Pseudo-populism, the idiotic masses, and gadfly Nation columnists

Rob Schaap rws at comserver.canberra.edu.au
Wed Jul 21 13:51:58 PDT 1999


G'day Observers,

About that list of most trusted groups/institutions in American society ...

I'm probably not the only one who's said it (I've a million posts to get through), but polls like this might merely be telling us who Americans loathe least, no? I mean, if there were a profound legitimation crisis in American society, a poll like this wouldn't have a thing to tell you about it, would it? If I had three rotten eggs in my pocket, and I had a priest, a police constable and a Marine private to my left and a politician, a banker and a media CEO to my right, it'd be those on my right who'd cop the pong (unless Clinton was the politician - I'd commit all my resources to strategic bombing then). That wouldn't mean I exalt my oppressors - just that I've a sense of proportion.

And no sense of alternatives.

Cheers, Rob.



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