What Does Democracy Mean?

Recently we came across a website purporting to be advocating “integralism,” which is a much-misused term for integrating one’s religious beliefs or philosophy into one’s daily life, the opposite of compartmentalization or schizophrenia.  This was a “Catholic” website and was rather blatant about demanding that the civil power be subordinated to the religious power (meaning the Catholic Church) in all things . . . suggesting they didn't have a clue about real integralism; they could have stepped right out of a Thomas Nast cartoon.

JTW Podcast: Robert Hutchins and John Dewey, Part III

Perhaps no two individuals have had a greater impact on American education than Robert Maynard Hutchins and John Dewey.  One person’s view of them is the subject of today’s podcast and the previous two (which are included for your convenience).  Even if you don’t agree with everything that is said (or how it is said), it might cause you to think and start wondering where we went wrong . . .

News from the Network, Vol. 15, No. 32

If Russian president Putin is wondering how to extricate himself and Russia from Ukraine without ending up slightly less than alive, he might consider the Economic Democracy Act.  It probably wouldn’t get him off the hook for what he’s done, but it might mitigate the punishment, and keep him from being written off as the absolute worst ruler in the history of the world. It is, after all, one thing to be a bloodthirsty tyrant, but quite another to be an incompetent bloodthirsty tyrant:

The State of American Education

We’ve been doing a little research into the writing of Robert Maynard Hutchins, president and later chancellor of the University of Chicago.  Much to our surprise, most of his books are fairly short and even entertaining — if you like his sort of sense of humor (we’ve seen people read or view his ludicrous satire, Zukerkandle! and not crack a smile while others were practically rolling on the floor laughing).

JTW Podcast: Robert Hutchins and John Dewey, Part II

Perhaps no two individuals have had a greater impact on American education than Robert Maynard Hutchins and John Dewey.  One person’s view of them is the subject of last week's and today’s podcast and to conclude in the next one.  Even if you don’t agree with everything that is said (or how it is said), it might cause you to think and start wondering where we went wrong . . .

News from the Network, Vol. 15, No. 31

 

Just provoking Putin's fans and felons

As usual, we have a number of news items that wouldn’t even be news if world leaders would get busy and adopt the Economic Democracy Act, but then we’d have to think of something else to write about:

Economic Independence

On Monday, August 15, 2022, to mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the end of British rule of (most of) India and set the goal for the full century mark coming up in twenty-five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “pledged to raise millions out of poverty and turn India into a developed country.”  (“Economic Vow Made on Independence Day,” Wall Street Journal, 08/16/22, A-16.)  He underscored his promise by declaring that “the world was looking toward India to help resolve global issues.”

JTW Podcast: Robert Hutchins and John Dewey, Part I

Perhaps no two individuals have had a greater impact on American education than Robert Maynard Hutchins and John Dewey.  One person’s view of them is the subject of today’s podcast and the next two.  Even if you don’t agree with everything that is said (or how it is said), it might cause you to think and start wondering where we went wrong . . .

News from the Network, Vol. 15, No. 30

A number of interesting developments this week that would probably be moot if some country adopted the Economic Democracy Act, but then there probably wouldn’t be anything to write about.  That not being the case:

What to Do About Taiwan

The Biden Administration’s apparent missteps with respect to China have been a source of great consolation to Trump supporters, with neither side considering whether any of it makes sense.  Of course, it must be admitted that Trump’s comments about Ukraine and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s “genius” in invading Ukraine, along with his various other troubles need something to divert attention.

JTW Podcast: Louis Kelso on Harold Channer Show

Today we have an interview with Louis O. Kelso on the Harold Channer Show from 1987.  In this show, Kelso is billed as the (co) author of Democracy and Economic Power, although he is better known as the co-author of The Capitalist Manifesto (1958) and The New Capitalists (1961).  The subtitle of the latter is significant: “

News from the Network, Vol. 15, No. 29

On the bright side, if we had the Economic Democracy Act, there wouldn’t be anything to write about.  That not being the case:

Does Vladimir Putin REALLY Believe This?

 

Analyses of Putin’s annexation of Crimea, funding insurgency in the Donbas, and the current “special military operation” in Ukraine have been hampered by the fact that no one, including Putin, seems to know why it was started and what it is supposed to achieve, at least on a permanent or consistent basis.  Was it to liberate ethnic Russians?  Respond to NATO aggression?  Acquire territory?  De-nazify and de-militarize Ukraine?  Make Russia great again?  Or some other excuse?

JTW Podcast: The New Chronology

Putin is obsessed with something called “The New Chronology” . . . and that is . . ? “This world view is largely based on volumes of something called "The New Chronology," which is the brainchild mainly of two Russian authors, an academic and a mathematician respectively — Anatoly Fomenko and Gleb Nosovsky. One of the key premises is that dark forces tampered with all the history books in libraries across the globe at a certain point in time, wiping out or changing real versions of events and resetting dates.”  Get out your tinfoil hats and be ready for a surreal ride . . .