tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post3972853820352099214..comments2024-03-01T08:19:54.547+00:00Comments on BobFromBrockley: How the left turned to the rightbobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15439386754907203808noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-3291980083475950302009-06-02T02:44:15.940+01:002009-06-02T02:44:15.940+01:00Bob, your conclusion is correct. The American left...Bob, your conclusion is correct. The American left is in a worse state than the UK (and Euro) left. How much worse? Based on my reading--books, periodicals, blogs, etc.--not much. If I felt there was anything left (please pardon the pun) worth fighting for I never would have left the left...TNCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-62495490066518819792009-06-01T18:11:19.692+01:002009-06-01T18:11:19.692+01:00I retract my earlier comment. Olly Kamm isn't so ...I retract my earlier comment. Olly Kamm isn't so much unreliable because he's a Tory--though that figures into it--Olly Kamm is unreliable because he's Olly Kamm. It's a bit much, given the current economic context, to hear a hedge fund trader banging on about MediaLens.Graemehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15375230713040998061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-18427482233845765452009-06-01T16:26:12.095+01:002009-06-01T16:26:12.095+01:00Thanks TNC. My conclusion: the American left is in...Thanks TNC. My conclusion: the American left is in an even worse state than the British left...bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15439386754907203808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-65471836168819253582009-06-01T13:33:34.183+01:002009-06-01T13:33:34.183+01:00How many? I don't have any hard numbers to refer t...How many? I don't have any hard numbers to refer to. But from my time spent with hard left organizations and individuals, many consider free speech, human rights, etc. as "Western constructs" that are forced upon the "global South". For them, this is evidence of the West's racism.<br /><br />I realize this is incredibly simplistic (and just plain wrong) but the hard left in the U.S. tends to adopt a very manichean and simple view of reality.TNChttp://newcentrist.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-35501002980178172782009-05-31T23:29:05.781+01:002009-05-31T23:29:05.781+01:00Eurocentrism as racism? Maybe, but how many people...Eurocentrism as racism? Maybe, but how many people actually believe that the idea of freedom of speech for someone like Rushdie is actually racist? Very few surely? If someone calls it racist rather than eurocentric, the absurdity of their position is even more clear.<br /><br />Yes, the left needs a dose of Luxemburgism, a big reality check and a large injection of simple common sense. Yes, most of the left is out of touch with most ordinary people. I do not want to whitewash the left and its many character flaws. <br /><br />Kamm, in my opinion, for all his irritating features, is good at diagnosing these character flaws, and whether he is of the left or not, and even when he wrong, the left should take heed of what he says.bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15439386754907203808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-58524434659579445792009-05-30T15:41:17.453+01:002009-05-30T15:41:17.453+01:00"And how many actually existing left-wingers outsi..."And how many actually existing left-wingers outside universities really talk about eurocentrism?"<br /><br />Here in the U.S., most lefties refer to this as racism. The more academic types talk about Eurocentrism while the activists call it "white priviledge" but it all amounts to more or less the same thing.<br /><br />Graeme, some of the most astute analysis of political ideology (left, right, etc.) comes from people who do not adhere to that particular ideology. Think of all the leftist writers who have writen about fascism. I don't think you would say, "such and such is a leftist--what does he know about fascism" but I could be wrong...TNChttp://newcentrist.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-85970120487534083592009-05-28T16:38:23.349+01:002009-05-28T16:38:23.349+01:00But Kamm is a Tory--what does he know about the le...But Kamm is a Tory--what does he know about the left.Graemehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15375230713040998061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-73068554426829490092009-05-28T15:50:12.143+01:002009-05-28T15:50:12.143+01:00the 'left' needs a reality checkthe 'left' needs a reality checkrossnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10131050.post-44549725994834891972009-05-28T15:12:51.188+01:002009-05-28T15:12:51.188+01:00the left needs a strong injection of Luxemburgism!...the left needs a strong injection of Luxemburgism!Entdinglichunghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06100559259654777563noreply@blogger.com