There are some neocons who believe their own mythology (e.g. Bolton, Hoeber,
Woolsey, Negroponte.) There are other neocons who see it as a handy way of
extending further protections to their favorite political causes (e.g.
Perle, Feith, Wolfowitz, Cohen) regardless of the cost to the US.

I guess at this point, we would sadly have to add Friedman's name. But to
which category?



-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Cordell, Arthur:
ECOM
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 6:00 PM
To: Brad McCormick, Ed.D.
Cc: Karen Watters Cole; [email protected]
Subject: RE: [Futurework] Mobility vs Nobility

*But*, again, the
documentary emphasizes, the NeoCons who govern do *not*
need to believe the myths they promulgate to the people.

>>>I think the record shows that most who govern don't necessarily believe
the myths they promulgate: this holds true for those on the "right" and
those on the "left."

>>>That's why (among other reasons) Lord Acton said that "power corrupts and
absolute power corrupts absolutely"

arthur

-----Original Message-----
From: Brad McCormick, Ed.D. [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 5:53 PM
To: Cordell, Arthur: ECOM
Cc: Karen Watters Cole; [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Futurework] Mobility vs Nobility


Cordell, Arthur: ECOM wrote:

> The problem, in short, may not be that reality is receding from the 
> national myth. The problem may be the myth.
>  
> Beware to the nation that believes and acts on its myths not realizing 
> that they are just that: Myths.

[snip]

Has there ever been such a country as you say [and I agree] would be 
desirable?

The whole thesis of Freud's _Civilization and its Discontents_ is that 
there never
has been such a society and Freud thought there never would be one.  As 
I put it:
ethnicities are semiotic viruses, and their rapacity is unlimited.

http://www.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/civil.html

But, to focus on the present: The BBC documentary _The Power of
Nightmares_ well describes the Platonic doctrine of the NeoCons that
a nation needs noble myths --> in which the people need to believe
because they are incapable of anything better and, if left to
themselves, they will otherwise just enjoy themselves.  *But*, again, the
documentary emphasizes, the NeoCons who govern do *not*
need to believe the myths they promulgate to the people.

\brad mccormick

-- 
  Let your light so shine before men,
              that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16)

  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21)

<![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----------------------------------------------------------------
  Visit my website ==> http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/ 

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