Yeah - this was really the first critique that had me off my localist kick for a while. Now that I'm back on my localist kick, I am so with much more of a libertarianish angle, though I'm as lousy a libertarian as I am anything else.
Right? It's such an indicator of how badly political our society has become, and how politicized our culture is getting. I mean, politics has always been with us, but these days we spend endless hours wondering which shows are 'conservative' and everything gets one of these labels as an adjective anymore. It's theatre of the absurd.
Again, it's not so different than many libertarian-ish science fiction futures, except that in much of that literature there is a darker side to the imagined prosperity.
Exactly right, Freddie - but I enjoyed Reihan's piece in the way I enjoy science fiction. And for its optimism if not for its accuracy (though, as you say, who knows?)
Excellent points, Chris. I wonder how much of Blond's or Milbank's or many of these other critiques are really centered not so much around liberalism per say but around consumerism and materialism, and how these side effects of a capitalistic economy can seem to deaden the life of communities or drain away the most important pieces of our spiritual selves.
De-centralization is a better way, I've no doubt. In that sense, our ancestors maybe have had a leg up on us. In terms of slavery - which I know wasn't really your point - obviously they had a thing or two to learn about liberty, let alone human decency.
I attended Montessori for one year and loved it. It was very open and free. I think that it really must depend on where you go. Also - maybe it's changed over the years? Maybe it has responded to all those academic critiques? I've heard similar critiques, but just didn't experience that when I went. Then again, I've been to so many different kinds of schools...maybe it was just luck of the draw.
Nothing is a magic bullet, Sam. I would simply posit that part of making schools better in those crappy areas has to do with making those areas less crappy; and part of making those areas less crappy is making the schools better. You might be able to sustain a very wealthy community in which all the kids were shipped off to boarding school, but I don't think the same thing applies to the middle or lower class. In any case, your question probably deserves a much more in-depth answer.
So - y'all may have some good points about mainstreaming. I think it should be done with care, obviously, and I've seen hybrid models that have worked well - with satellite classes which the special needs kids return to once or twice a day. In any case, I would never dream of implementing such an approach nation-wide. Far better to try it out locally and see how it works.....
I've simply come to believe that when we talk about reforming schools we are missing the forest for the trees. The schools need fertile soil and without it no matter what we do is for naught.
I agree there will more nuance than the good/evil dynamic. How do you see free will playing out here? Jacob, as far as I can tell, really has worked entirely through giving people choices. Locke seems to work through a combination of temptation and coercion. Either way, it does seem like more than merely good vs. evil....
You must not have read the part of my post wherein I admit to Walmart's preferential treatment by many governments across the country (and globe, to be sure.) I ask again - is this a problem with Walmart or with the governments in question?
You are thinking only in terms of the supply side. You ignore all the savings made on behalf of consumers.
Indeed - virtually every critique made here vis-a-vis Walmart takes into account only the production and distribution and sale of goods, and assumes that this is the long and short of it. You all forget about the consumer, especially the poorer consumers, who save money that doesn't simply disappear but is transfered into some other utility, some other good or service. This will undermine every one of these arguments, save a few more unorthodox ones - such as the problem with our car culture, and how big-boxes may (or may not!) contribute to this. That's an argument worth having. But whether Walmart is undermining its competitors and thereby "destroying jobs" is really not at question. Whatever jobs they do upset will be replaced in some other sector, some other good or service.
On “Surely only theocons would dare support Benedict”
Michael, I do share that concern. Thank you for that.
On “Off with their heads!”
I'm not sure that comparing who makes more sense is very productive, actually.
On “In defense of sandwiches; or, Rise of the Bread Tories”
Thanks for everyone's suggestions! I found myself overly hungry all day yesterday, though...
On “‘A braintrust of Other Ways’”
Yeah - this was really the first critique that had me off my localist kick for a while. Now that I'm back on my localist kick, I am so with much more of a libertarianish angle, though I'm as lousy a libertarian as I am anything else.
"
Right? It's such an indicator of how badly political our society has become, and how politicized our culture is getting. I mean, politics has always been with us, but these days we spend endless hours wondering which shows are 'conservative' and everything gets one of these labels as an adjective anymore. It's theatre of the absurd.
On “New institutions.”
Again, it's not so different than many libertarian-ish science fiction futures, except that in much of that literature there is a darker side to the imagined prosperity.
"
Exactly right, Freddie - but I enjoyed Reihan's piece in the way I enjoy science fiction. And for its optimism if not for its accuracy (though, as you say, who knows?)
On “For Non-Blonds”
Excellent points, Chris. I wonder how much of Blond's or Milbank's or many of these other critiques are really centered not so much around liberalism per say but around consumerism and materialism, and how these side effects of a capitalistic economy can seem to deaden the life of communities or drain away the most important pieces of our spiritual selves.
On “Anti-statists and the current regime”
De-centralization is a better way, I've no doubt. In that sense, our ancestors maybe have had a leg up on us. In terms of slavery - which I know wasn't really your point - obviously they had a thing or two to learn about liberty, let alone human decency.
"
Totally. But that is increasingly not the case.
On “Blond at Georgetown”
Great stuff, Will.
On “Diane Ravitch on the Diane Rehm Show”
I attended Montessori for one year and loved it. It was very open and free. I think that it really must depend on where you go. Also - maybe it's changed over the years? Maybe it has responded to all those academic critiques? I've heard similar critiques, but just didn't experience that when I went. Then again, I've been to so many different kinds of schools...maybe it was just luck of the draw.
On “Schools and accountability”
Nothing is a magic bullet, Sam. I would simply posit that part of making schools better in those crappy areas has to do with making those areas less crappy; and part of making those areas less crappy is making the schools better. You might be able to sustain a very wealthy community in which all the kids were shipped off to boarding school, but I don't think the same thing applies to the middle or lower class. In any case, your question probably deserves a much more in-depth answer.
"
So - y'all may have some good points about mainstreaming. I think it should be done with care, obviously, and I've seen hybrid models that have worked well - with satellite classes which the special needs kids return to once or twice a day. In any case, I would never dream of implementing such an approach nation-wide. Far better to try it out locally and see how it works.....
On “Americans already have school choice”
I've simply come to believe that when we talk about reforming schools we are missing the forest for the trees. The schools need fertile soil and without it no matter what we do is for naught.
On “Markets and morally satisfying outcomes.”
Excellent piece, William.
On “Lost blogging – ‘Sundown’”
I agree there will more nuance than the good/evil dynamic. How do you see free will playing out here? Jacob, as far as I can tell, really has worked entirely through giving people choices. Locke seems to work through a combination of temptation and coercion. Either way, it does seem like more than merely good vs. evil....
On “A brief defense of Walmart”
You must not have read the part of my post wherein I admit to Walmart's preferential treatment by many governments across the country (and globe, to be sure.) I ask again - is this a problem with Walmart or with the governments in question?
"
I suppose you must be referring to all those towns and cities which do not have access to Amazon.com.
"
You are thinking only in terms of the supply side. You ignore all the savings made on behalf of consumers.
Indeed - virtually every critique made here vis-a-vis Walmart takes into account only the production and distribution and sale of goods, and assumes that this is the long and short of it. You all forget about the consumer, especially the poorer consumers, who save money that doesn't simply disappear but is transfered into some other utility, some other good or service. This will undermine every one of these arguments, save a few more unorthodox ones - such as the problem with our car culture, and how big-boxes may (or may not!) contribute to this. That's an argument worth having. But whether Walmart is undermining its competitors and thereby "destroying jobs" is really not at question. Whatever jobs they do upset will be replaced in some other sector, some other good or service.
"
Is your keyboard having issues with the "h" key?
On “On Blogging”
What BCChase said.
"
Kyle - I'm going to write up a contributor page instead, now that the sidebar has grown somewhat longer.
"
Matt - you're doing great - fitting right into the general swing of things. I'm not sure it would be possible to respond to everybody!
"
Thanks Mike....poetry, eh? Maybe we need more poetry round these parts, too, for that matter...
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.