Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Heaven and Earth: The Rise and Fall of Socialism
A full-length documentary about socialism.
I'm not sure I like this documentary. It seems to have an agenda suggesting that socialism is an experiment destined to fail and it doesn't acknowledge the many different ways socialism has been organized, particularly by distinguishing it from Communism.
But there is some good information.
UPDATED:
This is from a review of the book that this documentary is based on. It was published on Amazon. The facts check out. I started questioning this documentary as soon as I saw the smug look on the writer's face. It's the same look they have over at Fox News. The look of someone with something to prove...
This book was written by Joshua Muravchik, who works for the American Enterprise Institute. The same AEI that is one of the major architects of Bush IIs policies. It is also the same AEI that's mission statement says that it's aim is "to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism -- limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and responsibility, vigilant and effective defense and foreign policies, political accountability, and open debate." In other words the author here is an employee of a conservative, neo-liberal think tank. Prima facie, he would not seem to be unbiased on Socialism... upon reading the book, it becomes obvious.
Also, don't let the fact that Mr. Muravchik was the former chairman of the Young People's Socialist League give you any false pretense of a balanced historical view. He seems as enthralled with Socialism as an ex-smoker is with cigarettes, i.e. he looks back longingly at the ideology, albeit with much self-loathing and then preaches the failures of socialism with all the vigor of a born-again (non-smoker, etc.)
Long story short, taking everything in this with a grain of salt and a discerning mind.
I'm not sure I like this documentary. It seems to have an agenda suggesting that socialism is an experiment destined to fail and it doesn't acknowledge the many different ways socialism has been organized, particularly by distinguishing it from Communism.
But there is some good information.
UPDATED:
This is from a review of the book that this documentary is based on. It was published on Amazon. The facts check out. I started questioning this documentary as soon as I saw the smug look on the writer's face. It's the same look they have over at Fox News. The look of someone with something to prove...
This book was written by Joshua Muravchik, who works for the American Enterprise Institute. The same AEI that is one of the major architects of Bush IIs policies. It is also the same AEI that's mission statement says that it's aim is "to defend the principles and improve the institutions of American freedom and democratic capitalism -- limited government, private enterprise, individual liberty and responsibility, vigilant and effective defense and foreign policies, political accountability, and open debate." In other words the author here is an employee of a conservative, neo-liberal think tank. Prima facie, he would not seem to be unbiased on Socialism... upon reading the book, it becomes obvious.
Also, don't let the fact that Mr. Muravchik was the former chairman of the Young People's Socialist League give you any false pretense of a balanced historical view. He seems as enthralled with Socialism as an ex-smoker is with cigarettes, i.e. he looks back longingly at the ideology, albeit with much self-loathing and then preaches the failures of socialism with all the vigor of a born-again (non-smoker, etc.)
Long story short, taking everything in this with a grain of salt and a discerning mind.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Wealth distribution
Enjoy.
Notice how the line graph illustrates a direct and inverse correlation between the income of the rich and the income of... well, not the poor, but the majority.
If you aren't studying economics, you can't understand our problems or how to get out of them. And if you are studying economics with the goal of exploiting it, you have no interest in facts, but only perceptions.
This is the equivalent of the church monopolizing the "truth" of God and the universe. We need economic scientists devoted to facts rather than an agenda of exploitation.
Notice how the line graph illustrates a direct and inverse correlation between the income of the rich and the income of... well, not the poor, but the majority.
If you aren't studying economics, you can't understand our problems or how to get out of them. And if you are studying economics with the goal of exploiting it, you have no interest in facts, but only perceptions.
This is the equivalent of the church monopolizing the "truth" of God and the universe. We need economic scientists devoted to facts rather than an agenda of exploitation.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Colbert Interview: God Is Not One
This book sounds fascinating to me. I'd love to pick it up.
Embeds for Colbert still aren't working. **sigh**
Embeds for Colbert still aren't working. **sigh**
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