“They saw their injured country's woe;
The flaming town, the wasted field;
Then rushed to meet the insulting foe;
They took the spear, - but left the shield.”
The re-emergence of "individualism", brought about by an appeal to the irrational "id" by marketers of both "products" and "politicians".
This was a 2002 BBC production that wove a narrative of the application of psychology and the use of "focus groups" (group therapy for marketeers) to exploit consumer psychology... and how this was then applied to politics to sway "swing" voters, first by Reagan, and later adopted by Clinton and transferred to Blair.
And that fact that these techniques were invented so as to "control" and sublimate, not "respond" directly to every irrational desire of the id.
In the 40's and 50s, business types were worried about "overproduction" of standardized products... but now have a technique which focuses upon the "individualization" of products to suit the individuality of its' consumers.
Much of this documentary focuses upon the work of Freud, his nephew Eddie Bernay's (the father of the American public relations firm), Anna Freud, daughter of Sigmund and her attempts to build upon her father's work (the "benefits" of "repression" which lead to the suicide of many of her clients and, of course, Marylyn Monroe). It also delved into the work of a few of Freud's colleagues who spun off some theories that were adapted to and exploited the 60's counter-culture trends towards "liberating" the individual to pursue his own (not society's) aims.
In other words, it became acceptable to put ones-self "first" in life... and this affects over 80% of Americans.
It also delved into the work of SRI (Stanford Research Institute) that classifies people by Maslow "need hierarchy" categories (instead of social class or wealth) and has lead to a more "scientific" exploitation of psychological data.
I tend to believe the "political" aspects and linkages, as the Hoover Institute is a HUGE Republican think tank and is closely affiliated with Stanford University.
...the documentary is a "paranoiac critical" vision... but a wholly "credible" one... given the strange positions of American politicians recently as they try appealing to the psychology of the few remaining "swing" voters.
I read about half of Taylor's "Ethics of Authenticity"... and so after seeing this video, am inclined to believe it might be a rather important idea to understand.
If one were to attempt to link Taylor's "origins" of self to the "strains" currently popular and expressed in the video, one would have to conclude that the Rousseauian strains are currently ascendant and gaining ground in American culture and politics.
I wish i was writing these days (which i am not), i would have liked to say something. But soon. And thanks! :)
Btw, how is the election shaping up? If i have any understanding of the matter, i think a Romney win at this point will be catastrophic for the idea of America as i understand it, even more so than Obama win.
I posted the quote, because I've also been contemplating Charles Murray's "Coming Apart", and the decline of the institutions of social capital that once filled the gap between the needs of American society and their government... and the decline of group civic participation in "Fishtown" (but not "Belmont"). These institutions inlude "family" (marriage), church (rel;igiosity) work, and civic'legislative participation... the "sources" of an individual's "happiness".
In other words, the "individuals" are fragmenting and retreating into their personal "bunkers"...
As for the American election, I really don't care how it turns out. I'm not a fan of either candidate. Romney would weaken the Americans through subsidizing big corporatism, Obama would weaken it through big government/corporate cronyism. The world seems destined to return to the state sponsored "mercantilism" of the fifteenth-eighteenth centuries. We probably won't be able to forestall the coming inevitable wars of commercial survival and put "limits" on the corporations driving these economic trends until AFTER the coming disaster has played itself out and the survivors have learned a very harsh lesson.
Then mine would be a poor example for you to follow. ;)
IMO, you have a unique opportunity to tell stories that have never before been heard in the West. Please seize it, and share with us some things uniquely "Indian", as refinement is defined as "taking from the best, and making it better."
Century of the self - would you care to elaborate? (The video doesn't open for me for some reason.) :)
ReplyDeleteThe re-emergence of "individualism", brought about by an appeal to the irrational "id" by marketers of both "products" and "politicians".
ReplyDeleteThis was a 2002 BBC production that wove a narrative of the application of psychology and the use of "focus groups" (group therapy for marketeers) to exploit consumer psychology... and how this was then applied to politics to sway "swing" voters, first by Reagan, and later adopted by Clinton and transferred to Blair.
And that fact that these techniques were invented so as to "control" and sublimate, not "respond" directly to every irrational desire of the id.
In the 40's and 50s, business types were worried about "overproduction" of standardized products... but now have a technique which focuses upon the "individualization" of products to suit the individuality of its' consumers.
ReplyDeleteMuch of this documentary focuses upon the work of Freud, his nephew Eddie Bernay's (the father of the American public relations firm), Anna Freud, daughter of Sigmund and her attempts to build upon her father's work (the "benefits" of "repression" which lead to the suicide of many of her clients and, of course, Marylyn Monroe). It also delved into the work of a few of Freud's colleagues who spun off some theories that were adapted to and exploited the 60's counter-culture trends towards "liberating" the individual to pursue his own (not society's) aims.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, it became acceptable to put ones-self "first" in life... and this affects over 80% of Americans.
It also delved into the work of SRI (Stanford Research Institute) that classifies people by Maslow "need hierarchy" categories (instead of social class or wealth) and has lead to a more "scientific" exploitation of psychological data.
I tend to believe the "political" aspects and linkages, as the Hoover Institute is a HUGE Republican think tank and is closely affiliated with Stanford University.
Hmm. Speaking of which i think you would like Taylor's Sources of the Self (Especially see the second part: Inwardness.)
ReplyDelete...the documentary is a "paranoiac critical" vision... but a wholly "credible" one... given the strange positions of American politicians recently as they try appealing to the psychology of the few remaining "swing" voters.
ReplyDeleteI read about half of Taylor's "Ethics of Authenticity"... and so after seeing this video, am inclined to believe it might be a rather important idea to understand.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
:)
ReplyDeleteHere's a little more background on the video, if you're interested.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading your link, now.
If one were to attempt to link Taylor's "origins" of self to the "strains" currently popular and expressed in the video, one would have to conclude that the Rousseauian strains are currently ascendant and gaining ground in American culture and politics.
ReplyDelete...although the modern "rationalists" are exploiting this romanticism and trying to sublimate its' effects.
ReplyDeleteWe make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. - Winston Churchill
ReplyDeleteI wish i was writing these days (which i am not), i would have liked to say something. But soon. And thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteBtw, how is the election shaping up? If i have any understanding of the matter, i think a Romney win at this point will be catastrophic for the idea of America as i understand it, even more so than Obama win.
I posted the quote, because I've also been contemplating Charles Murray's "Coming Apart", and the decline of the institutions of social capital that once filled the gap between the needs of American society and their government... and the decline of group civic participation in "Fishtown" (but not "Belmont"). These institutions inlude "family" (marriage), church (rel;igiosity) work, and civic'legislative participation... the "sources" of an individual's "happiness".
ReplyDeleteIn other words, the "individuals" are fragmenting and retreating into their personal "bunkers"...
As for the American election, I really don't care how it turns out. I'm not a fan of either candidate. Romney would weaken the Americans through subsidizing big corporatism, Obama would weaken it through big government/corporate cronyism. The world seems destined to return to the state sponsored "mercantilism" of the fifteenth-eighteenth centuries. We probably won't be able to forestall the coming inevitable wars of commercial survival and put "limits" on the corporations driving these economic trends until AFTER the coming disaster has played itself out and the survivors have learned a very harsh lesson.
ReplyDeleteps - I wish I had the desire to write about anything, but as of yet, I've nothing to say that hasn't already been said much better by others.
ReplyDeleteYes. It's a lose-lose scenario either way.
ReplyDeleteNG is back, btw. I saw that you were wondering about her safety. ;)
ps - I wish I had the desire to write about anything, but as of yet, I've nothing to say that hasn't already been said much better by others.
ReplyDeletelol. I would never lift the pen if i worried about that. :)
Then mine would be a poor example for you to follow. ;)
ReplyDeleteIMO, you have a unique opportunity to tell stories that have never before been heard in the West. Please seize it, and share with us some things uniquely "Indian", as refinement is defined as "taking from the best, and making it better."
;)
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of which... I found this, yesterday... and found it interesting.
ReplyDeletelol. I liked the pedicab boatman better. :)
ReplyDeleteI liked the boatman's scenary better, but not the topic.
ReplyDeleteI must admit, I prefer the Indian "farewell" to our own.
i prefer the Indian "farewell" to our own.
ReplyDeleteIt's life at its best. Life as a theater.
In the midst of death we are in life, and so on... ;)
ReplyDelete:)
ReplyDeleteHere is Part I of a transcript in four parts.
ReplyDeleteThanks FJ. Am in the middle of Hyperion, will come to it once that is done. :)
ReplyDeleteI posted it more for my convenience.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing some more research on VALS (SRI Psych profile categories) ;)