Self & Society: Uncle Dave Finds a Rat Behind the Baseboard

March 11, 2011 by PaulM Posted in Culture, Education, History, Lowell, Politics 1 Comment

David Brooks in today’s NYTimes wonders out loud if the contemporary American behavioral trend of heightened self-approval may be weakening the national civic culture. He often asks such “community” questions as he tries to puzzle out the workings of our democratic-republic system. He makes a comment on the connection to toxic partisanship in the political tribes, but I think unfairly leaves the comment on the table as if there is an equivalency among all partisans in the relevance to his issue today. There isn’t. The anti-government rhetoric of the so-called conservatives feeds the impulse some have to think of their own interests first and foremost. I don’t think that attitude reflects actual conservatism, but the term has been twisted at this point.  Read Brook’s opinion here, and get the NYT if you want more.  

One Response to Self & Society: Uncle Dave Finds a Rat Behind the Baseboard

  1. C R Krieger says:

    I wonder if he has it entirely right.  I am on an internet reflector where I am definitely in the bottom half in education and attainment.  So, when someone else on this reflector called me up and asked me for my opinion on something (a no-fly zone for Libya), I was flattered, very flattered.  Then I said, that there was an EMail from X, who had done the Northern No Fly Zone in Iraq after the first Gulf War and that he would have a better answer, and forwarded that EMail, which the caller had missed.  And, just being asked was better than vanilla ice cream with Hershey’s on top.  So that part of the argument doesn’t hold water with me.  I am not sure being complemented and liking it goes with thinking you are the best.

    Basically, though, re everyone thinking they are in the top half I blame on that guy from Lake Wobegon, Mr Garrison Keillor.

    Regards  —  Cliff