Arnold Kling on the Evolving State of US Politics
I loved Kling's book on the three languages of politics. While I find this a bit depressing, I mostly agree
I think that I would have preferred that the elite stay “on top” as long as they acquired a higher regard for markets and lower regard for technocratic policies. What has been transpired is closer to the opposite. There was a seemingly successful revolt against the elite (although the elite is fighting back pretty hard), and meanwhile the elite has doubled down on its contempt for markets and its faith in technocracy.
I am disturbed about the news from college campuses. A view that capitalism is better than socialism, which I think belongs in the mainstream, seems to be on the fringe. Meanwhile, the intense, deranged focus on race and gender, which I think belongs on the fringe, seems to be mainstream.
The media environment is awful. Outrage is what sells. Moderation has fallen by the wayside.
herdgadfly:
I am unsure how you can "mostly agree" with Arnold Kling , when his use of the English language is unclear. From nowhere comes this comment:
" A view that capitalism is better than socialism, which I think belongs in the mainstream, seems to be on the fringe."
So capitalism should be mainstream or maybe he meant socialism? His dead starts and incomplete thoughts leave me puzzled. How could you read an author who writes like this?
May 22, 2017, 1:53 pmcraftman:
Put 'capitalism is better than socialism' in quotes. That is the view that belongs in the mainstream. I didn't get confused reading it.
May 22, 2017, 8:27 pmMJ:
It wasn't his most articulate phrasing, but I had no trouble understanding the meaning. The context is there.
May 23, 2017, 10:12 pm