Actually shoveling snow takes only a modicum of skill and even less thought...it becomes more of a by rote exercise so there is time for thinking about other things....
Like the Straussian concept of the Philosopher Kings....
These, of course, are supposed to be the wise men (and presumably women although the whole Straussian concept is devoid of mention of women) who see widsoms that we, the poor, humble, ignorant masses, cannot see and who will cajole, reason, manipulate and lie to us to manufacture consensus (what Lippman called Public Opinion---see previous posts) to do what is "BEST" for us as a society...even though we don't know it.....
Now there's a whole universe of concepts that go with that....strong, central authority figures;...tight control over public information and discourse...deference to capitalism as the well-spring of all...
Actually this isn't new......Straussian Neoconservatism is only a repackaging of things we've known about all along by other names....
Like the Straussian concept of the Philosopher Kings....
These, of course, are supposed to be the wise men (and presumably women although the whole Straussian concept is devoid of mention of women) who see widsoms that we, the poor, humble, ignorant masses, cannot see and who will cajole, reason, manipulate and lie to us to manufacture consensus (what Lippman called Public Opinion---see previous posts) to do what is "BEST" for us as a society...even though we don't know it.....
Now there's a whole universe of concepts that go with that....strong, central authority figures;...tight control over public information and discourse...deference to capitalism as the well-spring of all...
Actually this isn't new......Straussian Neoconservatism is only a repackaging of things we've known about all along by other names....
and soundly rejected
In Europe, these "philosopher kings" were also called DESPOTS....and the best of them were referred to as "enlightened despots" but they were, in the end, still despots who ruled by claim to some "devine right" (see "Divine Right of Kings here)to rule. It seems to me we rejected that concept back in 1776 or so......
Or, as Monty Python put it:
I am your king. Woman: Well I didn't vote for you. King Arthur: You don't vote for kings. Woman: Well how'd you become king then? [Angelic music plays... ] King Arthur: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king. Dennis: [interrupting] Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.
Dennis: Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.
Dennis: Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.
The other term might be Oligarchy, which means, in case you've forgotten:
ol·i·gar·chy Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ol-i-gahr-kee] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -chies.
1.
a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government by the few.
2.a state or organization so ruled.
3.the persons or class so ruling.
–noun, plural -chies.
1.
a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government by the few.
2.a state or organization so ruled.
3.the persons or class so ruling.
This is quite a nefarious ursurptation of our constitution....because we think WE are electing our leaders, but in truth, it's the Oligarcy which is selecting our leaders for us by manipulating "public opinion" to make us think we have but one, solid choice for our leader....their puppet.
I wonder if those red-meat-eating Republican friends of mine actually understand this? I wonder if they're ignorant, or, if maybe they THINK they are part of that ruling oligarchy......
Boy are they in for a surprise.
