Archive for February 7th, 2005
Keen Insight from the Belmont Club
At the end of a good post about the Cole-Goldberg kerfuffle is this unalloyed pearl of wisdom from Wretchard of the Belmont Club:
In truth, the ground for civilized debate has been shrinking progressively from September 11. The sharp animosity that has sprung up between the Left and Conservatives may be a kind of emergent behavior arising from the wide-ranging changes that have taken place since that fateful day. One could hardly expect that the end of the Cold War, the decline of Europe, the ascendancy of India and China, the collapse of the UN and the advent of terrorism would leave political relations between Left and Right unchanged.
But it was the declining vigor of Marxist thought coupled with new conservative ideas that poured the most fuel on the flames. Discourse between Left and Right could only remain civil for so long as Conservatives remained meek or had no counter-pulpit.
The weakening of the traditional media and the stresses caused by war have created a kind of ‘play’ in the system which now allow unchained weights to crash about. In that sense, there is nothing surprising about Juan Cole calling Jonah Goldberg names. One gets the feeling he has been calling people names all his professional life; and I think Mr. Goldberg can handle it.
What has changed is that, with the decline of the MSM, there is nothing which prevents incivility from becoming a two-way street. And I’m not sure either the Left or the total system can contain the stress.
I’m sure about the Left, but hopeful for the system.
Diplomad Filing Last Dispatch
Feeling mission accomplished and the press of other duties, the Diplomad is shutting down his blog consulate at Foggy Bottom. This star that briefly lit the blogging firmament will be sorely missed. For those who’ve had the pleasure of reading Diplomad’s keen insights or for those who never did, the archives will be available for a while. Stroll over and check them out.
Nothing like going out on a high note.
Latest Carnival of the Cats …
… is up at Running Scared.
Remington makes an appearance so Daphne is not the only Birman this week. But I don’t plan on telling her that.
MartiniPundit 