We had a panel on "Slouching Towards Utopia" at last fall's SSHA conference. My discussants & oþers þus gave me a present of inestimable value, a treasure for all time. It was 15F outside: Chicago...
"Simone Wegge is also disturbed by the absences of oil and global warming."
Basically, this is just the most important subpoint about the political economy failure of the Neoliberal project to bring Pigou taxation into the mainstream of policy making, and (similar but not quite the same) pricing of river and groundwater and instead of getting diverted into an argument against distribution.
You have impelled me to look up the Veiled Prophet and ... oh dear. I suppose that being kicked out is the 2nd best alternative.
"I recall my fascination some 10 years ago when I was told that St. Louis had a Veiled Prophet Parade. I was new to the city then and I presumed that this gala event must be some climactic community celebration, perhaps historical in nature. Then to discover that this was the yearly feast of the rich, culminating in a "coming out" ball at the municipal auditorium . . . was indeed a disappointment. Since then disappointment has given place to disgust. The spectacle of the wealthy daring to parade through the neighborhoods or near neighborhoods of the poor is outrageous.
And the ritual. Is it merely "cute," or are we witnessing the honest to God cult of the affluent with its prophets, queens, attending angels, heavenly courts taken seriously and paid for dearly by the educated business and professional men of the community? . . . .
Could it be turned into a genuine community event? I have an idea. If the powers would contact me, I have several outstandingly beautiful candidates in my parish for the Queen of Love and Beauty. Mind you, these candidates are not Mary Institute graduates nor are they currently attending Wellesley, Smith, or Vassar, nor are they likely to be. But they would, indeed, add beauty. Then again they would probably be disqualified. They suffer from one serious limitation. They are black."
I am so glad that you wrote what you did, excluding everything else the critics say should've belonged in the book. People can go read that everything else in the books that have everything else. There are plenty. I can tell you that none of those books do this: "And yet, in spite of our wealth fabulous in historical perspective, what were supposed to be second-order problems continue to completely flummox us." Those other books have a "lived happily ever after" feel or "let's see what happens next" feel, or "look what a miracle happened" feel to them. They do not identify why we should still be flummoxed by what were "supposed to be second-order problems." Yours does. Any critique that says that X is missing from the book is a valid critique. But then it is also not really a critique, for some X will be missing -- from any book -- more often than not, by design, not by negligence. We should be grateful -- I am grateful -- there wasn't everything else in the book. Kudos!
Fantastic book documenting the economic growth of the 20th century, which really accentuated the difference between the Global North and the Global South. But the open ended question of what is utopia appears elusive. Apparently there is more than surrounding oneself with material comforts or escaping the Malthus’ Devil. Perhaps more interesting than the destination is actually the journey.
Wow, how cogently you are able to stir in the ashes of Slouching’s cutting room floor and come up with alternatives to your real book-- if you only cd uv had more than 600 more (votes) pages.
It’s somewhat confusing but strangely compelling and on the rickety way enlightening to follow the dancing rolling mind work of the thot- train of your mind.
What a coincidence! Florence Wyman Richardson Usher, a suffragette, died on August 19, 1920, just one day after the 19th Amendment became effective.
Publish the cut parts as Slouching part 2, the socio-technical
"Simone Wegge is also disturbed by the absences of oil and global warming."
Basically, this is just the most important subpoint about the political economy failure of the Neoliberal project to bring Pigou taxation into the mainstream of policy making, and (similar but not quite the same) pricing of river and groundwater and instead of getting diverted into an argument against distribution.
You have impelled me to look up the Veiled Prophet and ... oh dear. I suppose that being kicked out is the 2nd best alternative.
"I recall my fascination some 10 years ago when I was told that St. Louis had a Veiled Prophet Parade. I was new to the city then and I presumed that this gala event must be some climactic community celebration, perhaps historical in nature. Then to discover that this was the yearly feast of the rich, culminating in a "coming out" ball at the municipal auditorium . . . was indeed a disappointment. Since then disappointment has given place to disgust. The spectacle of the wealthy daring to parade through the neighborhoods or near neighborhoods of the poor is outrageous.
And the ritual. Is it merely "cute," or are we witnessing the honest to God cult of the affluent with its prophets, queens, attending angels, heavenly courts taken seriously and paid for dearly by the educated business and professional men of the community? . . . .
Could it be turned into a genuine community event? I have an idea. If the powers would contact me, I have several outstandingly beautiful candidates in my parish for the Queen of Love and Beauty. Mind you, these candidates are not Mary Institute graduates nor are they currently attending Wellesley, Smith, or Vassar, nor are they likely to be. But they would, indeed, add beauty. Then again they would probably be disqualified. They suffer from one serious limitation. They are black."
"Basic's editors got increasingly nervous with each page past 350."
Sounds a bit nerve-wracking. Maybe we need to introduce the trilogy, which works well in other spheres.
I am so glad that you wrote what you did, excluding everything else the critics say should've belonged in the book. People can go read that everything else in the books that have everything else. There are plenty. I can tell you that none of those books do this: "And yet, in spite of our wealth fabulous in historical perspective, what were supposed to be second-order problems continue to completely flummox us." Those other books have a "lived happily ever after" feel or "let's see what happens next" feel, or "look what a miracle happened" feel to them. They do not identify why we should still be flummoxed by what were "supposed to be second-order problems." Yours does. Any critique that says that X is missing from the book is a valid critique. But then it is also not really a critique, for some X will be missing -- from any book -- more often than not, by design, not by negligence. We should be grateful -- I am grateful -- there wasn't everything else in the book. Kudos!
Fantastic book documenting the economic growth of the 20th century, which really accentuated the difference between the Global North and the Global South. But the open ended question of what is utopia appears elusive. Apparently there is more than surrounding oneself with material comforts or escaping the Malthus’ Devil. Perhaps more interesting than the destination is actually the journey.
Wow, how cogently you are able to stir in the ashes of Slouching’s cutting room floor and come up with alternatives to your real book-- if you only cd uv had more than 600 more (votes) pages.
It’s somewhat confusing but strangely compelling and on the rickety way enlightening to follow the dancing rolling mind work of the thot- train of your mind.