Ideology of Power

For the past few days, the name - and face of - 'Ilhan Omar' has been plastered all over the news. Apparently she has unequivocally apologised - for invoking anti-semitic tropes in controversial tweets. It is interesting to note here that much of the pressure for her to apologise came not from the Right, but from US House Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi . It seems that Speaker Pelosi is having a difficult time reining in these newer additions to House Democrats, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib (most famous for characterising Trump as a 'Motherfucker') and Ilhan Omar herself.

It's time. A day of "destiny" (see CNN ) for embattled Supreme Court nominee. As I've implied in a previous post on this matter, not much can be done on the part of the faceless masses. Rather, much depends on the senators, and especially the three swing votes that will be forced. In light of the evidence, and as I've very much concluded, the evidence that we have (much from the media) weighs in favor of Kavanaugh. Only a misguided opinion that "all women should be believed" stands in his way; yet this belief is strong, so much so that a " Pussy Protest " materialized in the Hart Senate Office Building atrium. A span of hours decides the ideology of the apex court in the US. Beyond that, it decides whether due process and the emphasis on evidence trumps the flimsy, tortured feelings of some Leftist women.

Justice is politicized in America. When accusations fly, public discourse frequently devolves into a shouting match where truth is put in service of a broader, political goal. So it is in the latest situation boring its way through the foundations of a purportedly 'democratic' society built upon notions of due process. Your immediate question is: "What's your angle? Who do you support? What's the  politics  behind your answer?" There are two points to consider: (1)Is Kavanaugh guilty of sexual misconduct; and (2)How would this influence social politics in the country?

In this third part to the series of articles on political correctness, I discuss what may be done to reverse its tide and its accompanying symptoms. I understand that this might be wishful thinking, but the preliminary to action is planning. In any case, there is much to be said for excising political correctness from one’s life – anyone willing to take the first, personal, steps to become more frank and assertive, rather than wallow in a culture of self-pity and victimhood, will reap dividends in terms of social capital. What I mean with respect to the individual is simply: let others take care of themselves; you should be independent and a little selfish, even if it risks offending others. This culture of personal responsibility is no doubt antithetical to the dictates of communal values, but it is most consistent with progress and personal advancement.

This is by no means a comprehensive study; rather, it is an appeal to common sense, the common sense to avoid the rubbish which clutters up so much of the Internet. It is in the Internet where opinions metastasize without end, where false information is passed on with a speed and ferocity overwhelming the nuanced truth. Never has it been more important to exercise one’s own judgment – by “exercise of judgment” I mean the process of balancing considerations and rationalising decisions, with an eye to making considered, sensible conclusions. I emphasise this because it is all too easy to fall in with the opinions of others, determined perhaps by one’s predilections and no more. This way of making decisions is no better than those of the Islamic Fundamentalist zealots, the ones who ultimately end up as suicide bombers, nor is it better than the similarly extremist Crusaders who were fuelled by religious zealotry and expansionist ambitions. Unfortunately, this sort of mass thinking has...

Note: An individual who advocates a position for no other reason than that his immediate neighbour does so is no better than an automaton.

A ‘modern’ life, steeped in so many distractions, is one which stays unfulfilled because it is unfocused. From the moment we enter into the world, we are beset by distractions of all kinds, sourced from technological marvels that steal the better part of life and vitality; and we think we make sense of it, but only superficially. Worthless information is processed in billions upon billions of man-hours – the wasted potential of a stagnating society bent on self-gratification. Those hours fill a void created by boredom. Here is a loveless world, where love has less meaning because life has less meaning to individuals. Ultimately, our ability to feel love - romantic love between people as well as love of doing things (which I call craftsmanship) - is ruined.

An 800-page report and $7 million later, the House Select Committee on Benghazi has found no new evidence on the circumstances of the attack: more importantly for the Republicans, they are no closer to indicting Hillary Clinton or diminishing her presidential prospects. This is telling, given that this has amounted to being, according to David M. Herszenhorn, perhaps one of the most 'bitterly partisan congressional investigations in history'. The committee was led by South Carolina Republican Trey Gowdy, who among other things accused Hillary Clinton, then Secretary of State, and the Obama Administration of purposefully withholding evidence and stymieing earlier investigations into the culpability of the Defense Department, Central Intelligence Agency and State Department in their failure to protect the personnel stationed at the outpost. Taken in its entirety however, the report does precious little to substantiate accusations of negligence on the part of Clinton; it presents ...