Comments | akirlu: On Obama and Community

akirlu

On Obama and Community

Mar 20, 2008 16:51

Eventually I will stop being All Obama All the Time. But not yet.

Mark Schmitt considers Obama's speech, and his religion, as an expression of his core identity as a communitarianI hadn't explcitly seen Obama this way before. But for me, a core piece of the appeal of Obama's candidacy is that identity as a builder of community. I have a sort of ( Read more... )

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Comments 4

urlgirl March 21 2008, 02:34:03 UTC

I harbor a bit of resentment about the libertarians' use of the word "communitarian" as a slur. I understand that when they say it, they associate it with economic communitarianism. It still doesn't lessen my disappointment over the fact that I feel compelled to explain that community is still a very good word for me, despite my "rugged individualism." I don't think the two concepts are mutually exclusive at all. And I do have very similar views and experience toward this idea of building community, despite my lack of effectiveness at it.

I like your Obama posts :-)

akirlu March 21 2008, 03:53:42 UTC

My relationship with libertarianism is complex, and probably contradictory in places. I'm still working out how to think and feel about it ( ... )

akirlu March 21 2008, 03:57:08 UTC

And when I say "soul," here, I obviously mean "sole." "Sole source." Homophones will be the death of me yet.

albionwood March 21 2008, 15:10:56 UTC

I don't see Libertarianism as equivalent to Rugged Individualism. The former is an idea about government, the latter an idea about life. Libertarianism and Collectivism can certainly coexist - in fact that would come close to my ideal society. Libertarians want less government, particularly less central government; the only way that can really work is if people think of themselves as part of the community, and act accordingly. That's how you escape the "zero-sum thinking" Obama described.

I think this ties in with what I said on my journal as well. What kind of country are we becoming? How will we deal with the awful challenges of the next decade or so? Extrapolating current trends gives a dismal view of the near future. Can anyone, even as gifted an orator as Obama, change that?