Great article.

Yep, it largely ignores social class and the economic base as an influence on events, and yes, social liberalism (which commonly does this itself) all too easily morphs into a progressive-neoliberalism.

https://www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/progressive-neoliberalism-reactionary-populism-nancy-fraser

An interesting read and an area I’ver covered in research myself. You might like to get a hold of Steve Hall’s ‘Rise of The Right’ which adds a further, economic dimension to the ‘culture wars’ that is generally ignored in public discourse.

For instance, it would explain why the US Rust Belt which voted for Obama overwhelmingly four years ago voted for Trump overwhelmingly in 2016. and I’m sure is an argument you’re familiar with.

Stevie you and I have been on a similar path, I also found myself here and took it as a lighthouse from which to navigate into the unknown waters outside of the narratives of my prior complacency and credulity.
My ire is not with my friends and loved ones andf their freinds and loved ones who are not claiming political leadership roles. My anger actually is focused on those offering themselves as knowledgeable ´´Thought Leaders´´, in that most awful neo liberal term.
The green party is littered with dogmatic Green Fascists, and fascists they are.
The present Green leadership is naive and cynical rolled up in a ball of sacarine righteousness its not a good look and voters will be repelled, guaranteed.
My latest mumblings on the phenomenon of no evidence required where Trump or Brexit bashing is demanded!
Sorry mate another Link, I always read yours by the way texture is what creates the light and shade of real experience.

http://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2017/01/red-lines-settled-science-end-of.html
I was unfriended by a long standing acquaintance following this exchange on Facebook. Other friends have also been nervous allowing my views to remain public on their public profiles, its a climate of fear I really worry about.

http://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2017/01/would-radicals-switch-on-brains-and.html

I am keeping out of it & only added one link to a friends post on Allbright’s statement that she would register as a Muslim. The graphic showed the old gargoyle, with a large headline of ‘ SOLIDARITY ‘. My response was in the form of that short video containing her statement that 500,000 Iraqi children was a price worth paying for war.

I have had to catch myself though, in terms of a tendency for me to look down with condescension on all of this – after all, I only know what I know because I sought answers after losing my once much more comfortable existence. When I chanced on this place, in comparison to my then understanding of the world, it felt like an alternative universe in which I stumbled about for a long time, gradually building for myself a negotiable path from the accumulated knowledge, which was so graciously given.

But for circumstance, I would probably be not much different than most other people, as I was through cynicism basically apolitical & in this world which now seems to be spinning, never mind turning upside down – I would most probably would now only have the official narrative to cling to in a time of crisis, or at least a much lesser understanding of what is actually happening.

Education is obviously important in all of this, which the elites are obviously fully cognisant of. The media & our own schooling play a large part in the largely accepted narrative, which gives a much simplified version of good & evil & is easy to twist in order to produce the correct monsters, whether they be men or countries. It’s kind of ironic that Neoliberalism very probably created one in Putin & now has done the same in it’s own backyard.

Going back to the Zeroanthropology site which contains a lot of interesting articles, there is one in particular which i think is worth a read. as it refers to the 1994 WTO agreement with the EU, which lays out the plan to privatise education throughout the bloc, I have little experience of this world & it is perhaps people like Philip Duval who would be qualified to comment on it ( assuming that he is not already aware of it ) – Anyhow, I will gradually work my way through your links roger, & again, thank you for them.

Culture attack ?

” On the eve of the founding of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the European Union and its member states signed an undertaking in 1994, with other states soon to be members of the WTO, that would “guarantee free market access and equal treatment for most domestic and non-domestic providers in most areas of education” (Scherrer, 2005, p. 167). What was at stake was the deregulation and privatization of education, as Scherrer points out. English-language education providers would be permitted to deliver their services across borders, especially in the area of “virtual universities”. Education was thus reduced to a tradable commodity. Facilitating the trade in this commodity, the Bologna process sought to create a common European education market, which also entailed standardization ” (Scherrer, 2005, p. 167).

https://zeroanthropology.net/2016/10/20/neoliberalism-brexit-and-higher-education/

The identity politics safe space and lolipops vibe is frankly pathetic and I suspect the Joint Leaders are running headlong into a scapegoated oblivion.

Linking Trump to National Holocaust Day trivialises the Shoa. Quite honestly the level of hysteria on Trump and Article 50 and the tenuous links to anything considered remotely discredible with the flimsiest of excuses is it seems OK as long as the Target is Trump. It is absurd and the GP should not allow itself to become part of the Theatre of the Absurd, sadly the leadership seems to be leading the charge.
2020 will be very bad for the GP electorally and the level of Brexit hysteria will impact at local election level as well, the ´Progressive´labe is coming to denote a particularly shallow heart on sleeve sloganeering sort of wishywashy liberal politics. The Green Party should be Radical, Progressive is a neo liberal green wash I think what is needed is Radical Alliances and solidarity with Radical groups in sociuety, Progressive as a word, meme and movement denotes Inauthenticity and Caroline and Johnathan sadly are leading a Green Party Charge into the inauthentic niceey niceiness of chattering class nothingness.

Kat Boettge
Yesterday at 9:58am · Nottingham, United Kingdom ·
Today is Holocaust Memorial Day. This is an important day for us all to remember the unspeakable terrifying genocide by a maniac and his followers. My thoughts go to all the victims, the Jews, the disabled, travellers, political opponents, homosexuals and all war victims.
This is, however, also a time to reflect on current affairs where we must stand up against fascism, the far right, marginalising minorities and any political movement that could lead to dangerous territories. And furthermore we must also think of all the people today who are being persecuted for belonging to ethnic or otherwise minorities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I5tqSiqyAI

George Galloway on Why He Still Backs Brexit
telesurtv.net
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/opinion/George-Galloway-on-Why-He-Still-Backs-Brexit-20170127-0024.html?fb_action_ids=1293274070739898&fb_action_types=og.comments The Trump tantrums are the same thing as the Brexit Hysterics. Its emo political incontenence and must stop!

They really are a bunch of hysterics, its the climate change priest who are the worse but I have to say, the amount of wishful thinking I am encountering ion the face of easily checked fact over-reach, ( Fake News) is quite staggering.

http://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2017/01/climate-debate-know-your-co2-pseudo.html

http://letthemconfectsweeterlies.blogspot.se/2017/01/would-radicals-switch-on-brains-and.html

It is a badge of honour in this climate to be considered one of Hilary Clintons deplorable.
Caroline Lucas seems set fair to become Soros´s UK Gill Stien with the recount scamon Trump with Calling for a second referendum of terms of Brexit. The electorate will neirther forget or forgive.

It is strange how separate exterior things can as if by chance it seems, combine to form a thread. Which then further inform that other strand that is expanding inside your head,

The second link adds I think poignancy to the first by powerfully illustrating the direct human cost, which is the story of the many who to all intents & purposes, are informed by those who consider themselves as the elect, that their lives are worthless & it is their stupidity which has threatened their superiors comfortable existence…….no fault of their own of course,,,,,,hubris squared ?

As for the Green party, ( & I don’t like saying this )….I watched a GP video & the major impression it left on we was that in content & presentation, I had just watched a segment from something like one of those happy couple morning TV programs – perhaps they are right to go that way, as it will get more votes & I am just a stuffy old fella, who is way behind the times.

Brilliant Steve, I am appalled at the level of discourse in the green Party on Social media on these issues also this article you posted also chimes . The bile directed at trump is truly spewed without any care to fact checking or authenticity.
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2017/01/james-f-on-hatred-in-our-divided-nation-anger-at-flyover-country.html

” US anthropologists’ attachment to Obama and Clinton, seemingly regardless of the impact of their actual record of heightened inequality and increased war, followed the same lines of official class-concealment. One engaged in romantic praise of “the coalition of the diverse,” implying beauty and higher value attached to the “racially mixed” rather than those dreadful white workers (and predicted a victory for Clinton). Another US anthropologist, at the University of Chicago, produced a long, exoticist screed extolling the virtues of a browning society, preferring imported peoples over the natives, and in effect declaring the majority of the working class to be inconsequential, contemptible, and replaceable. That the article appeared in a publication funded mostly by George Soros’ Open Society Institute, should come as no surprise “.

https://zeroanthropology.net/2017/01/18/the-dying-days-of-liberalism/

If there ever were an example of how fragile yet important culture is, then it is China.

The Cultural Revolution from 1966 – 76 attempted to destroy Chinese culture, and in great parts succeeded. 40 years later Mainlanders still suffer a cognitive dissonance in regard to this experience.

Love of Mao was their enforced religion for 25 years and while not completely replacing Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist beliefs, the traditional beliefs have not yet made a total comeback. Compared to Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong, and even some western China Towns, traditional culture in the mainland is weaker.

People born in the early 70’s remember crying when they heard the news of Mao’s death in 1976, as on his death wide-scale sorrow and loss were common; so successful a cultural campaign he led.

This in my opinion is what makes the Chinese susceptible to nationalism; people cling to national pride and expansion as a replacement for identification with cultural and intellectual traditions.

British culture is also under attack. My parents were taught that the pink part of the map was British and to be proud, our generation learned nearly nothing of this time, instead focusing on early modern and then jumping to 20th century history.

Our religion is in decline; leaving the British identity being very confused. I’d say this leaves us open to being manipulated by a Mao like figure, as we all tend to look to cling to something greater than ourselves. Reinventing British culture is the challenge.

I think we first need to forgive ourselves about imperialism; teach our children the glory, innovation and crimes of our past. We should be proud of our secularism; reject dogma and encourage Humanism to become part of the CofE.

This would be my starter for ten in the cultural wars now being waged.