I generally have no qualms with Johnstone's writing, including much of this post. But the item I found jarring is the one that goes "How to be an American leftist."
Two things about this quip. First, as an American leftist that believes none of those things, how am I supposed to react? In other words, why toss everyone into one bucket that is only true of a few of them? This is something I find problematic with many of the voices who have migrated to Substack, and why I no longer respect the opinions of two of their most famous alumni, Matt Taibbi and Glenn Greenwald. These kinds of gross generalizations which are so gross as to be inaccurate start to pile up, and become insulting. I have become alienated from their opinions and no longer wish to engage with them. And why would they want to alienate anyone from their supposedly important messages? Particularly a person like me, who has been avid readers of both of their work for the better part of two decades? To sum it up, if they are simply not willing to discriminate with their often severe criticism to the point that it becomes inaccurate, why should I bother with them?
The second thing is why is this description only about leftists? I've spent my whole adult life (and them some) struggling against US imperialism and all of our foreign interventions. That's right about 35 years. And you know who I've been struggling against that whole time, who has always showed up to fight back against my efforts? Conservatives. So now, all of the sudden, this crowd shows up around Taibbi and Greenwald, but also a few other corners of the internet (not Johnstone too??), and all of the sudden criticizing conservatives suddenly becomes out of bounds. Why is that? Are all conservatives suddenly anti-empire or something? No, clearly that isn't true. I would wonder if any really are, particularly since so many in these crowds have characterized Trump as anti-empire, which makes me laugh because one wonders what your average Venezuelan would say about that, or hell -- an average Iranian. It's not even deluded, it's a ridiculously bad lie.
So yes, many people purportedly on the left in the US have lost their minds and gone to the dark side. But not all of us by any means, and I don't see what is gained by lumping all of us into one bucket. Isn't there more to lose?
I start my day with coffee, Greenwald, and Caitlin, with a few more additives, none of which involve cream and sugar. To my point: You said you no longer respect Greenwald. I'm curious as to why.
Well, I hesitate to crawl through Greenwald's posts to find examples over a message board post, but I tried to outline why I've given up ion him above. So often I find things that I think myself a target of Greenwald's criticism, which in turn gets lumped in with many more things he criticizes that I absolutely do not think. And that has happened so many times I started thinking he was simply wrong, and finally gave up on him.
Thanks. I find Greenwald's bullshit detector generally aligned with my own and struggle to remember a time when it didn't, although l know it's happened. He seems right on so many issues: the crappy Biden Administration, Israel, Silicon Valley/DNC censorship, crappy NYT reporting. The list goes on...
I understand and agree with much of what he says, and have since he started writing at Salon. I don't begrudge anyone taking that position. We are just living in weird times, just like that old Gramsci quote: "the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear." Somewhere in there is why I find myself at loggerhead with him, but entirely understand if you do not.
It's fine, but I feel like I would have gotten a more straightforward answer if I'd asked you why you don't like chocolate ice cream. This is the place for a LOL; it's too narrow to talk further.
Johnstone's description of Leftists is hyperbole, but it is completely right on.
Your statement that, "all of the sudden criticizing conservatives suddenly becomes out of bounds." indicates that you are one of those who, "Pay more attention to obscure abstract concepts [Left vs. Right] than nonstop mass murder." Taibbi's podcast, "Useless Idiots" has a segment "Republicans Suck", so it isn't as if he's abandoned criticizing the "Right".
It should be blazingly clear to everyone that the use of "Left" and "Right" to describe American Political Philosophies has become completely outdated and useless. (unless the terms are as well defined as "The Political Compass" does -- making it clear that there are very, very few American Politicians who are "Leftists".)
The "Squad" claims to be "Left" (although they use the term "Progressive" which has also been hijacked by the Oligarchy establishment), but carries out the will of the Oligarchy while gaslighting us. Why would you want to call yourself a Leftist and be considered yet another traitor to the cause? Are you one of the very few who believes in the Lesser of Two Evils?
Don't give me a line about how I don't know what a "Leftist" is. The MSM tells me everyday that Joe Biden is "Left". You need to let it go and realize you've lost that word to describe your politics.
What makes "left vs. right" an "abstract concept? It is the particulars that have been shaping politics in the West since the 18th Century. You can say that it is "outdated and useless," but I see absolutely no evidence for that.
You've totally missed the point haven't you because you ignore my "Unless". Again, another one stuck arguing details rather than grasping the bigger picture failing to recognize that there is no "Left" in American Politics.
Maybe I have missed your point, I guess we are coming from entirely different perspectives. I don't mean any disrespect, but you've failed to convinced me of what you say, "there is no left."
It is a question of how the MSM frames the choice for the elections. It has nothing at all to do with what might normally be considered "left" vs "right".
Don't you find yourself discussing American Politics with folks who believe there is such a huge difference between Biden and Trump when there is actually very little difference?
Remember this discussion started with Caitlin's definition of an American Leftist and people taking offense to that description -- which is absolutely perfect in the context of American Politics.
No, I understand the differences are basically cosmetic. I just don't think anyone that would take offense is a leftist, and also don't think politics ends at the doors of the halls of power.
I generally have no qualms with Johnstone's writing, including much of this post. But the item I found jarring is the one that goes "How to be an American leftist."
Two things about this quip. First, as an American leftist that believes none of those things, how am I supposed to react? In other words, why toss everyone into one bucket that is only true of a few of them? This is something I find problematic with many of the voices who have migrated to Substack, and why I no longer respect the opinions of two of their most famous alumni, Matt Taibbi and Glenn Greenwald. These kinds of gross generalizations which are so gross as to be inaccurate start to pile up, and become insulting. I have become alienated from their opinions and no longer wish to engage with them. And why would they want to alienate anyone from their supposedly important messages? Particularly a person like me, who has been avid readers of both of their work for the better part of two decades? To sum it up, if they are simply not willing to discriminate with their often severe criticism to the point that it becomes inaccurate, why should I bother with them?
The second thing is why is this description only about leftists? I've spent my whole adult life (and them some) struggling against US imperialism and all of our foreign interventions. That's right about 35 years. And you know who I've been struggling against that whole time, who has always showed up to fight back against my efforts? Conservatives. So now, all of the sudden, this crowd shows up around Taibbi and Greenwald, but also a few other corners of the internet (not Johnstone too??), and all of the sudden criticizing conservatives suddenly becomes out of bounds. Why is that? Are all conservatives suddenly anti-empire or something? No, clearly that isn't true. I would wonder if any really are, particularly since so many in these crowds have characterized Trump as anti-empire, which makes me laugh because one wonders what your average Venezuelan would say about that, or hell -- an average Iranian. It's not even deluded, it's a ridiculously bad lie.
So yes, many people purportedly on the left in the US have lost their minds and gone to the dark side. But not all of us by any means, and I don't see what is gained by lumping all of us into one bucket. Isn't there more to lose?
I start my day with coffee, Greenwald, and Caitlin, with a few more additives, none of which involve cream and sugar. To my point: You said you no longer respect Greenwald. I'm curious as to why.
Well, I hesitate to crawl through Greenwald's posts to find examples over a message board post, but I tried to outline why I've given up ion him above. So often I find things that I think myself a target of Greenwald's criticism, which in turn gets lumped in with many more things he criticizes that I absolutely do not think. And that has happened so many times I started thinking he was simply wrong, and finally gave up on him.
Thanks. I find Greenwald's bullshit detector generally aligned with my own and struggle to remember a time when it didn't, although l know it's happened. He seems right on so many issues: the crappy Biden Administration, Israel, Silicon Valley/DNC censorship, crappy NYT reporting. The list goes on...
I understand and agree with much of what he says, and have since he started writing at Salon. I don't begrudge anyone taking that position. We are just living in weird times, just like that old Gramsci quote: "the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear." Somewhere in there is why I find myself at loggerhead with him, but entirely understand if you do not.
It's fine, but I feel like I would have gotten a more straightforward answer if I'd asked you why you don't like chocolate ice cream. This is the place for a LOL; it's too narrow to talk further.
Johnstone's description of Leftists is hyperbole, but it is completely right on.
Your statement that, "all of the sudden criticizing conservatives suddenly becomes out of bounds." indicates that you are one of those who, "Pay more attention to obscure abstract concepts [Left vs. Right] than nonstop mass murder." Taibbi's podcast, "Useless Idiots" has a segment "Republicans Suck", so it isn't as if he's abandoned criticizing the "Right".
It should be blazingly clear to everyone that the use of "Left" and "Right" to describe American Political Philosophies has become completely outdated and useless. (unless the terms are as well defined as "The Political Compass" does -- making it clear that there are very, very few American Politicians who are "Leftists".)
The "Squad" claims to be "Left" (although they use the term "Progressive" which has also been hijacked by the Oligarchy establishment), but carries out the will of the Oligarchy while gaslighting us. Why would you want to call yourself a Leftist and be considered yet another traitor to the cause? Are you one of the very few who believes in the Lesser of Two Evils?
Don't give me a line about how I don't know what a "Leftist" is. The MSM tells me everyday that Joe Biden is "Left". You need to let it go and realize you've lost that word to describe your politics.
What makes "left vs. right" an "abstract concept? It is the particulars that have been shaping politics in the West since the 18th Century. You can say that it is "outdated and useless," but I see absolutely no evidence for that.
You've totally missed the point haven't you because you ignore my "Unless". Again, another one stuck arguing details rather than grasping the bigger picture failing to recognize that there is no "Left" in American Politics.
Maybe I have missed your point, I guess we are coming from entirely different perspectives. I don't mean any disrespect, but you've failed to convinced me of what you say, "there is no left."
Again, you left out the salient point, "In American Politics".
Checkout politicalcompass.org and remember that Biden is a "leftist".
It is a question of how the MSM frames the choice for the elections. It has nothing at all to do with what might normally be considered "left" vs "right".
Don't you find yourself discussing American Politics with folks who believe there is such a huge difference between Biden and Trump when there is actually very little difference?
Remember this discussion started with Caitlin's definition of an American Leftist and people taking offense to that description -- which is absolutely perfect in the context of American Politics.
No, I understand the differences are basically cosmetic. I just don't think anyone that would take offense is a leftist, and also don't think politics ends at the doors of the halls of power.
I'm defending Taibbi, Greenwald and Johnstone and you accuse me of being "wedded to the MSM"?
Why is it that only your opinion counts and you have the right to accuse anyone of not repeating your catechism verbatim of having noodles for brains?
Thanks for that. I often feel like a lonely voice in the wilderness!