On the Maurin Academy’s Political Philosophy podcast, Laurie is covering Jerzy Kosinski’s Being There, a satirical novel about an image and wealth-obsessed American society bent on the mass narcissism of literally loving a politician. This is part 5 in the series. … More The Vulnerabilities of Democracy in the Age of Image
We continue with our discussion of Jerzy Kosinski’s novel, Being There, at the point where “Chauncey Gardiner,” mistaken for a wealthy and handsome businessman, meets the President of the United States and the American press–and a desperate heiress. … More Romantic Democracy: The Blind Following the Blind. (Kosinski’s Being There, 4)
Jerzy Kosinski’s “Being There” satirizes American democracy and the influence of electronic media on society. The video reviews the novel’s initial chapters, which inspired a film featuring Peter Sellers and Shirley MacLaine. Additional resources include the Maurin Academy’s podcasts and social media for updates on classes and events. … More Victim or Boss? Depends on Your Perspective (Being There, Part 2)
We begin a new series inspired by Jerzy Kosinski’s classic novel, Being There (1971). Being There is a satirical and allegorical tale about the adventures of Chance, a simple gardener who has previously lived a sheltered life saturated with television as his main source of human contact. Chance is thrown into the media spotlight by accident, propelling him to the top echelons of American politics, as people read wisdom into everything he says. … More From Gardener to Politician: The Impact of Media in ‘Being There’ (1)
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In this concluding video on Charles Taylor’s The Malaise of Modernity I discuss Taylor’s critique of technical rationality (scientific, corporate, bureaucratic). Taylor does it in his characteristic style–technique/technology/technical rationality is not wholly good or bad. In order to get what we create back under control so that it serves us, we have to realize this and re-assert the primacy of politics (real politics) and political control. Taylor’s analysis speaks to our moment, in which we are too divided and our ideas too simplistic and negative, to engage in real political debate and discourse. How do we get back to a place of true democratic politics? Can we realize the moral impulse that Taylor argues initiated the Enlightenment promise in reason, science and technology (they long ago went off the rails), or are we doomed to be dominated by our own creations? … More Getting Our * Back Under Control: Charles Taylor’s Cure for Fragmentation (Malaise 6-Audio)
In this concluding video on Charles Taylor’s The Malaise of Modernity I discuss Taylor’s critique of technical rationality (scientific, corporate, bureaucratic). Taylor does it in his characteristic style–technique/technology/technical rationality is not wholly good or bad. In order to get what we create back under control so that it serves us, we have to realize this and re-assert the primacy of politics (real politics) and political control. Taylor’s analysis speaks to our moment, in which we are too divided and our ideas too simplistic and negative, to engage in real political debate and discourse. How do we get back to a place of true democratic politics? Can we realize the moral impulse that Taylor argues initiated the Enlightenment promise in reason, science and technology (they long ago went off the rails), or are we doomed to be dominated by our own creations? … More Getting Our * Back Under Control: Charles Taylor’s Cure for Fragmentation (Malaise 6-Video)
I finish up this series on Chantal Mouffe’s The Return of the Political with a discussion of her proposal for an “associational socialism.” Inspired by Italian socialist Noberto Bobbio’s attempt to combine elements of liberalism, democracy and socialism, Mouffe shows how his ideas fit with her notion of finding politics again through the interplay and competition of shifting identities and associations. Associational socialism involves people at the level of the workplace, but also in various movements and groups that they identify with. But exactly how would this idea work, and even more importantly, how would a society get from neoliberalism to associational socialism while avoiding various dangers, including the tendency to seek cultural homogeneity and/or endanger the liberty of people as individuals? … More Noberto Bobbio & “Associational Socialism.” What is it and could it work? (Mouffe, Audio 6)
I finish up this series on Chantal Mouffe’s The Return of the Political with a discussion of her proposal for an “associational socialism.” Inspired by Italian socialist Noberto Bobbio’s attempt to combine elements of liberalism, democracy and socialism, Mouffe shows how his ideas fit with her notion of finding politics again through the interplay and competition of shifting identities and associations. Associational socialism involves people at the level of the workplace, but also in various movements and groups that they identify with. But exactly how would this idea work, and even more importantly, how would a society get from neoliberalism to associational socialism while avoiding various dangers, including the tendency to seek cultural homogeneity and/or endanger the liberty of people as individuals? … More Noberto Bobbio & “Associational Socialism.” What is it and could it work? (Mouffe, Video 6)
I will make some final observations based on reading McKenzie Wark’s Capital is Dead next weekend. The weekend after that I’ll put up a special topic lecture on Machiavelli. Starting on the third weekend of March I’ll start up on Robyn Eckersley’s The Green State: Rethinking Democracy and Sovereignty. If you’d like to follow along on that book you can get it for under $20 on Kindle or in paperback on Amazon and probably a lot of other sellers. … More Where I’m Headed Next: The Green State
Political Philosophy 