Two Recent Posts

The primary focus of people from the West is external spaces – their houses, their yards, their cars, their towns, etc. They tend to count neatness as a virtue even while in their own minds they often wander blindly, without clear convictions or aim. In the East, where populations are much greater and external space is available only at a high premium, the focus is on internal spaces. Asians do not so much care how things look on the outside, but they are almost manically disciplined in their thinking. A large part of this is tied up with their perception of honor or “saving face”.

It is unlikely that any American administration - especially the current one (which has its own (ego) problems) - appreciates the difference. They can therefore be expected to continue to stumble and fall on their own swords as the day is long in trying to deal with the region. Then, John is right, they will curse the swords that have bloodied them.
------------------------------------
Who are the Jacobins? Whether or not JB is or isn’t remains in doubt any way you slice it. It could be argued that the American Left won the revolution with the election of Barack Obama. Before that point, the Left could have been considered as the Jacobins. Now that the Left is in charge, the title falls to those who are aiming to thwart Obama’s policies. Since much of the old strictures are still in place, the line between the revolutionaries and the defenders has become somewhat blurred. But, strictly speaking, the tea party crowd; those protesting ever higher taxes; the town hall folks challenging their representatives; talk radio listeners; etc. are the insurgents – in the government’s view, the trouble makers, those determined to overturn the results of a legally sanctioned election.

Which side is JB on? Neither, in my view. He’s simply reporting on those things that are of interest to him. He is clearly not interested in the people who will be attending the March on Washington on 9/12. For one thing, they are not the type who would make it a point to listen to The John Batchelor Show. Their concerns are too basic, without much nuance, too black and white for John’s taste. John is perhaps smarter than most. Smart people are often burdened by their smartness – distracted by it. We, as representative of the ordinary, not unusually gifted people (with some exceptions who appear to have other problems) can help him; if not convert him, at least to demonstrate our passion and our numbers which may not make us right, but nevertheless puts us in the majority. In a ‘Democracy’ that should count for something.