Hey Sam, I’m reading this on the couch with my new foster cat, Gulf. I think often when British people try to write with concern for American politics, it comes off as a little high-horsey. I’ve never had this issue with your writing. I really appreciate how deeply empathetic and considerate your views and articulations of them always are; even when the words are scathing, that genuine concern for the well-being of other people radiates through. I’ve missed reading your work and I’m excited to read more. It’s always so good to hear from you.
For sure. To bring up MacIntyre and reiterate your point, it's worse than a degeneration of political and moral discourse into bald power assertions and counter-assertions, sentiments and counter-sentiments, it's a lack of understanding of the point of it. There is an attenuation of aesthetic and moral judgement, because we have forgotten we have to be the judges--not just propel an inherited heuristic. Nasty little Nietzschean that I am, I am always eating lotuses; freaky-ass Aristotelean that I am, I don't often respect hard distinctions between politics and art in the good life of a person--and nor can I respect universal impartiality. And honestly, who is more partial than the impartial saint? Lauding one small part of their life over everything else: justice reigning like a tyrant in themselves.
Hey Sam, I’m reading this on the couch with my new foster cat, Gulf. I think often when British people try to write with concern for American politics, it comes off as a little high-horsey. I’ve never had this issue with your writing. I really appreciate how deeply empathetic and considerate your views and articulations of them always are; even when the words are scathing, that genuine concern for the well-being of other people radiates through. I’ve missed reading your work and I’m excited to read more. It’s always so good to hear from you.
Hi Cara - and Gulf! We British can't help our high-horse. It's really all we have. I'm very happy to hear from you too and I hope you're keeping well.
For sure. To bring up MacIntyre and reiterate your point, it's worse than a degeneration of political and moral discourse into bald power assertions and counter-assertions, sentiments and counter-sentiments, it's a lack of understanding of the point of it. There is an attenuation of aesthetic and moral judgement, because we have forgotten we have to be the judges--not just propel an inherited heuristic. Nasty little Nietzschean that I am, I am always eating lotuses; freaky-ass Aristotelean that I am, I don't often respect hard distinctions between politics and art in the good life of a person--and nor can I respect universal impartiality. And honestly, who is more partial than the impartial saint? Lauding one small part of their life over everything else: justice reigning like a tyrant in themselves.
Muah,
--Nicholas