Thoughts on reading ‘Strangers in their own land’ by Arlie Russell Hochschild

Neoliberalism and the self-harm faithful People of the earth [Part III] Louisiana is the major ground for Hochschild’s research. There, most of the people she meets – and gets to like –are hunters, fishers, cookers of their catch; lovers, ostensibly, of nature. And yet, tales of environmental woe [NATURE DESPOILED] abound in their world: ‘But … Continue reading Thoughts on reading ‘Strangers in their own land’ by Arlie Russell Hochschild

Thoughts on reading ‘Strangers in their own land’ by Arlie Russell Hochschild

Neoliberalism and the self-harm faithful PART II - The Great Paradox What Arlie Russell Hochschild calls the "Great Paradox" might itself spring from our difficulty in determining exactly what POPULISM is [or of what political wing; right or left, it is]. Populism has been both of or at least partially of the ‘left’ – the … Continue reading Thoughts on reading ‘Strangers in their own land’ by Arlie Russell Hochschild

Commentary on ‘Strangers in Their Own Land’

Neoliberalism and the self-harm faithful An introduction I’ve been exercising what passes for my mind with THE GREAT DIVIDE that currently occupies much of the debate about the state of the [American] nation. Forgive my anything but slick allusion to that address given by the US president, but it’s almost incumbent on anyone with an … Continue reading Commentary on ‘Strangers in Their Own Land’

Do I want to save capitalism?

While reading Robert Reich's SAVING CAPITALISM Have discovered over recent months and via The Guardian and other publications, one Robert Reich. Reich is 'an American professor, author, lawyer, and political commentator' who 'worked in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, and served as Secretary of Labor from 1993 to 1997 in the … Continue reading Do I want to save capitalism?

Extract from Mythic Dreams – why modern capitalism’s pursuit of growth is a sin

Ch 2:  A Haves and Have Nots World A much greater hunger In 1800, the world’s population was about 1.36 billion. If we are to believe statistical analysis, most people lived, in income terms, relatively similar lives.  According to Gapminder statistical analysis (admittedly conjectural, given that data before 1900 is ‘highly uncertain’) the world’s poorest … Continue reading Extract from Mythic Dreams – why modern capitalism’s pursuit of growth is a sin

Plagued

On the way to work Tory, if she’s on the tram as she is this morning, has taken to opening The Montage, to which she’s subscribed. For nearly three months now the opening page has been simply filled with the virus. The first thing you see, most days, are New Selaw, UK, C.S. and world figures. Cases, deaths. New Selaw figures have been more or less flat since the end of March but the world numbers are very worrying. She also has noticed, lately, a small, worrying, and persistent upswing in Victoria, looking, she decides, more with David’s virologist’s eyes than hers, because he’s written about how second waves come with mild inclines that then go suddenly crazy. She’s tired already and doesn’t want an upsurge, wishes she could unsee it. The tram rattles on past the Gardens stop. She wonders if she’ll ever stop for a quiet walk before work again. It feels like that all belongs to pre-virus Tory, not her, not this new and lacquered one... '