What the far left’s winning streak means for Democrats. Bernard-Henri Lévy vs. Niall Ferguson on truth and history. The aftermath of the PEN America scandal. And more.
On Bernard-Henri Le’vy…..Truth under attack…..not dead……or NEUTERED?
So much for the Public Intellectual. Some of us in childhood, found ourselves “thinking” way too much and being told so by family and friends. We, entered the adult world more intellectual and constantly thinking and writing and researching (and acting on those analyses) as a profession. There are those who think for a living (think tanks) and there are those who think for a living and apply the analysis to REALITY TESTING. Le’vy is one.
Intellectuals are existential and historical observers who are forever re-thinking. RE-THINKING IS NECESSARY. I certainly do. But, as I suggest, thinking is great as long as it is applied to reality testing - productive. Pondering and theorizing only gets you so far. Being in the THICK of it has “earned and owned reality” at its core. Le’vy has been there as have I. Both internationally focused on the human condition and extreme violence and conflict around the world. Human relations IS THE CONSTANT DIALECTICAL TENSION INTR/INTER RELATIONAL. DIALECTIC can only take you so far. Then the REAL WORLD HITS YOU LIKE A SLUG IN THE FACE.
Sitting and thinking and writing and pondering is a great profession, if you can get it. But it leaves one empty until the analyses are APPLIED to REALITY TESTING. Going into the fire, the action, the people, the problem, the structure, the ideology, the belief system. In this context, The JEWS HAVE BEEN CENTRAL TO THE WORLD and CONFLICT OVER TIME. A historical allegory of loneliness and despair. To this day.
Having read the several offerings based on the theme of whether history is dead or not, causes me to resist the underlying thesis. Buried in the discussion seems to be the idea that there is some TRUTH to the MANUFACTURE OF THE JEWISH MYTH, THE WANDERING JEW, THE HATED JEW - who BECAUSE THEY WERE BORN JEWS, exists A DEEPLY DAMAGED CHARACTER OR damaged CORE, that makes them deserve what they get. It is truly both historical and histrionic. And it is TAUTOLOGICAL. PARADOXICAL. Defensively, they project a crouch to stave off the historical hatred, both by others and self. Today, the Jewish State stands proud and always on the defensive with good reason. They earned it. That crouch is both defensive and an offensive one. That is truth. That is history.
Jewish hatred could be called the Transgenerational transmission of trauma imposed on the JEWS by those who hate them. They are hated because they have ALWAYS BEEN HATED. And LAZY collectives chime in and join the hatred since it is easy to do. To defend the Jews can be cataclysmic. Dangerous. Deadly.
One such writer herein suggests: “nostalgia from Nazism on the right and……denunciation of “genocidal Zionism” as the ultimate weapon on the left.”
What shite. Yes, SHITE. Envy and resentment on the left is more like it.
THE PROLIFERATION OF BULLSHITE……
Because of the proliferation of the published word …. blah blah blah, critiques and analyses can be found anywhere and written by anyone. Literally ANYONE CAN WRITE A BOOK AND HAVE IT PUBLISHED TODAY. ANYONE. Some of us remember a time when publishing your work was a challenge, an elite one. Envious? Maybe. All stripes have become New York Times best sellers of non-fiction. Everyone has an idea. The democratization of BULLSHITE.
This leads me to the conclusion that there is just too much talk and analysis leading to THE NEUTERING OF TRUTH —— NOT IT’S ATTACK OR DEATH.
THE NEUTERING OF TRUTH
Le’vy suggests History is not dead. It is only under “attack.”
“Attack” may be another way of saying “challenged.” Socrates would be proud, to a point. However, there is a difference between cynicism and skepticism. Today I see more cynicism which leads to the shite I suggest. Are the many authors and intellectuals of today asking “why” - a noble exercise? Or, are they simply BASTARDIZING truth to create their own ideology or adherence thereto - to garner power and money and a following ? Clicks, adherents?
That is not “truth.” That is BASTARDIZING TRUTH TO SERVE A PURPOSE.
Truth should have no purpose. It is. Simple as that. Focusing on minutia through Deconstructing “truth” is a postmodern exercise in criticizing for criticism’s sake. Empty. Truth is truth. History is history. Historical truth is just that. Critiquing can become tautological. And History is truth.
Le’vy operationalizes the word “attack” to center his analysis on the death of history. We we are in the reality of a media and algorithmic world in which HISTORY AND TRUTH (ONE And THE SAME) have been NEUTERED through the bastardization of language and the proliferation of BULLSHITE. NON ENTITY. No longer relevant. That is a profoundly sad commentary.
Dead? Under attack? Or simply neutered for the time being. Time will tell. TIME?
Speaking of voter fraud, here's another goodie from Pirate Wires' estimable Riley Nork:
"Republicans continue to freak out because one little dog voted in California, and really, they should just stop barking about it. That’s according to the SF Chronicle, which just published a helpful fact-check about the canine voting scandal, a popular talking point for Republicans like Steve Hilton. These Republicans point to the incident, in which an Orange County woman successfully registered her furry friend as a voter in the state, as evidence for why California needs stricter voting laws (crazy, I know). But per the Chronicle, since the woman was ultimately caught and prosecuted, “the system worked as intended” and further fraud precautions like Voter ID are unnecessary. Phew! Except this woman was only caught… AFTER HER DOG’S VOTE WAS LITERALLY COUNTED IN AN ELECTION. Don’t worry, Californians — 50 Nithya Raman votes may mysteriously emerge from the local Humane Society, but rest assured the perpetrators will be caught eventually (after electing your next mayor)."
It seems to me that if Lebanon wants cooperation from Israel on anything, they could start by recognizing its right to exist, which they have never done.
"... New Jersey governor Mikie Sherrill said Tuesday that 6,600 noncitizens were registered to vote in the state by a malfunctioning DMV software system, and that 400 of them cast ballots in recent elections. Sherrill said the problem had been identified under her predecessor, fellow Democrat Phil Murphy, but never publicly disclosed. ..."
But Democrats said that absolutely NO ILLEGAL immigrants were *ever* allowed to register, much less vote...
If someone is in the U.S. illegally, they shouldn't be given driver's licenses (let alone CDL's). The only thing they deserve is to be deported and made to apply to come in legally.
Yes, but how about spilling an equal amount of ink on a) the realistic possibility of the movement’s success, and b) the concrete steps the majority of Americans can take to ameliorate or forever block its goals?
The Free Press has given me Jewish fatigue. Today the first 3 out of 4 stories are about Israel, being Jewish or antisemitism. Everyday it’s the same thing. I care about Israel as much as I care about every other country outside of the USA but TFP seems to think I should care more. Antisemitism is wrong just like every other form of discrimination but TFP very rarely discusses discrimination unless it’s directed towards a Jewish person. I care about Jews as much as I care about everyone else but TFP thinks I should care about them more than everyone else.
We have Iran with nuclear ambitions avowed to destroy Israel, thwarted by a US-Israeli force, we have that same country lobbing missiles at Israel and it's neighbors, we have the extremes of both political parties in this country flirting with antisemitism. We have a new political party that fully embracing it. We have college campuses that send blatant messages that Jews aren't welcomed or safe. Tell us Peter, what else is going on in the world that animates you? What other forms of discrimination are taking place that are more consequential?
The actual slaughter of Christians in Nigeria possibly. Iran killing it's own citizens and then lying about it. Sorry, I'm not Peter, but those two popped into my head. I understand why TFP is focused on Israel and the Jews, but there ARE other stories that I would argue are of equal, if not more, importance. That said, the treatment of Jews in this country is more than troubling to me, it's appalling and should not be happening in America.
An independent review commissioned by the Gates Foundation…..can a review truly be independent if bought and paid for by a Foundation that was founded by the individual being reviewed?
"The California Fraud Commission investigated the California Fraud Commission, and after an exhaustive study, found no evidence of wrongdoing. Now this."
Mamdani is a sicko Jew hating creepy creep. He needs to try to do his job as mayor of NYC which has extensive flooding, homeless encampments and a severe rise in antisemitic hate crimes - of course the hate crimes he is probably happy about, him and his Nazi wife. NYC elected a man-child who had never held a job before being mayor so of course the City is turning to crap. He has no idea what he is doing. Good job NY, you get what you voted for.
I do feel bad for the people in Cali who do need those medicaid payments. I know families with autistic children that do rely on those payments for food, clothing and to help keep a roof over their heads while they try to navigate getting their children the help they need. (they get payments for being their children's care givers because they simply cannot work and taking care of autistic children is a full time job- we could have used such a program, when) It seems to me that it is the governor of California and Minnesota who are playing politics. Instead of investigating all the fraud they are accusing the Trump administration of racism-Asshats.
Lets see if Spain actually hands over Fergie to the US government. Considering how antisemitic and pathetic that government is, I am not going to hold my breath that they think this Jew hating bottom feeder has broken any laws by trying to get Jews murdered.
PEN should be ashamed of themselves. Talk about Orwellian crap. The fascists of the BDS movement are the persecuted ones? Not the Jews who have been effectively removed from the publishing industry because they are Jews and proud of it? This is a well documented scandal that so many have been talking about for years now. Garbage. Simply garbage.
What does the movement taking over the DNC want? They want to destroy the US. Read their platform. Its not hard to figure this out. I hope the entire democratic party implodes.
Yes, more productions of CATS in drag! And speaking of Cats in drag, did you hear about the op-ed in the DSA-NYT entitled, "Don't Let This Useless Debate Distract You, Democrats"? Here are the first and last sentences: "Do Democrats want to win this year’s midterm elections, or would they prefer to indulge in self-involved arguments over the relative merits of capitalism and socialism that are irrelevant to the choices they’ll face if they win power?" -and- "Shame on Democrats if they lose this argument because they allow feuds over abstractions to substitute for the shared work that social and economic reconstruction will require." -Yep, he said "abstractions"! Violent revolution as "abstraction". Huh.
They aren’t downward mobile. Communism allows sociopaths to dominate other people and sociopaths value that more than anything. They still have more than enough resources to live comfortably.
If you asked Claudine Gay to choose between $20 million in profits per year from owning a manufacturing facility that makes tractor parts and a desk job that pays $120k where she gets to exalt and glorify herself she would choose the DEI job.
On Bernard-Henri Le’vy…..Truth under attack…..not dead……or NEUTERED?
So much for the Public Intellectual. Some of us in childhood, found ourselves “thinking” way too much and being told so by family and friends. We, entered the adult world more intellectual and constantly thinking and writing and researching (and acting on those analyses) as a profession. There are those who think for a living (think tanks) and there are those who think for a living and apply the analysis to REALITY TESTING. Le’vy is one.
Intellectuals are existential and historical observers who are forever re-thinking. RE-THINKING IS NECESSARY. I certainly do. But, as I suggest, thinking is great as long as it is applied to reality testing - productive. Pondering and theorizing only gets you so far. Being in the THICK of it has “earned and owned reality” at its core. Le’vy has been there as have I. Both internationally focused on the human condition and extreme violence and conflict around the world. Human relations IS THE CONSTANT DIALECTICAL TENSION INTR/INTER RELATIONAL. DIALECTIC can only take you so far. Then the REAL WORLD HITS YOU LIKE A SLUG IN THE FACE.
Sitting and thinking and writing and pondering is a great profession, if you can get it. But it leaves one empty until the analyses are APPLIED to REALITY TESTING. Going into the fire, the action, the people, the problem, the structure, the ideology, the belief system. In this context, The JEWS HAVE BEEN CENTRAL TO THE WORLD and CONFLICT OVER TIME. A historical allegory of loneliness and despair. To this day.
Having read the several offerings based on the theme of whether history is dead or not, causes me to resist the underlying thesis. Buried in the discussion seems to be the idea that there is some TRUTH to the MANUFACTURE OF THE JEWISH MYTH, THE WANDERING JEW, THE HATED JEW - who BECAUSE THEY WERE BORN JEWS, exists A DEEPLY DAMAGED CHARACTER OR damaged CORE, that makes them deserve what they get. It is truly both historical and histrionic. And it is TAUTOLOGICAL. PARADOXICAL. Defensively, they project a crouch to stave off the historical hatred, both by others and self. Today, the Jewish State stands proud and always on the defensive with good reason. They earned it. That crouch is both defensive and an offensive one. That is truth. That is history.
Jewish hatred could be called the Transgenerational transmission of trauma imposed on the JEWS by those who hate them. They are hated because they have ALWAYS BEEN HATED. And LAZY collectives chime in and join the hatred since it is easy to do. To defend the Jews can be cataclysmic. Dangerous. Deadly.
One such writer herein suggests: “nostalgia from Nazism on the right and……denunciation of “genocidal Zionism” as the ultimate weapon on the left.”
What shite. Yes, SHITE. Envy and resentment on the left is more like it.
THE PROLIFERATION OF BULLSHITE……
Because of the proliferation of the published word …. blah blah blah, critiques and analyses can be found anywhere and written by anyone. Literally ANYONE CAN WRITE A BOOK AND HAVE IT PUBLISHED TODAY. ANYONE. Some of us remember a time when publishing your work was a challenge, an elite one. Envious? Maybe. All stripes have become New York Times best sellers of non-fiction. Everyone has an idea. The democratization of BULLSHITE.
This leads me to the conclusion that there is just too much talk and analysis leading to THE NEUTERING OF TRUTH —— NOT IT’S ATTACK OR DEATH.
THE NEUTERING OF TRUTH
Le’vy suggests History is not dead. It is only under “attack.”
“Attack” may be another way of saying “challenged.” Socrates would be proud, to a point. However, there is a difference between cynicism and skepticism. Today I see more cynicism which leads to the shite I suggest. Are the many authors and intellectuals of today asking “why” - a noble exercise? Or, are they simply BASTARDIZING truth to create their own ideology or adherence thereto - to garner power and money and a following ? Clicks, adherents?
That is not “truth.” That is BASTARDIZING TRUTH TO SERVE A PURPOSE.
Truth should have no purpose. It is. Simple as that. Focusing on minutia through Deconstructing “truth” is a postmodern exercise in criticizing for criticism’s sake. Empty. Truth is truth. History is history. Historical truth is just that. Critiquing can become tautological. And History is truth.
Le’vy operationalizes the word “attack” to center his analysis on the death of history. We we are in the reality of a media and algorithmic world in which HISTORY AND TRUTH (ONE And THE SAME) have been NEUTERED through the bastardization of language and the proliferation of BULLSHITE. NON ENTITY. No longer relevant. That is a profoundly sad commentary.
Dead? Under attack? Or simply neutered for the time being. Time will tell. TIME?
Speaking of voter fraud, here's another goodie from Pirate Wires' estimable Riley Nork:
"Republicans continue to freak out because one little dog voted in California, and really, they should just stop barking about it. That’s according to the SF Chronicle, which just published a helpful fact-check about the canine voting scandal, a popular talking point for Republicans like Steve Hilton. These Republicans point to the incident, in which an Orange County woman successfully registered her furry friend as a voter in the state, as evidence for why California needs stricter voting laws (crazy, I know). But per the Chronicle, since the woman was ultimately caught and prosecuted, “the system worked as intended” and further fraud precautions like Voter ID are unnecessary. Phew! Except this woman was only caught… AFTER HER DOG’S VOTE WAS LITERALLY COUNTED IN AN ELECTION. Don’t worry, Californians — 50 Nithya Raman votes may mysteriously emerge from the local Humane Society, but rest assured the perpetrators will be caught eventually (after electing your next mayor)."
It seems to me that if Lebanon wants cooperation from Israel on anything, they could start by recognizing its right to exist, which they have never done.
"... New Jersey governor Mikie Sherrill said Tuesday that 6,600 noncitizens were registered to vote in the state by a malfunctioning DMV software system, and that 400 of them cast ballots in recent elections. Sherrill said the problem had been identified under her predecessor, fellow Democrat Phil Murphy, but never publicly disclosed. ..."
But Democrats said that absolutely NO ILLEGAL immigrants were *ever* allowed to register, much less vote...
If someone is in the U.S. illegally, they shouldn't be given driver's licenses (let alone CDL's). The only thing they deserve is to be deported and made to apply to come in legally.
Voter fraud does not exist! Just ask Mikie Sherrill.
Yes, but how about spilling an equal amount of ink on a) the realistic possibility of the movement’s success, and b) the concrete steps the majority of Americans can take to ameliorate or forever block its goals?
"Trump also announced the U.S. will resume direct flights to Lebanon for the first time since 1985."
What airline would see a profit in flights in and out of Lebanon? Aside from a few who have family there, who else would pay to go to that shithole?
Terrorists, laundering money...
Excellent point! There may be profit in that route after all...
$107.5B is a small price to pay to rid the world of the number one state sponsor of terrorism of the last 47 years.
Unfortunately, the country is broke and doesn't HAVE an extra $107.5B.
If it were only the $$$, it would be an easy decision.
When I count the lives lost to Iranian sponsored terrorism over the past 47 years, it's a very easy decision.
The Free Press has given me Jewish fatigue. Today the first 3 out of 4 stories are about Israel, being Jewish or antisemitism. Everyday it’s the same thing. I care about Israel as much as I care about every other country outside of the USA but TFP seems to think I should care more. Antisemitism is wrong just like every other form of discrimination but TFP very rarely discusses discrimination unless it’s directed towards a Jewish person. I care about Jews as much as I care about everyone else but TFP thinks I should care about them more than everyone else.
At least TFP reports on anti-semitism, unlike the mainstream press which downplays it or even excuses it.
Then step up and help stop the antisemitism and continually attacks on Israel and the Jewish population.
I'm Jewish and support Israel, and I have noticed the same thing. It's a bit much.
We have Iran with nuclear ambitions avowed to destroy Israel, thwarted by a US-Israeli force, we have that same country lobbing missiles at Israel and it's neighbors, we have the extremes of both political parties in this country flirting with antisemitism. We have a new political party that fully embracing it. We have college campuses that send blatant messages that Jews aren't welcomed or safe. Tell us Peter, what else is going on in the world that animates you? What other forms of discrimination are taking place that are more consequential?
The actual slaughter of Christians in Nigeria possibly. Iran killing it's own citizens and then lying about it. Sorry, I'm not Peter, but those two popped into my head. I understand why TFP is focused on Israel and the Jews, but there ARE other stories that I would argue are of equal, if not more, importance. That said, the treatment of Jews in this country is more than troubling to me, it's appalling and should not be happening in America.
An independent review commissioned by the Gates Foundation…..can a review truly be independent if bought and paid for by a Foundation that was founded by the individual being reviewed?
"The California Fraud Commission investigated the California Fraud Commission, and after an exhaustive study, found no evidence of wrongdoing. Now this."
Mamdani is a sicko Jew hating creepy creep. He needs to try to do his job as mayor of NYC which has extensive flooding, homeless encampments and a severe rise in antisemitic hate crimes - of course the hate crimes he is probably happy about, him and his Nazi wife. NYC elected a man-child who had never held a job before being mayor so of course the City is turning to crap. He has no idea what he is doing. Good job NY, you get what you voted for.
I do feel bad for the people in Cali who do need those medicaid payments. I know families with autistic children that do rely on those payments for food, clothing and to help keep a roof over their heads while they try to navigate getting their children the help they need. (they get payments for being their children's care givers because they simply cannot work and taking care of autistic children is a full time job- we could have used such a program, when) It seems to me that it is the governor of California and Minnesota who are playing politics. Instead of investigating all the fraud they are accusing the Trump administration of racism-Asshats.
Lets see if Spain actually hands over Fergie to the US government. Considering how antisemitic and pathetic that government is, I am not going to hold my breath that they think this Jew hating bottom feeder has broken any laws by trying to get Jews murdered.
PEN should be ashamed of themselves. Talk about Orwellian crap. The fascists of the BDS movement are the persecuted ones? Not the Jews who have been effectively removed from the publishing industry because they are Jews and proud of it? This is a well documented scandal that so many have been talking about for years now. Garbage. Simply garbage.
What does the movement taking over the DNC want? They want to destroy the US. Read their platform. Its not hard to figure this out. I hope the entire democratic party implodes.
HIGHLY EDUCATED / DOWNWARDLY MOBILE
DSA Theatre Kids, exactly what the country needs.
😉😉😉😉😉
Yes, more productions of CATS in drag! And speaking of Cats in drag, did you hear about the op-ed in the DSA-NYT entitled, "Don't Let This Useless Debate Distract You, Democrats"? Here are the first and last sentences: "Do Democrats want to win this year’s midterm elections, or would they prefer to indulge in self-involved arguments over the relative merits of capitalism and socialism that are irrelevant to the choices they’ll face if they win power?" -and- "Shame on Democrats if they lose this argument because they allow feuds over abstractions to substitute for the shared work that social and economic reconstruction will require." -Yep, he said "abstractions"! Violent revolution as "abstraction". Huh.
They aren’t downward mobile. Communism allows sociopaths to dominate other people and sociopaths value that more than anything. They still have more than enough resources to live comfortably.
If you asked Claudine Gay to choose between $20 million in profits per year from owning a manufacturing facility that makes tractor parts and a desk job that pays $120k where she gets to exalt and glorify herself she would choose the DEI job.
Democrats are parasites with corrupted souls.