political life, and consider it the measure of their political integrity.
[WS:] I do not think the left has exclusive rights to it. This is common to all forms of idealism - words are more important than deeds.
That reminds of an old philosopher joke. Three philosophers are traveling to a conference in a car. Suddenly, they see a fallen tree blocking the road. They get out of the car and start discussing what to do next. Each of them has a different idea and evokes his favorite philosophical doctrine from Platonism to existentialism in support of it. Soon arguments ensue. Then a truck arrives. The truck driver steps out of the cabin and says to the debating philosophers - "hey gentlemen, there is four of us, so let's roll up our sleeves and move this damn thing out of the way." The philosophers look at him with disdain and say "phew, by brute physical force?"
Wojtek