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July 25, 2006
Chapter One in "An American Civilization"
Via Justin, I just learned that Bill Whittle has posted chapter one of his new book, AN AMERICAN CIVILIZATION. I like his take on ad hominem attacks: The entire concept of Civilization has been so deconstructed, and vilified, that by having the audacity to defend the ideals of Civilized behavior Your Author has been called a racist (nope – I happen to have African Ancestors!), a repressed homosexual (please – I have two pairs of shoes!) and even a potential cannibal! (What happens in Papua New Guinea, stays in Papua New Guinea.)These are good questions, and Bill has taken a lot of time to think about the answers. A must read, I'd say. posted by Eric on 07.25.06 at 08:54 AM
Comments
Thanks for stopping by, and for the kind words! Eric Scheie · July 25, 2006 02:04 PM he really tore Clooney a new one there. Wow. Harkonnendog · July 25, 2006 09:00 PM Leonard Read made the same point a lot more essentially with his classic "I, Pencil", forty-eight years ago, and it's a lot better read. Honest to god, Eric: that guy just bores the shit out of me and I have never understood the net.buzz over him. Billy Beck · July 26, 2006 04:52 PM Billy, the authors are making two different points. Read was trying to get advocates of central planning to realize the folly of it. He presumes his reader already understands the need for an institution of government to restrain people from aggression. Whittle, on the other hand, is trying to fight the ideas that are undermining what Read takes for granted. In formulaing a theory of the just powers of government, one must delineate that place at which we, as civilized humans, are morally justified in using force (including the deadly variety) against other humans who have breached the covenants of civilization. Read is telling us why government should refrain from acting against those who have not crossed The Line. Whittle is telling us why it must act against those who have. He's had the special perspective of working in the industry that communicates values to people; exposing their folly is integral to his message. Never mind pencils. There are medications whose daily use The Bride of Monster requires. If the enemies of Civilization succeed in crippling the Web of Trust, she dies, just as surely as the casualties we hear about on the news. To the kid in the Che t-shirt in the studio audience at The Daily Show, this is all a bunch of laughs. To those of us who understand what is at stake, it's deadly serious. The Monster · July 26, 2006 11:55 PM |
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Via Justin, I just learned that Bill Whittle has posted chapter one of his new book, AN AMERICAN CIVILIZATION.
So what am I doing here, then? ;)
Really nice work on the CHB posts, by the way. A few more days of that and they'll have to delete their entire website.