eco-optimism

[Ian Murray]

> Ian Murray wrote:
> >
> >
> > ===========
> > Totally agree. At the same time we need to understand that
> > egalitarianism and non-authoritarianism is not consistent with
> > vanguardism of any kind.
> >
>
> Is it inconsistent with leadership of any kind? I'm not sure how you
> conceive "vanguardism." I would not assume that positing the need
for
> some sort of vanguard (in some sense) could be labeled as an
independent
> "ism."
>
> Carrol
=======
Without being reductionistic or engaging in sociobiology, do 'schools'
of tuna have leaders? Flocks of Geese? I use vanguardism as shorthand
for elites [and groups of elites] who are condescending, arrogant,
have a strong distaste for admitting when they're wrong or when there
is 'more than one way to make an omelet,  allergic to accountability
etc. I'm happy to be wrong if this shorthand definition is
inconsistent with the historical record of those who have thought of
themselves in vanguards.

Main Entry: van·guard
Pronunciation: 'van-"gärd also 'va[ng]-
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English vantgard, from Middle French avant-garde,
from Old French, from avant- fore- (from avant before, from Late Latin
abante) + garde guard -- more at ADVANCE
Date: 15th century
1 : the troops moving at the head of an army
2 : the forefront of an action or movement
=======
Do we really need a 15th century concept to entice our fellow citizens
to collective action in the 21st?

Ian