tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post5378437021316960719..comments2023-09-27T07:44:19.769-04:00Comments on Sabine Hossenfelder: Backreaction: Book review: "The Audacity of Hope" by Barack ObamaSabine Hossenfelderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-57128879177778812132010-03-09T09:23:17.166-05:002010-03-09T09:23:17.166-05:00Regarding America's ridiculous 2-party system,...Regarding America's ridiculous 2-party system, watch <a href="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2010/03/08/lkl.jesse.ventura.cnn?hpt=T2" rel="nofollow">this</a> for a former Governor's very wise take on the subject.Steven Colyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10435759210177642257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-33871741742115556442009-09-26T09:34:13.073-04:002009-09-26T09:34:13.073-04:00Hi. Just stumbled on your blog because I was chec...Hi. Just stumbled on your blog because I was checking out reviews of Audacity of Hope. Just finished reading it - no to be honest I skimmed the last half.<br />Started out impressed, but after a chapter or two I got the feeling it was too smooth, too balanced.<br />As several commentators noted "air-brushed" describes the book nicely.<br />I was starting to feel that my opinion was Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02974992075725860928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-82869009321731499962009-05-12T11:33:00.000-04:002009-05-12T11:33:00.000-04:00It obviously is "TWO world wars and one colonial w...It obviously is "TWO world wars and one colonial war" instead of "one world wars and one colonial war".Jean-Philippehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16867058387912497552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-17613254415944152792009-05-12T11:31:00.000-04:002009-05-12T11:31:00.000-04:00Hi CIP,
I don't really see any reality in the imp...Hi CIP,<br /><br />I don't really see any reality in the implicit link you make between France's multi-parties system and your proposition:<br />"France has a record of repeated chaos"<br /><br />I guess you are alluding here to mostly the 19th century, but to relate the events of 1830, 1848 or 1871 (just to take the most "chaotic") to the existence of many parties is very superficial. The 19th Jean-Philippehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16867058387912497552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-91368312158459352532009-05-12T09:50:00.000-04:002009-05-12T09:50:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jean-Philippehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16867058387912497552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-18460322513114912822009-05-12T08:41:00.000-04:002009-05-12T08:41:00.000-04:00Bee,
I agree that there are potential advantages ...Bee,<br /><br />I agree that there are potential advantages to having all points of view represented - but there are also advantages to being able to make a decision. There are two factors in political organization that tend to promote two party systems: the single member district (like Canada, the US, and the UK) and an independent executive (like the US, France post DeGaulle, and Germany). CapitalistImperialistPighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17523405806602731435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-91831581146834507832009-05-12T07:56:00.000-04:002009-05-12T07:56:00.000-04:00Hi CIP,
well, I guess my point is that 'mainly tw...Hi CIP,<br /><br />well, I guess my point is that 'mainly two party' makes a huge difference to 'basically two party'. Canada and also Germany you could say have two dominating parties, but the fact that they have other parties too that - though not as relevant - can't be simply ignored completely changes the dynamics. In particular the discussion is far less polarized and the plurality of Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-33361212142541672712009-05-12T07:41:00.000-04:002009-05-12T07:41:00.000-04:00Hi Bee,
Just to say your complaint with the US tw...Hi Bee,<br /><br />Just to say your complaint with the US two party systems is one I share. Further however I have a problem with the way the party system works in the overall, no matter what the number. More ideally all members would be independents and have no direct party alliance, with each running on their own platform. The system as it stands is primarily as it is for two reasons, firstPhil Warnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15671311338712852659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-86920586803730782612009-05-11T23:39:00.000-04:002009-05-11T23:39:00.000-04:00O'Grady,
Among other errors, you are quite wrong ...O'Grady,<br /><br />Among other errors, you are quite wrong about the margin of victory in 2008: Obama won 69,498,215 to59,948,240. That, incidentally, is the largest plurality of any non-incumbent US president ever. <br /><br />See <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2008" REL="nofollow">Wikipedia article on the election</A> (or any other reputable sourceCapitalistImperialistPighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17523405806602731435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-71702369298815635172009-05-11T23:30:00.000-04:002009-05-11T23:30:00.000-04:00I don't think "invited" means the same as "allowed...I don't think "invited" means the same as "allowed" but let me try to rephrase my question less offensively.<br /><br />There are several long-lived democracies in the world, and of the ones I know the best (US, Britain, Canada, France) all are mainly two party except France (yes, I know UK and Canada have minor parties - so does the US). US and UK have a record of long term stability, but FranceAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-72707267580026989042009-05-11T19:16:00.000-04:002009-05-11T19:16:00.000-04:00Plato
Your statement does quanitfy across all Ame...Plato<br /><br />Your statement does quanitfy across all American. Some American peolpe would make more sense. Not everyone is on the band wagon. Not even a majority.McCain only lost the election by one hundred thousand votes.(This is not an endorsement of McCain)<br /><br />At the core of both Barack Obama's books was racial grievances against you know who(White Americas). However,in Steve O'Gradynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-46369254594017520222009-05-11T18:14:00.000-04:002009-05-11T18:14:00.000-04:00It was the response to the book that help Barack O...It was the response to the book that help Barack Obama decide to run for President.PlatoHagelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00849253658526056393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1795000255966154042009-05-11T18:10:00.000-04:002009-05-11T18:10:00.000-04:00I would say facts do indeed matter, but this does ...I would say facts do indeed matter, but this does not omit the "leap of faith" the American people have already made. <br /><br />You see, you can classify people as too, an immigrant or mill worker, and still, this is talking about what the American people have already done. They have decided.<br /><br />Best,PlatoHagelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00849253658526056393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-79280198810855548132009-05-11T17:57:00.000-04:002009-05-11T17:57:00.000-04:00The most serious amd complete review of "Audacity ...The most serious amd complete review of "Audacity of Hope" is by Steve Sailer. Sailer's review can be be found at vdare.com.<br /><br />Yes, "The Audacity of Hope" is too good to be true. Go read Sailers review-which can also be purchased as a book-which explains why.<br /><br />I saw the following two bumber stickers recently,one on top of the other. Bumper sticker one:"Jesus was a community O'Gradynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-23820563683586946382009-05-11T17:50:00.000-04:002009-05-11T17:50:00.000-04:00Hi Bee,
It's nice that you took the leap and soug...Hi Bee,<br /><br />It's nice that you took the leap and sought to read what your mother offered:)That you thought to write on it. People do need to become more involved on a "global perspective" as Phil mentioned under your journey.<br /><br />Just wanted to add some info and a comment. The "<A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Audacity_of_Hope" REL="nofollow" TITLE="The Audacity of Hope">PlatoHagelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00849253658526056393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-68432544748169953742009-05-11T15:58:00.000-04:002009-05-11T15:58:00.000-04:00Sorry, I have not reply to the part on social scie...Sorry, I have not reply to the part on social sciences.<br /><br />Generally speaking, I am quite critical of social sciences myself. My impression is that they have been engaged in a dead end for decades, under the belief that somehow, they could just apply the method of hard sciences (reductionism) to every phenomena. Unfortunately it does not work this way, because social phenomena are highly Jean-Philippehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16867058387912497552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-78174019954668584332009-05-11T15:41:00.000-04:002009-05-11T15:41:00.000-04:00Hi Bee,
Well, the multiplicity of paradigms is no...Hi Bee,<br /><br />Well, the multiplicity of paradigms is nothing new really, it even is typical of a period of paradigm shift, whether in sciences or in politics. Christianity (or what was to become it) was not the only religious sect around 40BC, far from it, and it did not become the dominant one until a few hundred years later. <br />In our times, things should go faster, but it wont happen Jean-Philippehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16867058387912497552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-1650814367910049192009-05-11T14:42:00.000-04:002009-05-11T14:42:00.000-04:00Hi Jean-Philippe,
Well, sure. What I meant is tha...Hi Jean-Philippe,<br /><br />Well, sure. What I meant is that what we currently need is practical innovation. There are enough people out there already proposing their paradigms for a new world. If anything, it creates confusion. Sure, we should all be thinking critical, and we're developing an attention deficit syndrome on the collective scale. But hey, blink, the power is in thinking without Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-88260337549944745802009-05-11T14:39:00.000-04:002009-05-11T14:39:00.000-04:00Some points I forgot to mention earlier:
Many co...Some points I forgot to mention earlier: <br /><br />Many countries all over the world (in Europe and Asia) actually have a financial transaction tax, US used to have one until 1964, if they now come back to it (which is still far from being done, even though the bill was reintroduced in february this year), they will merely follow the rest of the world.Jean-Philippehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16867058387912497552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-70868692077639629472009-05-11T14:11:00.000-04:002009-05-11T14:11:00.000-04:00Hi Bee,
"I think it is probably a point we won't ...Hi Bee,<br /><br />"I think it is probably a point we won't be able to clarify"<br /><br />I think we should be able to clarify it, if only by precising our position. Whether or not we reach an agreement, is another matter, which, for me, is not very important. Again the debate is not a duel, it's an enlightenment.<br /><br />"While pragmatism alone might not change paradigm, paradigm alone isn'tJean-Philippehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16867058387912497552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-83770824324461005502009-05-11T13:14:00.000-04:002009-05-11T13:14:00.000-04:00Hi Jean-Philippe,
I think it is probably a point ...Hi Jean-Philippe,<br /><br />I think it is probably a point we won't be able to clarify. Weather it's innovation changing the paradigm or the paradigm leading to innovation is something I leave to sort out for historians. Whatever the causation, they both go along with each other. While pragmatism alone might not change paradigm, paradigm alone isn't going to create the necessary pragmatism. <br Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-80960151395717909302009-05-11T12:38:00.000-04:002009-05-11T12:38:00.000-04:00Dear Arun,
Indeed, the media plays a huge role, b...Dear Arun,<br /><br />Indeed, the media plays a huge role, but it's not the origin of the problem. They amplify, they echo, they causes a positive feedback that vastly increases the problem, but at least so far they are not creating problems themselves. They play the role we allow them to play, and as everybody else they are trying to maximize their influence. Problem is, we let them. Best,<br />Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-2188913076612983942009-05-11T11:49:00.000-04:002009-05-11T11:49:00.000-04:00CIP: the two party system may be seen as a contrib...CIP: the two party system may be seen as a contributor to stability (good) or as a contributor to incumbentitis and a barrier to entry (bad).<br /><br />Bee: the press plays a role in the "meta" level of discussion; the degeneration of the mainstream press is continually discussed at <A HREF="http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/index.html" REL="nofollow">Glenn Greenwald's salon.com blog.</A>Arunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03451666670728177970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-13581351850832996632009-05-11T11:44:00.000-04:002009-05-11T11:44:00.000-04:00Hi Bee,
I'm afraid I disagree. Pragmatism don't c...Hi Bee,<br /><br />I'm afraid I disagree. Pragmatism don't change paradigm, it works well within a paradigm. If a society is to change fundamentally, it ought to examine the fundamental questions, the ideals that it proposes to the people,...etc.<br />You seem to consider philosophy as a useless activity, it's not. It has not been such in history, philosophical investigations have always been at Jean-Philippehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16867058387912497552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22973357.post-48494488603210349192009-05-11T11:19:00.000-04:002009-05-11T11:19:00.000-04:00Hi Phil,
In principle, institutions can change th...Hi Phil,<br /><br />In principle, institutions can change themselves, yet they rarely do so. There are few cases in which an institution's organization has been fixed eternally. Smart men know times change and what they once believed to be self-evident might no longer be so in some centuries. However, these internal changes have a huge inertia. It's not that we have no innovations, they just Sabine Hossenfelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151209308084588985noreply@blogger.com