We are suffering from a self-serving propaganda that has successfully persuaded us that particular ideas about human nature and our economic systems are expressions of the natural order of things.
When ideology has morphed into objective truth the work of propaganda is to mock any and all attempts at challenge as simply wrong headed and dangerous.
As JK Galbraith said “nothing serves power better than a theology that disguises its exercise”
What we are seeing now is propaganda designed to deflect and distract. Culture wars and scapegoating immigrants are the key examples.
Distraction and deflection are happening in my view because there are too many people asking too many questions, too many people wanting (needing) things to change and the ideological propaganda is starting to crack.
This is why democracy is under attack, why authoritarianism is on the rise imho.
Because the right wing are losing the argument and their grip on their version of reality.
This is why I am optimistic even in these dark times.
I see Trump, Farage and Putin and I see their fear and the fear of the people who are paying them.
On Substack, at least, there is widespread agreement amongst those critical of capitalism that all its deleterious effects on the general population are, as they say, 'a feature not a bug'.
On a related point there seems to be a renaissance of interest in the work of Henry George and the various ways in which land values can be reduced and stabilised and thereby taken out of the asset class that attracts private investors. The analysis is similar to that of capitalism overall in that the inflation of land prices kills the very basis of its value in denuding the area of all the smaller supporting business needed to maintain a population
If "smirking" is all you can manage, as a counter to well evidenced charges of genocide by Israel, then I'd advise staying away from the international courts. A smirk carries zero evidential value and is terrible PR (except perhaps on an IDF TikTok video, where it might be admissible as evidence of war crimes.)
Thank you for your comment Robert and I agree that a smirk is not evidence, nor is it good PR in the current climate of opinion. However it's a feature of Western Culture imv that we find a little humour in dark places. I wonder if you are on the side of the enemies of that culture.
Any decent theology course would be happy to discuss this post and the insights contained in it with you as the guest lecturer.
The three elements you highlight are where any decent theologocal discussion starts...
The world (see Genesis 1.1-25)
Us within it (see Genesis 1.26 -2.25, both versions)
The brokenness and consequences (Genesis 3 - Revelation 22).
Your wife is of course right. The process sĥe ascribes to you is the task of any theologian worth their salt, particularly the giving of hope and the realisation that we have agency and therefore responsibility. Bad theology merely attributes blame, produces resignation and condemns us to well deserved disaster.
You just described my job as a teacher. Leading the revolution, one lesson at a time. As the Redskins sang, "Keep on Keeping on".
Thanks for writing this Richard.
We are suffering from a self-serving propaganda that has successfully persuaded us that particular ideas about human nature and our economic systems are expressions of the natural order of things.
When ideology has morphed into objective truth the work of propaganda is to mock any and all attempts at challenge as simply wrong headed and dangerous.
As JK Galbraith said “nothing serves power better than a theology that disguises its exercise”
What we are seeing now is propaganda designed to deflect and distract. Culture wars and scapegoating immigrants are the key examples.
Distraction and deflection are happening in my view because there are too many people asking too many questions, too many people wanting (needing) things to change and the ideological propaganda is starting to crack.
This is why democracy is under attack, why authoritarianism is on the rise imho.
Because the right wing are losing the argument and their grip on their version of reality.
This is why I am optimistic even in these dark times.
I see Trump, Farage and Putin and I see their fear and the fear of the people who are paying them.
On Substack, at least, there is widespread agreement amongst those critical of capitalism that all its deleterious effects on the general population are, as they say, 'a feature not a bug'.
On a related point there seems to be a renaissance of interest in the work of Henry George and the various ways in which land values can be reduced and stabilised and thereby taken out of the asset class that attracts private investors. The analysis is similar to that of capitalism overall in that the inflation of land prices kills the very basis of its value in denuding the area of all the smaller supporting business needed to maintain a population
I smirked at this bit "an attempt at a grand formulation"
This from a writer who endorsed the claim that Israel was already committing genocide by 13/10/23.
I look forward to his Final Solution.
If "smirking" is all you can manage, as a counter to well evidenced charges of genocide by Israel, then I'd advise staying away from the international courts. A smirk carries zero evidential value and is terrible PR (except perhaps on an IDF TikTok video, where it might be admissible as evidence of war crimes.)
Thank you for your comment Robert and I agree that a smirk is not evidence, nor is it good PR in the current climate of opinion. However it's a feature of Western Culture imv that we find a little humour in dark places. I wonder if you are on the side of the enemies of that culture.
Any decent theology course would be happy to discuss this post and the insights contained in it with you as the guest lecturer.
The three elements you highlight are where any decent theologocal discussion starts...
The world (see Genesis 1.1-25)
Us within it (see Genesis 1.26 -2.25, both versions)
The brokenness and consequences (Genesis 3 - Revelation 22).
Your wife is of course right. The process sĥe ascribes to you is the task of any theologian worth their salt, particularly the giving of hope and the realisation that we have agency and therefore responsibility. Bad theology merely attributes blame, produces resignation and condemns us to well deserved disaster.
Thank you. As I think you know, I have read a fair amount of theology. Plus most of the Bible (I can't guarantee all).