Aristotle’s Politics III 6-8
Aristotle takes up the nature of sovereignty as it is exercised in the different types of constitutions he has sketched out previously.
The Fleming Foundation Cultural Commentary
Wednesday’s Child: Betting on Losers
Chess is the only sport I ever understood, recognized, and followed, because, unlike spectator sports, I thought it a complex yet coherent model of human conflict. It was never clear to me what lesson one could glean from rugby or water polo, for instance, except that perseverance and endurance win over irresolution and apathy. But this is like saying that it is better to be clever, rich, and healthy than stupid, poor, and sick – not much of a lesson there, as most people would probably agree. This week, however, I was watching football – soccer, a spectator sport...
Properties of Blood, Chapter Five: Sweet Revenge, Part B
This Simian World Revenge and marriage, as institutionalized means of expressing love and hate, have much in common: Both are found in a variety of forms, but the forms and tendencies that converge in societies around the globe encourage us to think of them as generically human phenomena. That is because they are, both of them, based on natural necessities and passions that have probably been instilled into the human species throughout the long course of evolution. A mouse will fight against an attacker, whether the enemy is a rival mouse or a cat, and I have been charged by...
A Chump for Trump: The Circular Reasoning of NeverTrump
During the Republican primary, I generally refrained from using the electability argument. Electability is important, but the arguments often seemed to me counterproductive and almost always conveniently supported the candidate of choice of the person making it. John Kasich is the “only one” who can beat Hillary because he is a moderate and will appeal to centrists. Cruz is too conservative. Or Cruz is the “only one” who can beat Hillary because he will fire up the base and bring them to the polls. Kasich will inspire apathy in voters as Romney did. First of all, if someone is going...
Aristotle, Politics III.3-5
Aristotle is no egalitarian, and he does not think that poor men who work with their hands (banausoi) and thus cannot participate in political life are fully citizens.
Poems of the Week: Friends
Here are two quite different English poems written by two great classically trained poets, Ben Jonson and A.E. Housman.
Wednesday’s Child (on Tuesday): Albion Shrugged
It was like something out of Plutarch. Nature and history commingled in the chronicle of an epochal event, as torrential rains over London and much of the southwest of England began in the early hours of last Thursday. I had seen it start here in Sicily the night before, a downpour so severe we kept losing power, and I waved to the thunderstorm in benediction as it rumbled off to the north, northward and westward, Albionward. Bad weather is always good for our side when there is a close contest, because as a rule those in the right own umbrellas...
Properties of Blood, Chapter 5: Sweet Revenge
NOTE: I had decided to omit the following two chapters on individual violence– as well as a later chapter on blood feuds etc.–from this volume and to put them in a separate book. As I worked on the later chapters, it became apparent to me that my initial outline was better. Sweet Revenge With base deceit you worked upon our feelings. Revenge is sweet, and flavors all our dealings.” Revenge is sweet, whether anyone likes to admit it. But even a hundred years ago, when people were more candid about the reality of aggression, audiences at productions of Gilbert and Sullivan’s...
Monday after Brexit: No one planned for this
It is the beginning of another work week in London, and all seems quite normal in the shops and on the high streets (though you might see some pictures like this one), despite the fact that a historic vote happened just a few days before. What has become clear as the dust has settled is that no one planned for this outcome. Remain had no Plan B in place, and shockingly, Leave had no Plan A. The only thing that is clear this Monday after is that it is a very long way to Tipperary. David Cameron A visibly emotional PM who...
The Day the Improbable Happened
In 2014 I was in Glasgow for the Scottish referendum. I had spent the day before the referendum out and about in Glasgow and the “Yes” for independence vote was out in force, and as such I got a very different impression about which way the vote might go based solely on what I saw “on the ground.” The same thing happened last night. As I observed Londoners yesterday 8 out of every 10 stickers I saw people wearing were “In,” and I told more than one friend before I went to bed that I thought the Remain camp had just...
