--- In [email protected], "martyboi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Actually, in politics the phrase "cult of personality" > > has a specific meaning that is only distantly related > > to the common meaning of "cult." > > Words and phrases are created and modified with different > implications, meanings and intents based on historical events > and social phenomenon -which is why we can "google" things to > today.
Tangentially, I'm so used to using the Web now to look stuff up, I find myself very annoyed when I can't find something contamporaneous on a topic from, say, 1985. I keep forgetting there *was* no Web on which to archive such material back then! > Your point that "Cult of Personality" is typically used in a > specific context is valid. I believe however, that at the time > of JFK etc. it's use was more benign than today. The other > meanings of the word "Cult" creep in from around the edges and > cast subtle dispersions. I don't believe this is diminished by > the fact that you can find 6000 zillion web hits either. So I > respectfully disagree if the implications is that the term is > benign. What I said was not that it's benign, but that it isn't necessarily a criticism of the candidate's *policies*, as opposed to the way he or she is campaigning and the way his or her followers are reacting. In that regard, it's virtually always critical. And I don't think that has anything to do with how many Web hits there are on the term. > As far as the rest of it goes, the "So where's the beef?" > question does need to be answered. My hope is that we'll > see more specifics in the debates. Yes. I hope Obama changes his mind about debating Hillary more than once or twice. Debating isn't one of his strengths, so even if he wins the nomination, having lots of experience debating Hillary will be useful in the general election. > > What happens to all those enthusiastic young people > > if Obama wins the White House and doesn't accomplish > > his promised magical transformation? > > Back to MTV and endless texting? And disillusioned withdrawal from politics. > > We need to look at *whether he has what it takes* to > > do what's needed to get us out of the mess we're in. > > Agreed. Thanks for your comments!
