#744 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Wednesday September 6)
Good morning,
BOOKS TO HELP EXPLAIN THE CRAZINESS
There are a number of articles and books over the past couple of years seek to explain different aspects of the modern world. Here are a few:
The Signal and the Noise: Why Most Predictions Fail—But Some Don’t, by Nate Silver (the noted creator of the political polling and prediction website, Five Thirty Eight). Probability and statistics in the real world. The metaphor is how to identify the “signal” (the important message) from the “noise” (all the other blather that offers data but little information.
Bowling Alone: the Collapse and Revival of American Community, by Robert D. Putnam. One of the most insightful books of this century. The metaphor is that Americans in the 50s and 60s belonged to organized social institutions, like bowling leagues—like churches—institutions that brought people of various backgrounds and socio-economic positions together socially. In those days, people were joiners of philanthropic community organizations—the Lions, the Elks, the Rotary, in greater number than today. They seemed happier and seemed more able to interact with others of different politics and opinions. Today, we “bowl alone,” with our iPhones and laptops, with social media in place of social interaction. The hopeful rejoinder is from the title when this first was published in 2000. The basic premise seems obvious today—we are separated from each other and do not do enough as a community. The realist in me worries that there is not much to warrant hope that the political isolation and decline of social capital will turn around any time soon.
The Coddling of the American Mind, by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff. The seminal book about the absurdity of trigger warnings, safe spaces and trying to protect students from new and different ideas. How much protection is warranted in a university setting, after all? One must sometimes trade off safety for learning and wisdom.
“Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid,” by Jonathan Haidt. Not actually book, but a long essay from The Atlantic. This is the best summary of how social media, hyper-partisanship, and intellectual laziness are destroying our body politic and society. The “share” and “like” buttons on Facebook arguably are the most insidious and soul-destroying innovations of the past 10 years.
On Tyranny; Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, by Timothy Snyder. This very short book begins with the epigram: “In politics, being deceived is no excuse.” (Leszek Kolakowsksi). In twenty short chapters of but a few pages each, the acclaimed Yale history professor sets out warning signs and suggestions for avoiding the onset of tyranny, a growing concern here and abroad. The lessons of history seem obvious but the examples of behaviors that lead to tyranny, and how they echo in the present day, are chilling. Also, the book includes the best summary of what it means to be a patriot—and what not—comparing it to nationalism, which is another thing entirely (and decidedly not patriotic). “A nationalist encourages us to be our worst; and then tells us that we are the best.”
If you want a real treat (don’t laugh at this one), tune in to Professor Snyder on YouTube for a 20+ episode lecture class on the history of Ukraine. While centered on Ukraine, it’s more than that. It’s a meditation on what history is about and the lessons it provides, a break-down of the Putin rhetoric and how it flies in the face of reality, and an in-depth look at Eastern Europe and a history we often don’t study. It enables me to return from a long walk smarter than when I left! Thanks to Ken Stovitz for finding this.
Have a great day,
Glenn
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