"All bad poetry springs from genuine feeling," wrote Oscar Wilde. and I would like to suggest that the same can be said for bad politics.... It seems to me that the politics of liberal reform, in recent years, shows many of the same characteristics as amateur poetry. It has been more concerned with the kind of symbolic action that gratifies the passions of the reformer rather than with the efficacy of the reforms themselves. Indeed, the outstanding characteristic of what we call " The New Politics" is precisely its insistence on the overwhelming importance of revealing, in the public realm, one's intense feeling-------we must "care", we must be "concerned," we must be "committed". Unsurprisingly, this goes along with an immense indifference to consequences, to positive results or the lack thereof.
Irving Kristol 1972 (1920-2009)
By the way, does his son William look like his father, or what?
By the way, does his son William look like his father, or what?
6 comments:
There is certainly a good family resemblance, however, if I did not already know that they were father and son, I don't believe that I would have made the connection.
Mr. Kristol certainly had a nice way of describing "feel good" Politics, which is in reality seldom a solution or worthy of legislation.
Pris
I didn't know they were father and son either, but I do see the resemblance, Z.
I was more struck by what he said...it's so true, the liberal intention is so often not thought-out and even makes things worse...I think he said it very well.
i love what he wrote, i think it's quite accurate and revealing. as for the father/son thing, can you imagine the arguments about politics around their holiday tables??
feel good politics..ugh!..been busy..tryin to catch up!:)
Post a Comment