Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Coercive equality

Here's an important review of an important book. If you want to get at the core of liberal political fallacies, here's a good place to start.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

3 comments:

  1. Evan -

    Thank you for this information. This would have been very helpful during my time at Johns Hopkins where I did graduate work in government/political theory.

    Excellent resource. Thank you for sharing.

    Blessings,
    Douglas Baker

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  2. Steve or Jason,

    This is off topic, but Tim Enloe has written some interesting posts on the Popes over at unReformedCatharsis.com. I'd be interested in your thoughts on them. The general title is "Honoring our Fathers".

    The words "intelligent doofus" come to mind...

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Intelligent doofus" reminds me of a certain song:

    ---
    The Great Egotist

    I have a martyr complex
    That's bigger than your
    Plasma TV screen.

    But that's okay because
    Everything you've thought
    Was just a stupid dream.

    [Chorus]
    Look how smart I am now
    Spouting words that you don't know
    I'm always right.
    Bow down and worship my intellect.
    I can argue anything
    It doesn't even have to make sense
    Cuz I know I'm right.
    Who needs any self-respect now?

    I wrote a five pound paper
    That sits on an empty bookcase
    Over by the door.

    No one cares what I think
    But I pretend
    It's what I write for.

    [Chorus]

    [Bridge]
    There was this time
    When my world was fine
    Before I fell off the boat
    And forgot how to float
    Taxidermic egotism
    Masochistic dualism
    You're a Donatist
    I'm a hypocrite.
    There, I said it again.
    You engage in ad hominem.
    I'll pretend that I don't
    But then I'll cry when you don't.

    I'll flame you all day long
    Whenever I sense
    You disagree with me.

    I'll sign your e-mail to spam sites
    Who really cares
    If it's obscene?

    [Chorus 2]
    Look how smart I am now
    Spouting words that you don't know
    I'm always right.
    Bow down and worship my intellect.
    I can argue anything
    It doesn't even have to make sense
    Cuz I know I'm right.
    Who needs any self-respect?
    Dole out the whizz-dumb now!

    ---

    Naturally, the fact that "The Great Egotist" is abbreviated TGE (which is like another individual who has initials that happen to also be TGE, and who's behavior is approximated by the song) demonstrates beyond all doubt that the song is about George Bush.

    ReplyDelete