George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!

Subject: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: Peter T.
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 05:22 PM

And here we thought George W. was a lightweight featherbrain. Instead, his inaugural address is easily the most deeply philosophical address since at least Lincoln's 2nd inaugural, if not Jefferson's. Contrary to Fichte's belief that the political state is conceived of simply in terms of the protection of persons -- a Republican tenet of long standing -- George W. now proclaim, articulates, and subscribes to the Rechtsphilosophie of the Burgerliche Gesellschaft, i.e. that civil society is more than simply homo economicus. No -- drawing on de Tocqueville and Rousseau, he proclaims the complementarity of the Citizen in Community!!!! What next? Seminars on the dialectic? Feuerbach? MARX!!!!? Stay tuned......

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: Bill D
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 05:59 PM

ahhh...no doubt he was influenced by being whacked on the butt by a volume of Kierkegard, or forced to recite Spengler & Rousseau for his breakfast!

Come to think of it, his speech and coherence remind me a lot of Kierkegard

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 06:43 PM

Every performer knows that, if people think you are going to be total crap, so long as you can make them listen to you, you can get away with a mediocre performance, and a lot of them will say it was great. On the other hand, if they expect you to be great, you'd better be pretty good, or you'll be terrible...

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: GUEST,LEJ
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 06:54 PM

The only Marx he's going to come up with is witticisms from Chico, because Groucho's complexity has thus far baffled him.

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 07:00 PM

Nihilsm, Existensialim, seem like that's our Shrub......I tried so hard not to know what he had to say today, and then you go and post it here.........Strangulation, simple strangulation..........(*BG*)

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 08:33 PM

A thing in and of itself may or may not be perceived to be a thing and possess an element of thingness whether or not the thing is real or imagined, although the qualities of thingness do not vary regardless of the perception of that one particular thing and its relationship to other things without regard to their individual qualities or state of being.

I ask you....Soren or the Shrub? .............Its gonna' be a long 4 years...................

Spaw

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: Troll
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 10:57 PM

I dunno which is worse, Bush's seeming devotion to Kirkegaard (Soren) or Clintons devotion to Hefner (Hugh).

troll

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: Bill D
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 11:23 PM

"If a man were to signify, which he were not, if he had the power, which being denied him, he were to endeavor anyhow--merely because he don't...would you?"

a quote from an editor of a Kierkegard edition...who says it reminds him of Sorens prose

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 20 Jan 01 - 11:39 PM

Is there any philo more fun to make fun of then SK?

Spaw

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 12:05 AM

maybe Descartes..."I think therefore I am, I think"
"I think I think, therefore I think I am"

"Hey, Rene', want a beer?"

"I think not.."..*poof*

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 12:25 AM

I am going to start a new line of jewelry, based on the WWJD (what would Jesus do), only these are going to be WWCD....What Would Clinton Do...something to contemplate over the next, loooonnngggg four years.

The Shrub is a figment of his own midguided peceptions of a reality based in the other realms of the surrealistic, minimalist mooovement of a 20-stomached cow of Tex-ass (NOI) sized proportions; let's hope that keeps him perched on the porcelain pot for the whole four years.

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: John Hindsill
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 12:28 AM

Have I just read a coffee klatch of folks who are showing off what they think they're learning in Philosophy I? Instead of smirky deconstruction or parsing of his speech, why not give Bush a chance to do his work?! Come back to this in, say, six months.---John

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 12:34 AM

No Philo 101 for this high school dropout! LOL!!

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 12:35 AM

I'm sure we will John. Here or elsewhere, there'll be conversations about George I'm sure. And yeah, we are a sorry lot and at least two of us are so friggin' stupid to actually have degrees in Philosophy. If you have one, the fine folks at McDonald's will give you a large coffee for only $1.19...................

Spaw

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: Ebbie
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 01:32 AM

What did the man say? I didn't hear it- it's painful to listen to him. He's one man I wish would let someone else write his speeches- and speak them for him.

It occurs to me that usually when a powerful cabal is behind a figurehead, they choose the figurehead because s/he is articulate and charismatic.

Eb

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: Ebbie
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 01:56 AM

OK, now I've read the text of his speech. Yup, he wrote it.

Except for about 3 or 4 paragraphs in the middle- someone else wrote those.

Wouldn't you just hate to be his speechwriter?

Ebbie

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: Peter T.
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 08:48 AM

I suspect that his speech was written by the Catholic philosopher who has been influencing the "compassionate conservative" movement (I can't remember his name). It is in fact a very, very sophisticated speech, but -- as my original posting suggested -- I can't imagine George W. realises all the implications of the language he is borrowing. But then Marie Antoinette made a special visit to the gravesite of JEan Jacques Rousseau.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 10:44 AM

"why not give Bush a chance to do his work?"

Do you really think he's being inhibited from doing that by this thread? I think you overestimate out influence john!

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: Gervase
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 11:05 AM

From what I heard on the BBC, it would seem that Dubbya is a man of deep contradictions. I mean, here's a guy who has said he wants to make the war on drugs a priority of his presidency, and he delivers a speech quite clearly written under the influence of some serious skunk.
And those boots!

Subject: RE: George W.: Rousseauist Hegelian!!
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 12:32 PM

I think therefore I am -I'm pink therefore I'm SPAM.