tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post8669018553331385054..comments2024-03-01T08:19:54.547+00:00Comments on BobFromBrockley: The wisdom of Fred Hallidaybobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439386754907203808noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-36090310513059723462011-03-21T16:37:30.084+00:002011-03-21T16:37:30.084+00:00"this meta narrative" - well, Curtis doe..."this meta narrative" - well, Curtis does actually place the development of Neo-conservatism within the cold war i.e a struggle between Liberalism and Bolshevik Communism. The re-introduction and re-tooling of the narrative is quite recent and due in part to the collaspe of the SU and having no great struggle.socialrepublicanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15451193630793715133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-27649303184598793122011-03-21T09:03:59.400+00:002011-03-21T09:03:59.400+00:00Interesting points SR. I probably shouldn't ha...Interesting points SR. I probably shouldn't have put Power of Nightmares into the post, as Halliday didn't say this (I think it had just been on telly when I saw the talk). I'm not completely convinced, though. Will hopefully return later on this!bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15439386754907203808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-72435314581391705332011-03-20T17:17:42.931+00:002011-03-20T17:17:42.931+00:00Next you will be telling me there is no struggle b...Next you will be telling me there is no struggle between Communists/Communism and Liberals/Capitalism, because Nations acted in their interests, contrary to this meta narrative.<br /><br />Pffffttt!EscapeVelocityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04321500891200437659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-89381308109013595432011-03-20T04:54:51.190+00:002011-03-20T04:54:51.190+00:00"immortal cultural root" Damn it"immortal cultural root" Damn itsocialrepublicanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15451193630793715133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-45648842720874389452011-03-20T02:28:28.046+00:002011-03-20T02:28:28.046+00:00I think the "Power of Nightmares" thesis...I think the "Power of Nightmares" thesis gets a bad rap for no great reason. At heart, it is about the re-introduction of meta-narratives in public policy and rhetoric. The disillusionment about "Development-ism", either socialist tinged or nationalist, left a public void for the big picture and new canopy of meaning that Islamism provides to gain traction. <br /><br />Similarly, those "Liberals mugged by reality" and those "Paines abroad" are trying to counter the seemingly insurmountable contradictions in actual existing Liberal Democracy. A big meta-narrative of struggle, of evil and virtue, of history in motion is part of this, injecting something magic (in its sociological sense) in an age of managerial politics.<br /><br />Curtis is not gentle with his suppositions and has a eye for the controversial phrase but he does not bases this on some immoral cultural root. The explanation is dynamic and full of human agency. To compare it with Huntingdon's essentialist tripe is an error.socialrepublicanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15451193630793715133noreply@blogger.com