There is much dispute over the function of Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan: was it a moment of madness, or a signal decision of brilliance? Now U.S.-China relations are fraying on a range of issues, from climate change to military technology, is more tension really needed? Yes, it is — but this almost completely misses the … Continue reading Pelosi’s Taiwan visit was a calculated blunder
Category: Politics
At the Ends of the World: The War for the Whole has Begun
It is oft said that we are in a period of unparalleled disorder. But the world is remarkably resilient to external pressures, including radical changes to the Earth’s climate wrought by our species’ burning of the dead remnants of ancient sea creatures. The planet is simmering under this man-made frying pan, ready to be cast … Continue reading At the Ends of the World: The War for the Whole has Begun
The balance of power and the pull of extremes
I would like to discuss, as I have many times before, the importance of balance in the context of political action. It is a decisive tendency in contemporary politics to swing towards one extreme or another, without really breaking out of the broad-based ‘neoliberal’ paradigm in which we live. Any vote seems eventually to produce … Continue reading The balance of power and the pull of extremes
What Liz Truss is really doing
Rishi Sunak is plainly the obvious choice for successor to Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party and, by implication, the United Kingdom — sometimes described, not entirely inaccurately (albeit forgivably imprecisely), as a one-party democracy. But he has a surprise contender — Liz Truss, favourite among Party members but not the best sell … Continue reading What Liz Truss is really doing
Hobbes, the Person of the State, and the Beginnings of Balance
In the beginning, there was a simple thing — be that nothing, something, or everything at once. From this simple, eternal implosion of reality exploded the elaborate fantasy of this divided physical realm. Perhaps even then there were seeds of division immanent to the physicality of this world. Before time and space, however, can we … Continue reading Hobbes, the Person of the State, and the Beginnings of Balance
Principia Musica: The art of politics
I have some claims I would like to defend. These are claims I cannot possibly defend in one blog post. But here are some, which I will elaborate at a future date, subject to revision. Classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, writing at the birth of commercial society in the musical eighteenth century. I. Class conflict … Continue reading Principia Musica: The art of politics
A world in crisis: The revenge of the 1920s, the rise of China, and the tragedy of the Titanic
In the new year of 1912, few would have thought that, within a few months, an Olympic-class ocean liner would be sunk by an iceberg, killing over half of its passengers. Even fewer would have thought that, within three years, the European great powers would descend into the largest military conflict the world had ever … Continue reading A world in crisis: The revenge of the 1920s, the rise of China, and the tragedy of the Titanic
The moral mystery of Kendrick Lamar
The name Kendrick Lamar goes hand-in-hand with some of the most prominent names in hip hop: Eminem, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Tupac Shakur, Nas. But we know who most of these people are, right? Kanye West is an eclectic genius, pioneer of hip hop production, and all-round mastermind of modern music, with his fair share of … Continue reading The moral mystery of Kendrick Lamar
Conservatism against capitalism: A realistic manifesto
One of the most prominent philosophers in the conservative canon is Edmund Burke, critic of the French revolution and its high-minded ideals. This Burkean critique of revolution is then applied to left reform policies today to justify maintaining a crumbling status quo. But this move is illegitimate, for reasons that lie in Burke’s own Reflections … Continue reading Conservatism against capitalism: A realistic manifesto
Climate, China, Capital: The triple crisis of the twenty-first century
The world is undergoing a period of profound instability. At such a time it is easy to distract ourselves with frivolities. But underneath the froth of our moral malaise is a deep conflict of interests, along ecological, geopolitical, and economic lines. Let me explain. Planet Earth: There is only one. The first issue is climate … Continue reading Climate, China, Capital: The triple crisis of the twenty-first century
Edmund Wilson 