, devotion than any rock band, including the Beatles.  And they look to be equally captivating for the generation just now coming to consciousness.  So, why? 

Pundits have speculated endlessly, and you usually get the following answer:  They deal with issues of “good vs. evil.”  And they pose moral quandries. 

Well, yes, but then again, so have about 1,500 other fictional universes.  So that can’t be it.

Read Full Post »

Er, shouldn’t the American center (if there still is one) start popularizing the term ‘Christian terrorist?’ rather than ‘Christian militia?’

 So, major outlets’ stories on the recent arrest of this “Christian militia,” this example of homegrown terrorism that is happening as a result of the irresponsibility of the republican leadership and its media mouthpieces, are refusing to actually use the word ‘terrorism.’   If they were truly neutral regarding Islam, then they should not hesitate to call Christian terrorism what it is, i.e., Christian terrorism, and the people who perpetrate it, terrorists.  This would be useful because it would point out that, amongst other things, violent extremists of whatever stripe are violent extremists.  Right now, CNN and co are working under the assumption that if a Muslim sets off a bomb in a market and kills 50 people,  he is a terrorist, but if a nice Christian guy sets off a bomb at a police officer’s funeral and kills 50 people, then he is a militiaman. 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100330/ap_on_re_us/us_fbi_raids

By referring to these people using their own term “Christian militia,” the media are legitimizing them as heirs to the American colonial militia, which organized tea parties and other sorts of activities against the British.  Thus, this terminology falls right into the teabaggers’ idea of themselves as somehow heroes of armed resistance against a tyrannical DC government.

There are a few problems with this idea, however.  One, is that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Ben Franklin, and co, were highly educated, highly articulate, highly humane people who were well versed in the history of political philosophy, knew the Greek and Latin classics, knew the history of Rome and Greece, and knew more recent history (e.g., the English Civil War) extremely well, and whose sensible arguments won the sympathy of a great percentage of the British and French educated and elite classes.  In short, they inspired a majority of the most sensible people in their society that they were right, and that, in fact, the government of Britain under George III was merely acting in economic self-interest, rather than in the interest of the American people, when it was waging a war.  Thus, the American militias clearly had the moral high ground for most of their conflict. 

Read Full Post »

Chapter 1: A Death.

 Note:  If I were to write a novel, it would be about Dante.  It wouldn’t necessarily be any good, however, which is why I chose to write non fiction for a living.  The following excerpt is a tribute to not one, but two of my childhood friends who have recently and quite unexpectedly died in unrelated incidents several (but not nearly enough) years apart.  This is here just to help me to cope a bit.  The Platonist will return to his usual social constructivisim soon.  But now a moment to remember those warriors who have gone before us. 

            I was christenened Dante, the third son of my house to bear that name.  I am a magus; a wizard.  I am also fiorentini–a son of Florence.  I carry Florence in my blood; in my veins flow equal measures of pride in her promise and sorrow at her shames.  Nursed in my youth at the teat of democracy, I was weaned on the wormwood of faction and exile.  My father was killed on the order of Alessandro Albizzi—God curse his soul—when my beard had just appeared on my cheeks but before I had taken a razor to them.  That night I was forced to flee Florence for the first time—with my mother and sisters in the dead of night, in disguise and fearing for our lives.  Arriving at Siena, we eventually made our way to the safety of the papal lands at Bologna, and finally Ravenna.  Then the Albizzi pronounced a sentence of exile on the White Guelphs, and all of our property was confiscated.  Three years later, Alessandro died and the Alberti took control of the government.  We were allowed to return to Florence; with the help of my uncle we began lawsuits.  But thirty years later much of our property still remains in the hands of our enemies.  Bah!  Enough of my petty trials and tribulations; such as these many have bourne before me. 

            My real journey began on the third kalends of March, anno domini one thousand two hundred and ninety three, when I was thirty-five years of age.  Though by that time I had studied much, and was already famed in some circles for my mastery of philosophy and the arcane arts, I had also started a family, which for security had caused me to take a post at the scoule del liberi arti for boys and girls.  It was late in the afternoon, the fourth hour, and I was presiding over a disputation in rhetoric between a talented young woman named Celia Donati—a daughter of my friend the poet Donati, and our best male debater, Lorenzo Datti.  Our hall was on the first floor of the academia, with a row of windows open to the street.  The point in dispute was whether women should be allowed to become doctors of the arts, and Celia was having the better of it, if memory serves.  Lorenzo was constructing an elaborate syllogism based on the verse “and she weaveth, and spinneth, but no more”, from II Kings 14:7, using Eusebius’ commentary on Paul “how then when earthly kings may fall,” –I tell you this because it is a sign—when we heard a commotion in the via caminara below.  Naturally, we thought little of it – though I was about to signal to the head lictor to yell at the disturbers and ready his apples—when we heard the bell of Santa Lucia begin to ring the death knell.  At this, we all fell silent and crossed ourselves, but I knew no one who was ill, and so I thought little of it while I murmured the prayer. 

            Then, a messenger came in whose form will forever remain emblazoned on the eye of my soul.

Read Full Post »

And this is how i feel about world events at present…

Sometimes, particularly in the evenings, I think that my best friend’s death has really sapped my resilience… or maybe it was having kids.  No, it was definitely both.  I think that having two kids 2.5 years apart, which has meant:  six years of not sleeping through the night, coupled with five years of almost continuous crying, followed by and blended in with 3-4 years now of continuous inane prattle (and i really do think my kids are super cute, and they are pretty bright for kids, but still…) has done a permanent number on my ability to be resilient.  that, and, perhaps reaching my late 30s, when it now definately feels like i’m starting to slide into middle age.  and, having an ADD asshole for a boss the last year hasn’t helped either.

Read Full Post »

Brand Spankin’

This site is fairly brand new and under construction – please allow 4-6 months for delivery (i.e., to get up to running speed, and really hit a stride).

Read Full Post »