I agree with Cohen that times of upheaval and shattering change (e.g., globalization, downsized Western growth and benefits, and lack of higher education in the workforce) inevitably lead to the sort of unrest demonstrated by thuggish "droogs" in London (like Alex from Clockwork).

When "austerity" in social welfare accompanies record-breaking corporate profits and 15% taxes on the incomes of the super-rich, do Average Joes have a reason to complain? When the ship begins listing, it makes sense to balance the load and start bailing, not give the few remaining lifeboats to the wealthy and let the whole mess sink into oblivion.

We'll muddle through this to the next period of reckless growth until the concomitant next bubble pops. And on and on we'll flow, tides creeping up our shores. At some point, technological breakthroughs may reduce the cost of living, but for now we better learn to swim.

jrodmc wrote:

martin wrote:

jrodmc wrote:

A feeling has grown in Western societies that uncontrollable forces are at work shrinking possibility.

1) There's nothing trancendent to rail against anymore. God's all but dead in the EU, so who are they going to blame all this violent, virulent angst on now? Allah? Mother Nature? The Flying Hedge Fund Monster?
2) Communism fell, Socialism is falling, and now Capitalism is next to go. We're running out of -isms. Twitter-driven Anarchism looks like it's next on the menu.
3) We're supposed to look to Germany as the model for saving the world? So the model for salvation will be having everyone make more clocks, MRI machines and BMW's?

Let them drive Porsches.

This is some scary, scary sheehit.

that's what you took out of the article?

Was there something else? As I'm obviouly missing something, it identifies the riots stemming from the poor youngsters' inability to have a thriving future, due to the evil billionaire monsters at the top of the food chain. And don't get me wrong, I hate hedge fund managers and disconnected Western politicos as much as the next proletarian, but the article sounds like pseudo-Marxian drivel for the most part, with a little clever M.Night Shaylaman-twisted-ending thrown in for good reading.

What did you take out of the article?

adding phrases like "pseudo-Marxian drivel" and "clever M.Night Shaylaman-twisted-ending thrown in for good reading" doesn't add 1 once of thought process, you understand that right? may sound impressive if a high schooler added that to a paper that had about zero substance, but that's it.

I guess if you want to equate Germany's economic and educational solutions as detailed by the author to "having everyone make more clocks, MRI machines and BMW's" you aren't really even trying.

martin wrote:

jrodmc wrote:

martin wrote:

jrodmc wrote:

A feeling has grown in Western societies that uncontrollable forces are at work shrinking possibility.

1) There's nothing trancendent to rail against anymore. God's all but dead in the EU, so who are they going to blame all this violent, virulent angst on now? Allah? Mother Nature? The Flying Hedge Fund Monster?
2) Communism fell, Socialism is falling, and now Capitalism is next to go. We're running out of -isms. Twitter-driven Anarchism looks like it's next on the menu.
3) We're supposed to look to Germany as the model for saving the world? So the model for salvation will be having everyone make more clocks, MRI machines and BMW's?

Let them drive Porsches.

This is some scary, scary sheehit.

that's what you took out of the article?

Was there something else? As I'm obviouly missing something, it identifies the riots stemming from the poor youngsters' inability to have a thriving future, due to the evil billionaire monsters at the top of the food chain. And don't get me wrong, I hate hedge fund managers and disconnected Western politicos as much as the next proletarian, but the article sounds like pseudo-Marxian drivel for the most part, with a little clever M.Night Shaylaman-twisted-ending thrown in for good reading.

What did you take out of the article?

adding phrases like "pseudo-Marxian drivel" and "clever M.Night Shaylaman-twisted-ending thrown in for good reading" doesn't add 1 once of thought process, you understand that right? may sound impressive if a high schooler added that to a paper that had about zero substance, but that's it.

I guess if you want to equate Germany's economic and educational solutions as detailed by the author to "having everyone make more clocks, MRI machines and BMW's" you aren't really even trying.

You forgot to mock my use of "proletarian" and "disconnected Western politicos".

Begging your pardon martin, but do you read much Friedman? Does it really take much thought process to derive "pseudo-Marxian drivel" out of

The gap between rich and poor has become a gulf.

It (Germany) has invested in a highly educated work force. It has matched workers’ skills to jobs. It has fostered cooperation between labor unions and employers and between industrialists and the government in defense of German jobs.

Past cataclysm has contributed to Germany’s ability to see past ego to the common good needed for stability.

Thanks for your critique of my high school writing skills, but I graduated cum laude with a degree in political science. What's your background?

Are you saying the NY Times isn't largely an outlet for frustrated leftist wingnuts? If you can't see that the piece is not much more than a subtle attempt to stare longingly at the classless nirvana, then maybe you need to read it over again.

By the way, I don't see much in the way of deep, thoughtful analysis in your response. Maybe you could try a little harder.

martin wrote:what I'm getting is you remembered your political science thesaurus and can throw around some neat sounding words.

here's the thing jrodmc, I just put out the article and said I kind of agreed with it. You are the one trying to make an argument, so instead of throwing around a bunch of phrases you remembered from your school days, make one and put some meat behind it.

right now all you are doing is trying to emulate the loudest talker in the room whose one move is to call names.

*** Sound of me clapping ***

Well put, Martin. No offense, Jrodmc, just sayin he's got yo numba on this one.

Doozy of the Year Award goes to this quote: "The New York Times is largely an outlet for frustrated leftist wingnuts..."

Rupert would be proud of you, son. But most educated readers would think you're a dingbat for spouting that drivel.

jrodmc wrote:

Moonangie wrote:Doozy of the Year Award goes to this quote: "The New York Times is largely an outlet for frustrated leftist wingnuts..."
Rupert would be proud of you, son. .

Thanks, Moon, I was actually on Rupert's payroll at DJ for a year or so. He's managed to turn the WSJ into the NY Post, in case you haven't noticed, so I'm not so sure why he'd have any pride in my trite drivel.

Moonangie wrote:But most educated readers would think you're a dingbat for spouting that drivel

Read: readers who agree with NYT political worldview. C'mon Moon, you need better than a no true Scotman's argument if you want to play with us highschoolers.

Touché. However...

Cohen is an Op-Ed columnist, not an editor. His opinions and perspective represent his world view, not Sulzberger's (who is my M-In-L's next door neighbor when not in the City). Knee-jerk rejection of tout ce NYT paints you as a right wing nut (and Murdoch acolyte), whereas readers of the Times come from all colors and stripes.

I'm not saying the editorial board of the Times doesn't have a progressive tilt. It does, and well it should (imho). But that has little bearing on the opinions of its highly skilled writing staff, including Cohen and the other "leftist wingnuts" of his ilk.

You have a certain craftiness in the style of your writing, even if its content demonstrates the sort of obnoxious volume and triteness that Martin (and many of us) clearly abhor. Still, I gotta admit, I like your contributions here (re: NYK) and enjoy reading what you have to say. Nothing like a right-wing gadfly to stoke the smoldering coals.

jrodmc wrote:

Moonangie wrote:Knee-jerk rejection of tout ce NYT paints you as a right wing nut (and Murdoch acolyte), whereas readers of the Times come from all colors and stripes.

...I'm impressed by your use of French. Makes you seem so erudite. I'm wondering why martin didn't point that out to you...

Thanks. It was meant as a sarcastic nod to what I presumed to be your opinion of NYT readers (i.e., that we like French culture).