International exchange

A recent exchange I had on an international debate board I visit off and on:

Listening to the coverage of the American election, you'd think that the last eight years didn't happen, internationally speaking, and that all is sweetness and light.

Bullshit.

Regards,
M. Graham


Yeah, that's my concern, Murray. That's why I voted Obama, for all of my misgivings about his economic policies, which I think are bad for everyone. Because I'm concerned about Americans - conservatives, especially, but not exclusively - who are taking the lesson from the last 8 years, "As long as I got the power to do it, what the fuck are you going to do about it?"

A lot of liberals have that mindset, these days, as well. Which is the problem. I have to choose between 2 sets of assholes with the same fucked up logic. I hope Mr. Obama is a step in the right direction, in foreign policy matters, at least.

But I take heart from the fact that it took almost the rest of the century for Britain to give up her empire, long after the notion of empire was discredited in World War II. The idea that democratic power can swagger it's way through problems will also take time to unravel, largely because everyone only seems concerned when someone else is doing it.

I think we're moving forward. Just painfully slow.

After another 4 years, hopefully we will have learned that Democrats are just as likely to run roughshot over people they don't like when they have power. And the politics will reflect that lesson learned. And the parties will adapt to Americans' looking for more freedom to live their lives without such assholes mucking things up all the time.

I have some confidence, Murray, that this is how things will play out, given some time.

In retrospect, it looked like the notion of empire would never end. It took up most of human history. But it most assuredly left the scene, largely as it was discredited in the democratic discussion and the marketplace of ideas. The idea that power can resolve all our problems - the heart of the problem with empire, ironically - will similarly fall out of fashion once people figure out that it is a false god.

But first people have to be willing to give up the false god.

It will take time. And then, like post-World War II and World War I, when the quest for empire had ravaged the lives of millions of people, we will have to move on. Because we'll have no other choice.

It is easy to understand, now, why humanity did so many horrible things, in the past, with power. Because they were afraid. And our fears, I'm beginning to understand, can rationalize almost anything. No matter how irrational and destructive.

Eventually we learn the lesson. That's the one thing we can bank on, Murray.