[MD] The MoQ and Politics?

[Mary]

Hi John,

>>
I think I'll have more to say on the matter after I've thoroughly digested
Mary's posting of Levy.  That looks pretty interesting.

Thanks.  I thought it was interesting too.  If you leave out the dog and the
mistress, almost everything in that interview has direct applicability to
the current situation in America and elsewhere.  We can see the same issues
arising in Britain, the Netherlands, and perhaps even Norway and Sweden, for
example.

"This is a principle of the book.  How two enemies can exchange words, can
quarrel, debate, without making war to each others."

Seems vital to the effort, but if unattainable, there must be other ways to
approach the problem.  Perhaps the historical record could provide insight,
for instance?

He continues.

"The question of commitment.  I believe in public intellectuals.  I believe
that to be a public intellectual, as you say in English, is something.  He
believes in pure literature."

Levy is tending in the direction of saying that we could rely on our
prominent intellectuals to guide us, but only if they are willing.
Perfectly sensible, that.  The unwilling cannot lead and should not be
called to.

I found great optimism in Levy's claim here to champion the middle way.  All
things in moderation, for the situation is not nearly so dire as advertised.

"The book begins in a very despair, a very pessimistic tone and it finishes
another way.  For example, Houellebecq is convinced, not only that he has a
pack against him, the mob running after him and preventing him from writing,
but he even believes that society is made for that.  The conviction of
Houllebecq is, Question, What is society?  Reply, society is this which
prevents artists to exist and to perform.  I'm not completely in agreement
with that, and maybe I convince him a little on that.  That the situation is
not so desperate. "

The section on what it means to be Jewish was fascinating too.  Having been
raised an agnostic, I had no prior instruction in this area, but as he put
it, a very MoQ-esque flavor emerged.  Imagine, another group of people who
believe, "The words are the very thing which keeps the world together.
Without words, without letter, without the deeds and the prayer, the world
should fall into dust again.  To be decreated."   Quite amazing really.  Is
he talking about what it's like to be Jewish or explaining symbol
manipulation at the Intellectual Level?

But his warning to us to beware ideologies was most prescient.  Funny that
I'd not thought of it that way before, but once he said it, I could see that
he is absolutely right.  Unsupportable dogma is always discovered for what
it is in the end.  I suppose these philosopher guys can have something
useful to say to us after all.

Best,
Mary