One reaction I had was thinking about some of the terms. Communist. Which is a communist country? Or a socialist one? Capitalism. Where’s a capitalist country or system?
What defines “right-wing”?
I don’t criticize you for using the terms as you use them here. Nor do I suspect I have any better or more sophisticated understanding of the terms. Nor do I assume you haven’t thought well and carefully and effectively about the set of related issues.
Just description of some of what’s provoked in me, as just one reader.
I’d guess you’re capable of elaborating on the issues at book-length. And here you’ve achieved a sharp, pithy, highly readable piece.
I’m still new to “know” you, and a fan already, for sure.
My only substantive comment, besides strong agreement in general (as far as I understand what you mean by the—what Chomsky calls “open textured” terms), is on the last paragraph.
Yes, I can see that as a reasonable partial explanatory factor, but I think there are many valid alternative—better: additional—facts, perspectives, speculations—with respect to “big explanations” like we’re biologically fearful animals.
There’s so much we don’t know about our nature (and nature, period).
There’s so much we don’t know about the nature of our close cousins and aunts and uncles—and other.
How “fearful” were early humans, their forebears? How fearful are cats? “Scaredy-cats”? Measured against everything else we or they are or were?
If I had to hazard a similar zippy causal explanation, I might say we’re mixtures of the basic/primal emotions, as are reptiles—those inside us and spared or deprived of our differentiating natures.
I guess non-humans, including pre-human (loosely characterized) ancestors are pretty much “afraid”—when they have such capacity—only in response to immediate tangible stimuli (sensations stimulated only by things a physicist could pick out of nature [Chomsky]) and then pretty much only in the moment. No sight or sound of an approaching threat, no fear.
It’s we, and we alone, it’s quite plain, who can create thoughts that can stimulate anticipatory anxiety.
Oops. Did I promise to try to be zippy? -1 or more.
I’d say we’re complex mixtures as emotional creatures. Look at it this way, look at it that.
My amateur understanding of good analyses of such things suggests we were relatively peaceful (vs violent), up until organizations like nation-states were “achieved”. Carrying “trauma” in our biology/genes? It seems like adoption/construction of a metaphor or myth.
A more proximate or powerful cause of widely shared illusions might be the propaganda itself, not some special innate disposition to it. Arising from social-institutional-organizational factors.
Created by people. Can (maybe) be dissolved by people. What in our biology or carried scripts explains revolts, cooperative organization (eg times and places of powerful labor movements)?
What led to Sanders enjoying stronger popular support than any other candidate/political figure circa 2016? To China’s overthrow of at least one kind of tyrannical regime?
Such things, too, we carry in us. So powerfully, I suppose, that the US/global masters must remain so constantly and ferociously engaged in brutal, brutal warfare against the very majority of us?
Almost ready to subscribe, and looking forward to it. (How about some “discount packs of subscriptions, Substack—or Substackers?!)
I appreciate your work, so far. May you reap what reward you seek. ❤️
Does it leave a “comment deleted” post? I guess I have just thought (superficially) that I don’t want to contribute to making things messier than they can often get.
You mean because it can manipulate or just unwittingly change how “likes” or follow-up might be interpreted?
The best practice would be for me to compose and revise elsewhere and post later.
But the systems seem to pull for immediacy. And … ADHD doesn’t help. I never remember to do that until I see my typos or realize how I could have better phrased.
But you’re right: not as simple a set of issue as it may sometimes seem.
Great points and style.
One reaction I had was thinking about some of the terms. Communist. Which is a communist country? Or a socialist one? Capitalism. Where’s a capitalist country or system?
What defines “right-wing”?
I don’t criticize you for using the terms as you use them here. Nor do I suspect I have any better or more sophisticated understanding of the terms. Nor do I assume you haven’t thought well and carefully and effectively about the set of related issues.
Just description of some of what’s provoked in me, as just one reader.
I’d guess you’re capable of elaborating on the issues at book-length. And here you’ve achieved a sharp, pithy, highly readable piece.
I’m still new to “know” you, and a fan already, for sure.
My only substantive comment, besides strong agreement in general (as far as I understand what you mean by the—what Chomsky calls “open textured” terms), is on the last paragraph.
Yes, I can see that as a reasonable partial explanatory factor, but I think there are many valid alternative—better: additional—facts, perspectives, speculations—with respect to “big explanations” like we’re biologically fearful animals.
There’s so much we don’t know about our nature (and nature, period).
There’s so much we don’t know about the nature of our close cousins and aunts and uncles—and other.
How “fearful” were early humans, their forebears? How fearful are cats? “Scaredy-cats”? Measured against everything else we or they are or were?
If I had to hazard a similar zippy causal explanation, I might say we’re mixtures of the basic/primal emotions, as are reptiles—those inside us and spared or deprived of our differentiating natures.
I guess non-humans, including pre-human (loosely characterized) ancestors are pretty much “afraid”—when they have such capacity—only in response to immediate tangible stimuli (sensations stimulated only by things a physicist could pick out of nature [Chomsky]) and then pretty much only in the moment. No sight or sound of an approaching threat, no fear.
It’s we, and we alone, it’s quite plain, who can create thoughts that can stimulate anticipatory anxiety.
Oops. Did I promise to try to be zippy? -1 or more.
I’d say we’re complex mixtures as emotional creatures. Look at it this way, look at it that.
My amateur understanding of good analyses of such things suggests we were relatively peaceful (vs violent), up until organizations like nation-states were “achieved”. Carrying “trauma” in our biology/genes? It seems like adoption/construction of a metaphor or myth.
A more proximate or powerful cause of widely shared illusions might be the propaganda itself, not some special innate disposition to it. Arising from social-institutional-organizational factors.
Created by people. Can (maybe) be dissolved by people. What in our biology or carried scripts explains revolts, cooperative organization (eg times and places of powerful labor movements)?
What led to Sanders enjoying stronger popular support than any other candidate/political figure circa 2016? To China’s overthrow of at least one kind of tyrannical regime?
Such things, too, we carry in us. So powerfully, I suppose, that the US/global masters must remain so constantly and ferociously engaged in brutal, brutal warfare against the very majority of us?
Almost ready to subscribe, and looking forward to it. (How about some “discount packs of subscriptions, Substack—or Substackers?!)
I appreciate your work, so far. May you reap what reward you seek. ❤️
And why in name of The Creative Power can’t we edit these comments. I might have won a Pulitzer. Well… not that, but … maybe some likes? 😂
You can edit your comment by deleting the entire thing and reposting it. I find myself rather ambivalent about editing in context.
Does it leave a “comment deleted” post? I guess I have just thought (superficially) that I don’t want to contribute to making things messier than they can often get.
You mean because it can manipulate or just unwittingly change how “likes” or follow-up might be interpreted?
The best practice would be for me to compose and revise elsewhere and post later.
But the systems seem to pull for immediacy. And … ADHD doesn’t help. I never remember to do that until I see my typos or realize how I could have better phrased.
But you’re right: not as simple a set of issue as it may sometimes seem.
+1 on a comment editor button.