Joe as usual --- brilliant. The recognition that the yearning for freedom will bend the arc of history towards humanism is a starting point. What is essential is a species-wide mission to strategize, organize, and mobilize whenever we are faced with existential threats, including wide-spread fascism.
Our cry for justice (civil rights, human rights, freedom from tyranny) seemed inevitable with the post racial society election of Barrack Obama who advertised himself as an agent of change. Only he was too timid and amateurish in the art of politics to accomplish change through justice or immigration restructuring, health care reform, or climate change transformation. Instead, he delivered a hell of a good speech and everything went to hell.
With political chicanery, middle-of-the roader Hillary Clinton was nominated as the safe choice rather than permitting the electorate to nominate the left-wing, fire-breathing change agent exemplified by Bernie Sanders. So, Donald Trump ranted his way to the nomination and presidency by appealing to those who wanted boldness. Unfortunately, what we got was a deceitful, boastful, rapacious, aspiring tyrant with a coterie of political replicants.
And when we thought with the election of Joe Biden that decency would return, more disenchantment because his legislative agenda has been stymied by almost all Republicans and a few key Democrats.
Welcome to the age of cynicism. A time built on failed hopes and disappointment. A dark age where deceit, apathy, racism, and intolerance are thriving. And what of hope?
Your excellent essay puts faith in our yearning for freedom. I am hopeful that many of us will maintain our integrity until truth and justice once again become core values for which we are willing to fight.
They have it wrong. The arc of the moral universe, like all else, is in a constant state of entropy - it trends towards disorder and injustice. If it appears to an observer that it bends towards justice, it's because it is bent towards justice by the actions of countless people like MLK and his supporters. I think you are on the right track here with your conclusion but end one level of abstract too high. It's what we do with that yearning to fight oppression that matters. Because if you believe that moral entropy is a constant, permanent force on human society, like I do, then failing to fight against that current or remaining neutral is equivalent to acquiescing in its descent. We have been haunted by this exact phenomenon as the Supreme Court and the Senate hide behind judicial conservatism and the unconstitutional filibuster to allow our legal and social values to fall into disrepute without really having to lift much of a finger to bring us there.
I enjoyed reading this. It is challenging and provocative and the conclusion regarding “freedom” is hopeful. The problem I have for hoping the desire for freedom will save us is that that word, that reality is like everything else, it is subject to the definition one uses. My view of freedom is to be absolutely free of things the libertarian’s view of freedom wishes to impose.
In honesty, I am not qualified by either education nor life’s experience to discuss this with you. I only pray that King and
Joe as usual --- brilliant. The recognition that the yearning for freedom will bend the arc of history towards humanism is a starting point. What is essential is a species-wide mission to strategize, organize, and mobilize whenever we are faced with existential threats, including wide-spread fascism.
Thoughtful analysis, Joe. I hope you are right.
Sorry to add to your dark prognosis.
Our cry for justice (civil rights, human rights, freedom from tyranny) seemed inevitable with the post racial society election of Barrack Obama who advertised himself as an agent of change. Only he was too timid and amateurish in the art of politics to accomplish change through justice or immigration restructuring, health care reform, or climate change transformation. Instead, he delivered a hell of a good speech and everything went to hell.
With political chicanery, middle-of-the roader Hillary Clinton was nominated as the safe choice rather than permitting the electorate to nominate the left-wing, fire-breathing change agent exemplified by Bernie Sanders. So, Donald Trump ranted his way to the nomination and presidency by appealing to those who wanted boldness. Unfortunately, what we got was a deceitful, boastful, rapacious, aspiring tyrant with a coterie of political replicants.
And when we thought with the election of Joe Biden that decency would return, more disenchantment because his legislative agenda has been stymied by almost all Republicans and a few key Democrats.
Welcome to the age of cynicism. A time built on failed hopes and disappointment. A dark age where deceit, apathy, racism, and intolerance are thriving. And what of hope?
Your excellent essay puts faith in our yearning for freedom. I am hopeful that many of us will maintain our integrity until truth and justice once again become core values for which we are willing to fight.
They have it wrong. The arc of the moral universe, like all else, is in a constant state of entropy - it trends towards disorder and injustice. If it appears to an observer that it bends towards justice, it's because it is bent towards justice by the actions of countless people like MLK and his supporters. I think you are on the right track here with your conclusion but end one level of abstract too high. It's what we do with that yearning to fight oppression that matters. Because if you believe that moral entropy is a constant, permanent force on human society, like I do, then failing to fight against that current or remaining neutral is equivalent to acquiescing in its descent. We have been haunted by this exact phenomenon as the Supreme Court and the Senate hide behind judicial conservatism and the unconstitutional filibuster to allow our legal and social values to fall into disrepute without really having to lift much of a finger to bring us there.
I enjoyed reading this. It is challenging and provocative and the conclusion regarding “freedom” is hopeful. The problem I have for hoping the desire for freedom will save us is that that word, that reality is like everything else, it is subject to the definition one uses. My view of freedom is to be absolutely free of things the libertarian’s view of freedom wishes to impose.
In honesty, I am not qualified by either education nor life’s experience to discuss this with you. I only pray that King and
Obama are right.