Wednesday, May 2, 2007
The post below this one is the first in what I hope are to be a series of contributions from new co-blogger, Emmet Trueman.
Here's how Emmet describes himself:
I'm not going anywhere (sorry to disappoint), but I hope Emmet will be able to add to the content here and increase the odds of there being interesting stuff on hand whenever you stop by. Emmet has been a long-time reader and emailer, so I've no doubt he's got a feel for what's on topic hereabouts.
Judging by this first post and the one I've seen in the pipeline it looks like Emmet will be a top-notch contributor.
I should note that Emmet will be doing his own moderating of comments. Comments are open on this first post, and it will be up to him the level of discourse he will require and the standard he applies.
"Emmet Trueman"
Is that his real name or an English-Hebrew pun?
For obvious reasons, Dr. Trueman values his privacy.
"For obvious reasons" representing a monstrous understatement. Ideologically motivated brow beatings, subtly and less subtly applied, resulting in all manner of conscious and unconscious forms of obsequious behavior before prevailing orthodoxies and heterodoxies, behavior that makes Copenhagen syndrome psychologies pale into insignificance.
Can't imagine why anonymity is requisite.
The image this name raises in my head... the mad scientist from Back To The Future with an American aircraft carrier.
But seriously, there is no need to either explain or apologize. It is so well-known how academe today values free speech (its own) and dissent (against its enemies). Welcome, Mr. Trueman. I read your first post, and you're my kind of blogger: with a focus on ideology. I look forward to more.
Thank you,
I enjoy your blog. Your post yesterday on the bigotry of universalists was very well done.
And, like Michael B, you have obviously been in touch with campus life. So I'm sure you know, as I do, that there are a great many entirely reasonable people on every campus. The problem is that most of them keep their heads down and do their work. This allows the radical idealogues willing to spend their time on political crusades to exert control.
Thank you, Mr. Trueman. Emmet v'yatziv, and yishar koach! I adhere to historical idealism: the view that beliefs and ideologies have a life of their own and can compel people and groups of people to do things completely outside their pragmatic benefit. This is in contrast to historical materialism, which holds ideology to be subordinate to pragmatic calculations, anywhere and always. Although I don't think there's anyone on either camp who denies the influence of the other factor, the emphasis is the opposite for each case.
Shabbat Shalom!