Thanks for this as always :) I think Trump is most definitely the symptom not the cause of this problem you both discussed in terms of challenges to our current system. He is the voice of dissatisfaction and rage at the seeming collapse of an old order which served a certain group of people well. I think the primary problem with Trump is a little like Damir's at the end.... there is no feasible alternative constructed within Trumpism. Even within the 2025 document of the Heritage Foundation it's not really re-working these problems comprehensively or feasibly without serious risk of institutional collapse creating all kinds of new performance problems. The performance doesn't create anything beyond it really.
Although I don't share Damir's excitement at this moment, the end of liberal moral stasis does open up new ways to think about the world. It also makes me fearful for what is to come. We are living in a post-literacy era which comes with its own dangers. Jacksonian democracy was the result of an angry backlash and prompted very dark moments in the earlier years of US democracy. With our technological prowess and power of the unitary state today a return to that kind of existence should keep us awake at night for my money.
Finally, I do not believe in peace at all costs. I tend to lean towards the belief that if you seek peace at all costs inevitably you will have war. Like in Ukraine there is no choice but to fight Putin to stop him now and show there is a real detriment to him trying to fight this out. I fear we'll be in a similar place with China and Taiwan before the decade is out.
Neither of you are wrong I think about the Democrats and the use of 'liberal fear' in the US case has not been particularly effective. I know Shadi really hates the case for using it but I do wonder if there is something inside of it. Liberals aren't traditionally good at using fear- it goes against their moralistic framework undermining in their heads our modus vivendi. Although, as Shklar argued there is a place for fear when the space to make choices is threatened. The effectiveness however is predicated on the assumption that people want the choice. I do wonder if this is truly the case anymore?
Great conversation, but I really missed Shadi’s contribution to it. Is he backing away from WoC? Seems like he’s been absent a lot recently Still, very thought provoking as always.
Thanks for this as always :) I think Trump is most definitely the symptom not the cause of this problem you both discussed in terms of challenges to our current system. He is the voice of dissatisfaction and rage at the seeming collapse of an old order which served a certain group of people well. I think the primary problem with Trump is a little like Damir's at the end.... there is no feasible alternative constructed within Trumpism. Even within the 2025 document of the Heritage Foundation it's not really re-working these problems comprehensively or feasibly without serious risk of institutional collapse creating all kinds of new performance problems. The performance doesn't create anything beyond it really.
Although I don't share Damir's excitement at this moment, the end of liberal moral stasis does open up new ways to think about the world. It also makes me fearful for what is to come. We are living in a post-literacy era which comes with its own dangers. Jacksonian democracy was the result of an angry backlash and prompted very dark moments in the earlier years of US democracy. With our technological prowess and power of the unitary state today a return to that kind of existence should keep us awake at night for my money.
https://theorymatters.substack.com/p/reading-as-a-warning-light
Finally, I do not believe in peace at all costs. I tend to lean towards the belief that if you seek peace at all costs inevitably you will have war. Like in Ukraine there is no choice but to fight Putin to stop him now and show there is a real detriment to him trying to fight this out. I fear we'll be in a similar place with China and Taiwan before the decade is out.
Neither of you are wrong I think about the Democrats and the use of 'liberal fear' in the US case has not been particularly effective. I know Shadi really hates the case for using it but I do wonder if there is something inside of it. Liberals aren't traditionally good at using fear- it goes against their moralistic framework undermining in their heads our modus vivendi. Although, as Shklar argued there is a place for fear when the space to make choices is threatened. The effectiveness however is predicated on the assumption that people want the choice. I do wonder if this is truly the case anymore?
Great conversation, but I really missed Shadi’s contribution to it. Is he backing away from WoC? Seems like he’s been absent a lot recently Still, very thought provoking as always.
Not at all! He was on vacation and will be back in our next episode, dropping tomorrow!