tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067977173951690762.post843900860191358073..comments2023-10-05T08:44:09.303-07:00Comments on JG, Caesarea: Paul Krugman, "Send in the Clueless": And What Will Happen Then?Jeffrey Grossmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01847518948270295312noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067977173951690762.post-56866729335144716912011-12-05T10:26:39.257-08:002011-12-05T10:26:39.257-08:00I didn't have the time to elaborate on Krugman...I didn't have the time to elaborate on Krugman's poor education. Below is an illustration from his recent post: <br />"And yes, the song is definitely Christian music. That’s fine with me; you take beauty where you find it."<br />Everything is wrong about this fragment - pretentiousness, pomposity and arrogance are (I hope) obvious. A more important problem should be also visible to many. The author clearly is not familiar with one of the main (if not the main) themes of at least two thousands years of intellectual (both religious and philosophical) discussion in "the West".<br />I am a trained (well) art historian among several other things, and I don't use the word "beauty" that often, probably because I am so aware of the the problem with the attitude "Die Schoenheit, die Schoenheit ist ueber Alles."<br />No, I am not German, but the so called left of today forces me to use the language of "Ueber Alles." Similarities? Yes. I can elaborate, if asked.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067977173951690762.post-34431550452294716972011-12-05T05:07:19.769-08:002011-12-05T05:07:19.769-08:00Thanks for your comment, anonymous. Although Sande...Thanks for your comment, anonymous. Although Sanders came to the Senate in 2007, and although Russ Feingold was also perhaps "more liberal," Obama was named the "most liberal senator" for that year by the National Journal (http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/).<br /><br />I agree: Krugman is arrogant and repulsive.<br /><br />JeffreyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067977173951690762.post-19690754999874691202011-12-05T02:56:05.097-08:002011-12-05T02:56:05.097-08:00"Deemed the most "liberal" of Ameri..."Deemed the most "liberal" of American senators, Obama needed to lie about his relationship with Wright and disguise his thoughts, e.g., hostility to Israel,"<br /><br />I don't know ... Obama was not the most "liberal." I think Bernie Sanders was already in Senate. There is a general problem with vocabulary and in my view the words "left" and "liberal" are misused. In my opinion, the traditional left doesn't exist in America, or more correctly, there are some leftovers, scattered around the country, totally powerless, bitter and misunderstood. <br />Obama is not the left. Yes, he is a cynical and antisemitic politician willing to sacrifice anyone at any moment.<br />I can't call all these Hollywood billionaires and millionaires, or for that matter all these New York billionaires and millionaires, who interrupt their usual activity (counting money) to bark at Israel and/or promote gays, "the left." <br />The rest of the population is confused, miseducated, brainwashed, and tired. <br />I find Krugman more and more irritating, turning into a political hack, as dishonest and manipulative as hacks are. I find him also poorly educated (or educated in "geeky," limited, narrow way) and his arrogant (I am a genius, I can't be wrong), pushy, all silencing tone repulsive. <br />I wasn't trained as a philosopher or theologian, but I die from sad laughter the moment he goes beyond (quite often) his geeky area. Yes, I am well educated and history (and particularly cultural history) is a significant part of my education.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com