[p2p-research] cutting cultural budgets

[Ryan Lanham]

On Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 11:02 PM, Samuel Rose <samuel.rose at gmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> Mike, I think it is likely not accurate that many US-based readers of
> this thread with respond with pro-US viewpoints. At least for those of
> us in the US who are regular readers and respondents to p2presearch
> listl anyway.
>
>

Clearly few people on this list hold "pro-US" viewpoints.  That is part
caused, I think, by the European left which has always been nationalistic
and elitist (while singing the Internationale!), and part identification of
the US with corporate agendas...which is historically absurd.  Indeed Niall
Ferguson--probably the best known European historian of the day, regularly
chides the US for not being more corporatist.  But such is politics.  And
such is the historical left which can always find a way to seize defeat from
the jaws of victory.  P2P is happening and happening very fast.  Sadly, a
lot of old scores are being lumped with it that will ultimately threaten its
success--mostly a sadly naive internationalist/socialist agenda.  The moral
relativism of Europe is always quick to see an evil US and an evil Israel,
and ever slow to see a gross environment disaster in the Gulf or in Nigeria
largely of their own making.  It's an old and a sad story of lack of
responsibility and lack of commitment to moral good that takes real
commitment.  Usually it leads to large numbers of US graves in some distant
land formerly carved and made "civilized" by enlightened Europeans who have
a clear vision of how the world SHOULD be.

I am grateful that the governments of Europe...especially the conservatives
in the UK, Sarkozy in France, and Merkel in Germany realize the absurdity of
these historical left positions and work to undermine them gently.  P2P will
be the better for it.  Anarchism and general decline of civilization, on the
other hand, will have to wait a day or two.  Chances are good those will
come soon enough.
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