Four bangers in a single post! I don't know how you do it man!
To follow your throughline, I'll note my personal thoughts on academics — the two fields I can't grok are economics and foreign affairs. In econ everything is counter intuitive, and in international relations all options are bad.
As for the university presidents, as someone who is shocked by the state of campus, I'm enjoying the schadenfreude like a good b-list action flick. BUT it comes with a worry, "hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue" so their firing(s) make me worried that this will lead to more regulated speech. Then again, maybe we have to start by cleaning out the Augean Stables.
Helpful this. Myself recognized late two days ago that Sjw's are warriors. I always have an admiration I express w faint praise. The moment is like what you said. The picture of you unpacking the scene as if from a backpack. So they have found tools for safe words I mean tools for is it semi private? Strong feelings of togetherness. I admire...This of yours was right on time. You with the desk there. My last Scandal was a movable part for your desk. To the effect that Sapolsky leaves off in his No Self Control, Determined book open endedly to the point he feels obligated to in interviews snatch at ideas abt extending kindness toward ourselves. Simply is that the first logical extension of having no you start looking how to be as organized as a book. Be a hell of a start if you were at the beginng a month novel writing.
Interesting insights into the conflict inherent in the two great flaws of the American politic. Hypocrisy and morality with each act in your four part play outlining the inherent flaws that have arrived at the door of a failing empire. That part got missed. Also the role of economic greed inside this global projection of power. Which in reality has now turned on its own citizens inside the bubble and is slowly eating its own. From outside the bubble as an interested observer one has to say the American projection of power as a project is a failure and is actively failing to such an extent that Ukraine and Israel acting inside Gaza exemplify and announce to the world said failure because they embody both the hypocrisy and an immorality that clears away any misconceptions around the notions of liberty, freedom and self determination for all mankind. It’s been made more than clear to even the most propagandized American citizen, this was just spin and marketing. The reality lies much closer to the organizing principles of a more modern and updated version of fascism some now call soft totalitarianism and the real motivations of the American project are economic on a global scale. Protecting the dollar hegemony, protecting unfettered access to the dwindling energy supplies for its military capabilities on which the whole projection depends etc. And most of all by protecting its economic dominance by proxy war in small regional conflicts that thwart alliances between rivals. Mostly Russia, China and Iran. Tying up Russia in Ukraine. Iran in the ME leaves the US free to pursue its war with China which its military has been preparing in earnest for at least five years now and speak openly about now in real terms as happening. So it seems to me your analysis is accurate but excludes the third leg of the stool, hypocrisy-immorality and greed. This is what has built the American project and one only has to look at history to see the truth. Puritan religiosity (hypocrisy)settles new land followed by genocide of its inhabitants then built largely on the backs of African slaves (immorality)and lastly entering two world wars late and at their conclusions to reap the economic largesse of a demolished Europe (greed). Everything we see now as American projections of power are built on the basis of these three flaws. It’s been remarkable it’s lasted this long. But that’s what 1 Trillion a year in military spending and 800+ military bases around the world can buy a failing empire. Time.
Well done! I hope your novel's going well. Gonna keep my ear open for when it comes out: would love to check it out! But how to comment on this excellent post: just two for two I guess. By the way, I'm also curious about your thoughts on the brewing Venezuela-Guyana conflict. Guyana certainly has no problem with the US existing as an empire.
With Israel/Palestine, the collapse of the two-state solution is the elephant in the room. If it really was feasible, Israel at least would have cooled down by now. So however gruesome it might be, it is also logical. Israel, no doubt, wants the "Palestinian issue" to be over for good. Now's their opportunity.
As for Ukraine, the US and Americans never truly cared about Ukrainian people or their culture: that's not to say Americans don't have hearts, just that there is zero historical precedence for caring about a region no one in the West has ever cared about. Our caring for Ukraine is in fact anti-Russian sentiment in disguise. Those are two very different things. How many people who claimed they cared about the Balkan conflict in the 90s became lifelong cultural connoisseurs of Croatian or Bosnian culture? I suspect the number is less than my combined fingers and toes.
Pro-Ukrainianism is a fad: nothing more. America's sudden disinterest in Ukraine is also, I think, partly due to Israel/Gaza being a new front in what many have said is WWIII or a prologue to it; after all US armories can't be very well stocked at this moment, can they? but this disinterest should have surprised no one.
I know a lot of people would love nothing more than to stop Putin. But while he'll certainly need time to recuperate I think the West underestimated him, just as people always think that Lukashenko in Belarus is some kind of Communist holdover dummy. (He's a lot of things, but most certainly not a dummy) Russia has gained as well as lost: the shift of its oil market to China (or to the West second-hand through India) might cause transitional problems in the short-term, but in the long-term it'll be more secure. But rather than strategizing perhaps it's time to cool things down for the Ukrainians. It's hard to see how the hidden yet clearly large casualty rate and extreme gender division doesn't cause the country to collapse in the near future. All those who put Ukrainian flags on their social media profile won't be even thinking about Ukraine if and when such a collapse takes place.
In any case, Russia most probably has what it wants: a land bridge to Crimea. That would explain the heavy fortifying of the Russian line. For this reason it'll probably be possible to negotiate an end to the war. Biden might end up doing it if only to have something to point to in 2024: "look at me, everyone, I'm a Great Peacemaker!"
Regarding the Woke universities: while this is a moment of triumph it is not at all the end. Universities across the country remain indoctrination centers. Radical Marxist professors aren't the kind who simply change their mind, let alone curriculum, because of something like this. If 1989 and the Gulag Archipelago didn't change their mind, nothing will. But if universities care at all about survival as an institution, they'll fire and/or demote as many ideologues as they can. Harvard lost $1 billion, I heard: and now everyone knows it's not the venerable place it used to be, but a place you pay money to go to if you want to be an ideologue. Its reputation is ruined. And I hope it stays that way. Such a revolution will only end if and when smaller universities, sniffing a moment to enhance their reputations, take action and advertise themselves as Woke-free universities. I hope liberals begin talking about how anti-White all these universities have been for over a decade as well. But I won't get my hopes up.
As for Kissinger: good riddance. Powermongers will powermonger in an empire: for sure. I get that. But it is thanks to his handiwork that we're now in the position we're in with China, who liked to call Kissinger their "old friend." In CCP-talk, that means "guy who is on our side." Now we're dependent on these Commies for everything, while pretending they aren't committing a genocide. (They are, against the Uighurs: I'm sure the pro-Palestinians who shout genocide every ten seconds are so upset by it) If an empire is gonna have its powermongers, at least they should serve that empire's interests.
Four bangers in a single post! I don't know how you do it man!
To follow your throughline, I'll note my personal thoughts on academics — the two fields I can't grok are economics and foreign affairs. In econ everything is counter intuitive, and in international relations all options are bad.
As for the university presidents, as someone who is shocked by the state of campus, I'm enjoying the schadenfreude like a good b-list action flick. BUT it comes with a worry, "hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue" so their firing(s) make me worried that this will lead to more regulated speech. Then again, maybe we have to start by cleaning out the Augean Stables.
"The Progressive Revolution (2017-2023)". Some future history student has an MA thesis ready to go thanks to you!
Wide ranging and well-done. Thank you for the mention, Sam.
Excellent.
Beautiful 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥👌👌
I got scared when I saw the heading for this email I thought I was in trouble with the "commentator"
Helpful this. Myself recognized late two days ago that Sjw's are warriors. I always have an admiration I express w faint praise. The moment is like what you said. The picture of you unpacking the scene as if from a backpack. So they have found tools for safe words I mean tools for is it semi private? Strong feelings of togetherness. I admire...This of yours was right on time. You with the desk there. My last Scandal was a movable part for your desk. To the effect that Sapolsky leaves off in his No Self Control, Determined book open endedly to the point he feels obligated to in interviews snatch at ideas abt extending kindness toward ourselves. Simply is that the first logical extension of having no you start looking how to be as organized as a book. Be a hell of a start if you were at the beginng a month novel writing.
Interesting insights into the conflict inherent in the two great flaws of the American politic. Hypocrisy and morality with each act in your four part play outlining the inherent flaws that have arrived at the door of a failing empire. That part got missed. Also the role of economic greed inside this global projection of power. Which in reality has now turned on its own citizens inside the bubble and is slowly eating its own. From outside the bubble as an interested observer one has to say the American projection of power as a project is a failure and is actively failing to such an extent that Ukraine and Israel acting inside Gaza exemplify and announce to the world said failure because they embody both the hypocrisy and an immorality that clears away any misconceptions around the notions of liberty, freedom and self determination for all mankind. It’s been made more than clear to even the most propagandized American citizen, this was just spin and marketing. The reality lies much closer to the organizing principles of a more modern and updated version of fascism some now call soft totalitarianism and the real motivations of the American project are economic on a global scale. Protecting the dollar hegemony, protecting unfettered access to the dwindling energy supplies for its military capabilities on which the whole projection depends etc. And most of all by protecting its economic dominance by proxy war in small regional conflicts that thwart alliances between rivals. Mostly Russia, China and Iran. Tying up Russia in Ukraine. Iran in the ME leaves the US free to pursue its war with China which its military has been preparing in earnest for at least five years now and speak openly about now in real terms as happening. So it seems to me your analysis is accurate but excludes the third leg of the stool, hypocrisy-immorality and greed. This is what has built the American project and one only has to look at history to see the truth. Puritan religiosity (hypocrisy)settles new land followed by genocide of its inhabitants then built largely on the backs of African slaves (immorality)and lastly entering two world wars late and at their conclusions to reap the economic largesse of a demolished Europe (greed). Everything we see now as American projections of power are built on the basis of these three flaws. It’s been remarkable it’s lasted this long. But that’s what 1 Trillion a year in military spending and 800+ military bases around the world can buy a failing empire. Time.
Well done! I hope your novel's going well. Gonna keep my ear open for when it comes out: would love to check it out! But how to comment on this excellent post: just two for two I guess. By the way, I'm also curious about your thoughts on the brewing Venezuela-Guyana conflict. Guyana certainly has no problem with the US existing as an empire.
With Israel/Palestine, the collapse of the two-state solution is the elephant in the room. If it really was feasible, Israel at least would have cooled down by now. So however gruesome it might be, it is also logical. Israel, no doubt, wants the "Palestinian issue" to be over for good. Now's their opportunity.
As for Ukraine, the US and Americans never truly cared about Ukrainian people or their culture: that's not to say Americans don't have hearts, just that there is zero historical precedence for caring about a region no one in the West has ever cared about. Our caring for Ukraine is in fact anti-Russian sentiment in disguise. Those are two very different things. How many people who claimed they cared about the Balkan conflict in the 90s became lifelong cultural connoisseurs of Croatian or Bosnian culture? I suspect the number is less than my combined fingers and toes.
Pro-Ukrainianism is a fad: nothing more. America's sudden disinterest in Ukraine is also, I think, partly due to Israel/Gaza being a new front in what many have said is WWIII or a prologue to it; after all US armories can't be very well stocked at this moment, can they? but this disinterest should have surprised no one.
I know a lot of people would love nothing more than to stop Putin. But while he'll certainly need time to recuperate I think the West underestimated him, just as people always think that Lukashenko in Belarus is some kind of Communist holdover dummy. (He's a lot of things, but most certainly not a dummy) Russia has gained as well as lost: the shift of its oil market to China (or to the West second-hand through India) might cause transitional problems in the short-term, but in the long-term it'll be more secure. But rather than strategizing perhaps it's time to cool things down for the Ukrainians. It's hard to see how the hidden yet clearly large casualty rate and extreme gender division doesn't cause the country to collapse in the near future. All those who put Ukrainian flags on their social media profile won't be even thinking about Ukraine if and when such a collapse takes place.
In any case, Russia most probably has what it wants: a land bridge to Crimea. That would explain the heavy fortifying of the Russian line. For this reason it'll probably be possible to negotiate an end to the war. Biden might end up doing it if only to have something to point to in 2024: "look at me, everyone, I'm a Great Peacemaker!"
Regarding the Woke universities: while this is a moment of triumph it is not at all the end. Universities across the country remain indoctrination centers. Radical Marxist professors aren't the kind who simply change their mind, let alone curriculum, because of something like this. If 1989 and the Gulag Archipelago didn't change their mind, nothing will. But if universities care at all about survival as an institution, they'll fire and/or demote as many ideologues as they can. Harvard lost $1 billion, I heard: and now everyone knows it's not the venerable place it used to be, but a place you pay money to go to if you want to be an ideologue. Its reputation is ruined. And I hope it stays that way. Such a revolution will only end if and when smaller universities, sniffing a moment to enhance their reputations, take action and advertise themselves as Woke-free universities. I hope liberals begin talking about how anti-White all these universities have been for over a decade as well. But I won't get my hopes up.
As for Kissinger: good riddance. Powermongers will powermonger in an empire: for sure. I get that. But it is thanks to his handiwork that we're now in the position we're in with China, who liked to call Kissinger their "old friend." In CCP-talk, that means "guy who is on our side." Now we're dependent on these Commies for everything, while pretending they aren't committing a genocide. (They are, against the Uighurs: I'm sure the pro-Palestinians who shout genocide every ten seconds are so upset by it) If an empire is gonna have its powermongers, at least they should serve that empire's interests.