Michiko Kakutani - The Death of Truth-(Book Review)

The theme of this book---the death of truth, expertise, and accepting objective knowledge--- is much discussed these days.   What is unique about this discussion is that it is written by a book reviewer who can make reference to a broad selection of her reading.

The ideal subject of totalitarianism are people who cannot distinguish between fact and fiction and the distinction between true and false.  P. 11

There is not a direct line between the 1930's and today, but there is a connection between the disregard for facts, the replacement of reason by emotion, and the corrosion of language.  P. 12

Truth and reason are endangered.  P. 15

Red State America and Blue State America have a hard time agreeing on a basic set of facts.  P. 17

The Rashomon Effect: The point of view that everything depends on your point of view.  P. 18

There is such a thing as objective truth.  Politicians who ignore this fact must be held accountable.  P. 20.

Mr. Lincoln's cold, calculated, unimpassioned reason.  P. 22

Hofstadter's 1963 classic in response to McCarthyism.  P. 24

Ignorance is now fashionable.  P. 35

The 1970's: Lasch's "culture of narcissism" and Wolfe's "me-decade."
Latch saw narcissism as a defensive reaction to social change and instability---looking out for number 1 in a hostile, threatening world.  In his 1979 book, The Culture of Narcissism, he argued that  a cynical "ethic of self-preservation and psychic survival" had come to afflict America---a symptom of a country grappling with defeat in Viet Nam, a growing mood of pessimism, a mass media culture centered on celebrity and fame, and centrifugal forces that were shrinking the role families played in the transmission of culture.
Features of this self-absorbed age: "intense feelings of rage," a "sense of inner emptiness,"  and fantasies of omnipotence.    P. 61-62

Trump's mendacity is so extreme that people make a habit of presenting longs lists of his lies.  He demands allegiance not to the Constitution and the rule of but to himself.  P. 94.

Lies to assert power over truth.  P. 96

History is continually rewritten just as in 1984.  P. 97

A cavalier disregard for facts, accuracy, details, and precision.  P. 100

From Umberto Eco.  An appeal to nationalism.  A rejection of science and rational discourse.  An invocation of tradition and the past.  A proclivity of equating disagreement with treason.  P. 102

Like GWB Trump strictly plays to his base.  P. 108

In 2016 HRC wrote off the white working class vote?  P. 109

Hannah Arendt on gas lighting in Nazi Germany: It got to the point that everybody believed nothing and everybody believed everything.  Everything was possible and nothing was true.  P. 140

Gas lighting exhausts the people.  P. 141

Cranking up the fog machine.  P. 143

Nothing is true and everything is possible.  P. 144

Think of the Buchanans in The Great Gatsby.  They were careless people, Tom and Daisy, who smashed things and people and left the mess for other people to clean up as they retreated back into their money.  P. 155

The truth is trashed in a sea of irrelevance.  P. 166

Washington's warnings in his farewell address.  P. 169-170

Talking to Everybody

I talk to everybody because I find people interesting. Can't help it. I like to ask people, "What's your story?" The nice lady drawing my blood at the doctor's office this morning is a former firefighter. She likes to be out amongst farm animals but now happily works in a small room at Heart South in Alabaster. She was once chased by a billy goat in a domestic violence case. She pulled her piece in her pickup and was ready to shoot the bully. In 10 minutes I feel like I know this woman. What's her story? I heard at least part of it this morning.

From the Pelham Bunker

PELHAM--Speaking this morning from the Democratic bunker in Pelham, Alabama, I say good morning to my fellow political outliers. The runoff election is over in Alabama and having told Republican robocallers repeatably what to kiss in my anatomy I am keeping an eye on the streets. POTUS/Republican bashing continues. Trump cultists surround me. No blank white panel trucks have driven by yet. No unknown callers hanging up. Not sure if I can trust open dining at Jacks in Alabaster until the napalm clears. I refuse to wear a disguise. False eyelashes and mustache make me look obviously incognito. Will have to be careful to make sure I am not being followed when I leave the house. Wish me luck. Russian agents are not the most sociable of people.

Putin and Trump Meet in Helsinki

Putin is a white racist pushing a politics rooted in patriarchy, tribe, and fundamentalist religion, the ultimate antiglobalist. No wonder Republicans identify more with him than with American values.

Ventilation

I'd hate to be a Republican voting in the runoff in Alabama tomorrow for I'd be hard pressed to find the least of evils. I've never seen such a bunch of moral reprobates as they come across in their TV commercials. There appears to be no least of evils, only total evil all thru and thru. As to the candidate who has been calling me at least 4 times a day from Talladega for the last week, I don't answer and do not wish to know.  
Which candidate is closest to trump? Which one is best at talking about his/her "faith?" You get the picture.  
At least Roy Moore is not on a ballot. I see where he's threatening to sue someone named Sue Cohen. This is what these reprobates do now: they threaten to sue you. Intimidation 101.
Just had to ventilate here to take my mind off what might be happening in Helsinki.

An Oxymoron

A principled Republican. Is there any better oxymoron for our times?

Scorecard

David Cay Johnston
1 min · 
Twitter
· 
Mueller “witch hunt” by the numbers as of Friday the 13th
1 jail term served
5 guilty pleas
35 suspects indicted
191 total criminal charges