Brain-dead Liberalism 101

Highly recommended (and now widely read) is David Mamet’s Village Voice piece “Why I am no longer a “Brain-Dead” Liberal.”  This much reviled piece (by the liberal establishment) written back in March of 2008 is a must read, thoughtful and wholly non-partisan (at least as far as our current pathetic 2 party political system is concerned).  He takes a run at the world view of liberalism and conservatism thru a theatrical lens of his (then current) play “November”;

“The play, while being a laugh a minute, is, when it's at home, a disputation between reason and faith, or perhaps between the conservative (or tragic) view and the liberal (or perfectionist) view. The conservative president in the piece holds that people are each out to make a living, and the best way for government to facilitate that is to stay out of the way, as the inevitable abuses and failures of this system (free-market economics) are less than those of government intervention.”

The article reminded me how daunting it is to challenge your own assumptions, especially in these days of instant 24 hour digital news.  It has become all too easy to make sure that your assumptions are never challenged by any alternative views, liberal or conservative.  The Fox News audience makes sure it is fed on a steady diet of “conservative” thinking as the CNBC viewers do the same with it brand of “liberal” swill.

The other issue that Mamet brought to my mind is how ingrained liberal thinking is to those of us “Born in the 50’s” (to quote the song by The Police).  Mamet made me remember a very fine literature teacher I had sitting with me one day “proving” that liberal thought and worldview was inherently more “moral and ethical” then the conservative view.  Thus these ideas become intellectual assumptions that are tough to overcome. 

While we are on the subject of “brain-dead” liberalism was Janeane Garofalo on Bill Mayer’s HBO show the other night who stated that among other things that she did not understand why Representative Anthony Weiner was “being thrown under the bus” as he had not “broken any laws” (this remains to be seen) and that his actions had not “impacted anyone’s life negatively.”  I was struck by this incredibly shallow and vapid ethical view.   This arrogant, lying, unfaithful little worm is only to be judged unfit for a leadership position in the country if he has “broken the law” or “impacted anyone’s life negatively.”  God help us if this is how otherwise intelligent (Ms. Garofalo has always struck me as bright and engaged) Citizens understand ethical leadership in this country.