Those darn Neo-cons

[andrewducker]

Interesting article on the cognitive dissonance currently gripping the Washington Neoconservatives who thought that the US would be welcomed with open arms.

It's rapidly becoming apparent to me that the Neo-cons have a fairly good grasp of how the majority of people behave in a 'civilised', rich, comfortable society where the majority of people have enough money to survive and capitalism is an accepted way of life. When these things aren't true and the cultural norms aren't "Modern-Western" they are completely flummoxed. Which is a great shame because these people are apparently running the world's largest army.

Comments

[dragonscholar.livejournal.com]

That's a very interesting way to put it.

In the end, they're like the so-called Ivory Tower intellctuals. I think of the as Ivory Tower Think-Tankers.

heh

[josephgrossberg.livejournal.com]

I like your analogy, but think it's a bit premature to declare neoconservatism debunked. I mean we've had what, two and a half years of the Bush?

Furthermore, the administration is just neocon-influenced. Colin Powell certainly isn't one.

And a huge increase in deficit spending and tarriffs on aluminum et al. doesn't exactly mesh with the libertarian economic philosophy often associated with them.

But hey, we have a century of proof to the contrary, and some nuts still insist socialism is the ideal we should aspire to.

Re: heh

[andrewducker]

I have no time at all for pure socialism, but pure libertarianism doesn't work for me either. I'm a solid liberal interventionist type myself. As low a level of intervention as possible, but some anyway.

[heron61.livejournal.com]

I agree, except that I would amend your statement to say "It's rapidly becoming apparent to me that the Neo-cons have a fairly good grasp of how the majority of (upper and upper-middle class) people behave in a 'civilised', rich, comfortable society where the majority of people have enough money to survive and capitalism is an accepted way of life." They aren't very good at understanding anyone who isn't quite well off, or perhaps they simply don't care.

I consider neo-cons a far greater threat to freedom, peace, and humane government than even the most reactionary religious fundamentalists - in large part because they aren't nutcases (like most of the extreme fundys), they are fanatics who view ideology as far more important than human lives.