occasional reflections on culture & politics
When the pandemic hit the world, it unleashed more than just a deadly virus. It has put us all in a crucible. Nature has been testing our ability to be political animals, forcing our societies and our politics to make impossible decisions. Who shall we protect? Am I my fellow citizen’s keeper? How much economic… Continue reading #98: The Populist Attack on Democracy During the Pandemic
We are conditioned to think in political categories of “right” versus “left”, with an underappreciated center in between. This model has become deeply entrenched in political thinking, no matter how simplistic it actually is. Politically, “left” and “right” derive from seating arrangements of pro- versus anti-monarchist forces in the National Assembly during the French Revolution,… Continue reading #94: What Is Political Extremism Today?
Brexit is not possible. That is, Brexit in any meaningful sense of the word. Whatever meaning may have hidden in the idiotic phrases and jingoism of "Brexit Means Brexit", behind empty cries for sovereignty, taking the country "back" to wherever, whatever the original intention: A complete and clean break with the EU is simply not… Continue reading #64: The Illusion of Brexit
Erratic Attempts 