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Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism
In his major bestseller, Race Matters, philosopher Cornel West burst onto the national scene with his searing analysis of the scars of racism in American democracy. In Democracy Matters, West returns to the analysis of the arrested development of democracy, both in America and in the crisis-ridden Middle East.
In a strikingly original diagnosis, he argues that if America is to become a better steward of democratization around the world, we must first wake up to the long history of imperialist corruption that has plagued our own democracy. Both our failure to foster peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the crisis of Islamist anti-Americanism stem largely from hypocrisies in our dealings with the world.
Racism and imperial expansionism have gone hand in hand in our country's inexorable drive toward hegemony, and our current militarism is only the latest expression of that drive. Even as we are shocked by Islamic fundamentalism, our own brand of fundamentalism, which West dubs Constantinian Christianity, has joined forces with imperialist corporate and political elites in an unholy alliance, and four decades after the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., insidious racism still inflicts debilitating psychic pain on so many of our citizens.
But there is a deep democratic tradition in America of impassioned commitment to the fight against imperialist corruptions---the last great expression of which was the civil rights movement led by Dr. King---and West brings forth the powerful voices of that great democratizing tradition in a brilliant and deeply moving call for the revival of our better democratic nature. His impassioned and provocative argument for the revitalization of America's democracy will reshape the terms of the raging national debate about America's role in today's troubled world.
In a strikingly original diagnosis, he argues that if America is to become a better steward of democratization around the world, we must first wake up to the long history of imperialist corruption that has plagued our own democracy. Both our failure to foster peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the crisis of Islamist anti-Americanism stem largely from hypocrisies in our dealings with the world.
Racism and imperial expansionism have gone hand in hand in our country's inexorable drive toward hegemony, and our current militarism is only the latest expression of that drive. Even as we are shocked by Islamic fundamentalism, our own brand of fundamentalism, which West dubs Constantinian Christianity, has joined forces with imperialist corporate and political elites in an unholy alliance, and four decades after the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., insidious racism still inflicts debilitating psychic pain on so many of our citizens.
But there is a deep democratic tradition in America of impassioned commitment to the fight against imperialist corruptions---the last great expression of which was the civil rights movement led by Dr. King---and West brings forth the powerful voices of that great democratizing tradition in a brilliant and deeply moving call for the revival of our better democratic nature. His impassioned and provocative argument for the revitalization of America's democracy will reshape the terms of the raging national debate about America's role in today's troubled world.
218 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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3982 people want to read
About the author
Cornel West
153 books1,219 followersCornel Ronald West is an American scholar and public intellectual. Formerly at Harvard University, West is currently a professor of Religion at Princeton. West says his intellectual contributions draw from such diverse traditions as the African American Baptist Church, Marxism, pragmatism, transcendentalism, and Anton Chekhov.
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July 28, 2011
In recent years, the distinguished Dr. Cornel West has attracted not a small amount of controversy over his message vs. his lifestyle. He has been attacked from both the far right and the far left for preaching his message of equality while sitting amongst the towers of the Ivy League. It certainly doesn’t help his case that he is a much desired speaker and has managed to make quite a good living for himself. I can understand the viewpoints of my fellow leftists who frown upon this, but I don’t believe that the message of Dr. West is worth discarding simply because he has done well financially.
It is only relatively recently that I myself have seriously read the work of Dr. West. It started 3 years ago when I first made my way through the dense prose of The Cornel West Reader which included his philosophical musings on the Marxist tradition alongside American Pragmatism and some of his more academic writings. It was certainly a stimulating read, and, for an Ivy League professor, somewhat of a radical worldview.
In the past month, I have read the two most popular books of Dr. West, Race Matters and Democracy Matters. Reading these two back to back was particularly rewarding as West himself considers Democracy Matters to be a sequel to Race Matters. They are both eloquent and articulate as one might expect from such a great orator. However, they are accessible to a wide audience.
It saddens me that in America whenever a strong African voice speaks out against injustice it’s ironically called racism. And it angers me that these charges come from WASP’s and other white elements of society. West addresses some of the common charges thrown against African Americans in Race Matters. These include high crime rates in African American communities, welfare queens, high unemployment, etc… West hits hard by saying “Conservative behaviorists talk about values and attitudes as if political and economic structures hardly exist.”
At the same time, a common theme in both Race Matters and Democracy Matters is nihilism. “Any disease of the soul is conquered by a turning of one’s soul. This turning is done through one’s own affirmation of one’s worth.” West makes an emphasis in both books of the nihilism of the Western world, and primarily among the poorer and minority classes by “This market way of life promoting addictions to stimulation and obsessions with comfort and convenience”.
In listening to or reading Dr. West you will find yourself coming across his description of arriving from a blues tradition. This partly involves West’s embracing of the pain of his ancestors and the color line that is still so clearly defined in present day America. West encourages us to NOT look at a color blind world. That would be a mistake that discards the unique and sometimes painful traditions from which we have arrived. Instead, he exhorts us to EMBRACE the rich cultures of the different ethnicities, religions, cultures and countries that make up our world. It is only through appreciating the equality yet uniqueness of the other that we can develop the proper respect and love for humanity.
“The fight for democracy has ever been one against the oppressive and racist corruptions of empire.” As a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Dr. West would subscribe to the belief that the very nature of Capitalism leads to racism. The idea of competition, of survival of the fittest, of being the better man naturally incorporates nihilistic elements of race and class.
At the same time, West also has a deep hope for America. Democracy Matters acknowledges the democratic traditions that are underneath the surface. The book was quite prophetic in this sense by the reaction we saw to the election of Obama. FINALLY, the people felt that they were really making a difference in their society. Unfortunately, as the Obama presidency has had some time, this “hope” has been misplaced. It is now clearer than ever that our SYSTEM is broken, although one of my criticisms of Dr. West is that he publicly voices a little too much confidence in our current President. As a Socialist, Dr. West should realize that it will require much more than a new face in the White House to change the rule of the plutocrats in America.
I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Christianity from Democracy Matters in which Dr. West broke down modern day American Christianity into two main strains: That of the Prophetic Christians vs. the Constantinian or Imperialistic Christians. One of the main identifying factors between the two is separation of church and state. The Prophetic is more likely to hold the government accountable for its actions whereas the Constantinian has BECOME part of the government. This is evident in the view of the right-wing evangelicals that the wars of America are “holy” in the sense that we are spreading Christianity and democracy to a heretical part of the world. This is hubris in its purest form, and is blindness from the nihilism of American politics in the sense that the Constantinians are playing right into the imperialistic government agenda. This can also be seen by the undying Zionistic support of the Constantinians which spreads the illusion of divine blessing on the actions of America’s client state Israel.
Prophetic Christianity is the blues tradition of which Dr. West speaks. It calls out injustice. It speaks truth to power. It follows in the great traditions of the Old Testament prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah and ultimately Jesus who condemned authority for being drunk with power. It challenges America to follow the all-embracing love of Christ which looks at the poor not as “unintended consequences” of American domestic policy, but as equal humans to be loved, respected, and if necessary, cared for by our government. It preaches equality in health care, employment and civil rights. It calls for a respectful attitude towards the sovereignty of other nations and the immigrant looking to come to OUR nation. It is the true spirit of Socialism that is inherent in the very message of Christ. This is the common strain of love that all of the world’s great ideologies strive to achieve.
West is on a mission of hope. His belief that the restoration of democracy is critical to the future of America can only be accomplished by a more level playing field. Plutocracy and oligarchy control our country. We as the PEOPLE must take our country back. We can do so through the Prophetic tradition of which Dr. West speaks by educating and waking up our fellow citizens from the nihilism that currently controls our Race and Democracy Matters. As Dr. West says “We must all strive for justice. And justice is what love looks like in public.”
It is only relatively recently that I myself have seriously read the work of Dr. West. It started 3 years ago when I first made my way through the dense prose of The Cornel West Reader which included his philosophical musings on the Marxist tradition alongside American Pragmatism and some of his more academic writings. It was certainly a stimulating read, and, for an Ivy League professor, somewhat of a radical worldview.
In the past month, I have read the two most popular books of Dr. West, Race Matters and Democracy Matters. Reading these two back to back was particularly rewarding as West himself considers Democracy Matters to be a sequel to Race Matters. They are both eloquent and articulate as one might expect from such a great orator. However, they are accessible to a wide audience.
It saddens me that in America whenever a strong African voice speaks out against injustice it’s ironically called racism. And it angers me that these charges come from WASP’s and other white elements of society. West addresses some of the common charges thrown against African Americans in Race Matters. These include high crime rates in African American communities, welfare queens, high unemployment, etc… West hits hard by saying “Conservative behaviorists talk about values and attitudes as if political and economic structures hardly exist.”
At the same time, a common theme in both Race Matters and Democracy Matters is nihilism. “Any disease of the soul is conquered by a turning of one’s soul. This turning is done through one’s own affirmation of one’s worth.” West makes an emphasis in both books of the nihilism of the Western world, and primarily among the poorer and minority classes by “This market way of life promoting addictions to stimulation and obsessions with comfort and convenience”.
In listening to or reading Dr. West you will find yourself coming across his description of arriving from a blues tradition. This partly involves West’s embracing of the pain of his ancestors and the color line that is still so clearly defined in present day America. West encourages us to NOT look at a color blind world. That would be a mistake that discards the unique and sometimes painful traditions from which we have arrived. Instead, he exhorts us to EMBRACE the rich cultures of the different ethnicities, religions, cultures and countries that make up our world. It is only through appreciating the equality yet uniqueness of the other that we can develop the proper respect and love for humanity.
“The fight for democracy has ever been one against the oppressive and racist corruptions of empire.” As a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Dr. West would subscribe to the belief that the very nature of Capitalism leads to racism. The idea of competition, of survival of the fittest, of being the better man naturally incorporates nihilistic elements of race and class.
At the same time, West also has a deep hope for America. Democracy Matters acknowledges the democratic traditions that are underneath the surface. The book was quite prophetic in this sense by the reaction we saw to the election of Obama. FINALLY, the people felt that they were really making a difference in their society. Unfortunately, as the Obama presidency has had some time, this “hope” has been misplaced. It is now clearer than ever that our SYSTEM is broken, although one of my criticisms of Dr. West is that he publicly voices a little too much confidence in our current President. As a Socialist, Dr. West should realize that it will require much more than a new face in the White House to change the rule of the plutocrats in America.
I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Christianity from Democracy Matters in which Dr. West broke down modern day American Christianity into two main strains: That of the Prophetic Christians vs. the Constantinian or Imperialistic Christians. One of the main identifying factors between the two is separation of church and state. The Prophetic is more likely to hold the government accountable for its actions whereas the Constantinian has BECOME part of the government. This is evident in the view of the right-wing evangelicals that the wars of America are “holy” in the sense that we are spreading Christianity and democracy to a heretical part of the world. This is hubris in its purest form, and is blindness from the nihilism of American politics in the sense that the Constantinians are playing right into the imperialistic government agenda. This can also be seen by the undying Zionistic support of the Constantinians which spreads the illusion of divine blessing on the actions of America’s client state Israel.
Prophetic Christianity is the blues tradition of which Dr. West speaks. It calls out injustice. It speaks truth to power. It follows in the great traditions of the Old Testament prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah and ultimately Jesus who condemned authority for being drunk with power. It challenges America to follow the all-embracing love of Christ which looks at the poor not as “unintended consequences” of American domestic policy, but as equal humans to be loved, respected, and if necessary, cared for by our government. It preaches equality in health care, employment and civil rights. It calls for a respectful attitude towards the sovereignty of other nations and the immigrant looking to come to OUR nation. It is the true spirit of Socialism that is inherent in the very message of Christ. This is the common strain of love that all of the world’s great ideologies strive to achieve.
West is on a mission of hope. His belief that the restoration of democracy is critical to the future of America can only be accomplished by a more level playing field. Plutocracy and oligarchy control our country. We as the PEOPLE must take our country back. We can do so through the Prophetic tradition of which Dr. West speaks by educating and waking up our fellow citizens from the nihilism that currently controls our Race and Democracy Matters. As Dr. West says “We must all strive for justice. And justice is what love looks like in public.”
February 21, 2008
Here's the problem: I have nothing but the highest regard for Cornel West, his opinions, his political stances, his style, his everything.
I admire him completely and respect him as thinker.
The problem is...this book sucks. As in, threadbare and ranty and all-too-thin. I like his rants, you see, and I love how he just goes off.
It's just not nearly enough for me to be a satisfied reader. He introduces about a million topics, all mentioned in the summary above. All of them are interesting, fruitful, and potent.
He just doesn't get into them nearly enough to inspire me to learn about them from him, at least here.
The critique of him, at least as a writer, that I know of is exactly right: a hundred miles wide, and two inches deep.
I've seen a bunch of interviews with him, and I've poked around in his other books and he is sufficiently scary smart and can therefore handle tackling all this material...he just doesn't do it.
Dissapointed!
February 17, 2016
"Can any empire resist the temptation to become drunk with the wine of world power or become intoxicated with the hubris and greed of imperial possibilities? Has not every major empire pursued quixotic dreams of global domination- of shaping the world in its image and for its interest- that resulted in internal decay and doom? Can we committed democrats avert this world-historical pattern and possible fate?"
Soooo I have a stylistic and emotional appreciation to reading his insights on democracy. He poses huge questions and investigates the historical dynamics therein, the violent foundation at the root as well as the state of contemporary imperialism. towards greater democratic possibilities. He discusses the words of democratic artists and intellectuals and devotes a lot of the book on how to draw on various faiths and black cultural traditions to "revitalize our democratic fires."
I like his encouragement towards engaging in "prophetic witness" to illuminate the effects of racism and imperialism in the face of indifference and nihilism. The three nihilisms- evangelical nihilism, paternalistic nihilism, and sentimental nihilism. He also later in the book discusses several exchanges with the president of Harvard that led up to his resignation at Harvard. I liked his account of how he handled the conflict i.e. "In my response I looked him straight in the eyes and asked him what kind of person he took me to be."
Soooo I have a stylistic and emotional appreciation to reading his insights on democracy. He poses huge questions and investigates the historical dynamics therein, the violent foundation at the root as well as the state of contemporary imperialism. towards greater democratic possibilities. He discusses the words of democratic artists and intellectuals and devotes a lot of the book on how to draw on various faiths and black cultural traditions to "revitalize our democratic fires."
I like his encouragement towards engaging in "prophetic witness" to illuminate the effects of racism and imperialism in the face of indifference and nihilism. The three nihilisms- evangelical nihilism, paternalistic nihilism, and sentimental nihilism. He also later in the book discusses several exchanges with the president of Harvard that led up to his resignation at Harvard. I liked his account of how he handled the conflict i.e. "In my response I looked him straight in the eyes and asked him what kind of person he took me to be."
April 9, 2019
In my late teens in the early '00s I was a shithead libertarian (& an ucs. racist) & when this book came out I hated Cornel West, mostly based on my hatred for the use of democracy as a floating signifier for liberal pieties & my sense of him, from a few fleeting media clips, as a shallow name-dropper. Eventually, my political values & analyses switched far to the left, I became critical & ashamed of my past politics (& ucs. racism), & I gained an appreciation for democratic theory & culture, but I retained an unexamined prejudice against West, until a fellow anti-imperialist colleague in the early '10s recommended his & Tavis Smiley's radio show, from which I realized the depth of West's knowledge and the global reach of his committed solidarity (his acknowledging IRA hunger strikers, a rarity for provincial US pundits, during their obituary on Margaret Thatcher particularly impressed me). I bought & read around the *West Reader*, saw him electrify crowds a couple of times, & generally greatly appreciated his political interventions in the late Obama & early Trump yrs (although we have some strategic differences), but I never read one of his books till now as I'm starting to bone up on democratic theory & aesthetics.
*Democracy Matters* is very much part of a spate of early 00's anti-Bush polemics, & it has some faults typical of that period & genre, but it stands out from the mere liberalism of its contemporaries w/ a global, anti-imperial focus; criticisms for John Kerry & Hillary Clinton as well as the neocons; a strong sense of moral witness & compassion solidarity instead of mere snark & satire; & an amazing array of literary, theological, musical, & philosophical references for a popular political book. I'm sure West takes this up elsewhere in his corpus, but it also usefully clarified for me how he conjoins Socratic irony, prophetic witness, & tragicomic culture (from Cervantes & Chekhov to jazz & hip-hop) as components of democratic theory, a melange he often uses in his public speaking.
The first 3 chapters are definitely the strongest for me. I appreciate the syncretism & depth of his engagement w/ all 3 Abrahamic religions in C4-5, but I ultimately side more w/ Richard Rorty, who West lovingly criticizes. C6 on West's engagement w/ hip-hop & his professional struggles w/ Larry Summers is somewhat interesting but far less vital than earlier chapters.
*Democracy Matters* is very much part of a spate of early 00's anti-Bush polemics, & it has some faults typical of that period & genre, but it stands out from the mere liberalism of its contemporaries w/ a global, anti-imperial focus; criticisms for John Kerry & Hillary Clinton as well as the neocons; a strong sense of moral witness & compassion solidarity instead of mere snark & satire; & an amazing array of literary, theological, musical, & philosophical references for a popular political book. I'm sure West takes this up elsewhere in his corpus, but it also usefully clarified for me how he conjoins Socratic irony, prophetic witness, & tragicomic culture (from Cervantes & Chekhov to jazz & hip-hop) as components of democratic theory, a melange he often uses in his public speaking.
The first 3 chapters are definitely the strongest for me. I appreciate the syncretism & depth of his engagement w/ all 3 Abrahamic religions in C4-5, but I ultimately side more w/ Richard Rorty, who West lovingly criticizes. C6 on West's engagement w/ hip-hop & his professional struggles w/ Larry Summers is somewhat interesting but far less vital than earlier chapters.
December 21, 2017
I reread this today in light of the whole West/Coates beef. It's amazing to me how Cornel West has somehow been able to fashion himself as an anti-imperialist and an anti-Zionist when this book is filled with the same kind of boilerplate, "let-me-satisfy-my-white-liberal-audience" fluff he taxes Coates for.
The linchpin, he writes on page 110, "to any resolution in the (Middle East) is an end to this unjust and ineffective occupation and the wholesale guarantee of Israeli security against barbaric Palestinian suicide bombers that murder innocent Israeli civilians". If you just turn to the next page, you'll see he equates Arafat and Sharon - basically calling them two sides of the same coin - and equates Palestinian resistance to Israeli terrorism, as if they're even remotely comparable. He goes on: "the major obstacle", West says, "to peace in the region is the autocratic rule of Arab elites and their support, whether explicit or implicit, of anti-Jewish terrorism". His whole section on the Middle East is in this same vain: implies the Bush administration had benign intentions in their invasion of Iraq, abhors the resistance that sprang up as a result of the Iraq occupation, and criticizes the American's hypocritical dealings in the Middle East.
Don't really see TN Coates disagreeing with any of the above, basically conventional, views tbh.
The linchpin, he writes on page 110, "to any resolution in the (Middle East) is an end to this unjust and ineffective occupation and the wholesale guarantee of Israeli security against barbaric Palestinian suicide bombers that murder innocent Israeli civilians". If you just turn to the next page, you'll see he equates Arafat and Sharon - basically calling them two sides of the same coin - and equates Palestinian resistance to Israeli terrorism, as if they're even remotely comparable. He goes on: "the major obstacle", West says, "to peace in the region is the autocratic rule of Arab elites and their support, whether explicit or implicit, of anti-Jewish terrorism". His whole section on the Middle East is in this same vain: implies the Bush administration had benign intentions in their invasion of Iraq, abhors the resistance that sprang up as a result of the Iraq occupation, and criticizes the American's hypocritical dealings in the Middle East.
Don't really see TN Coates disagreeing with any of the above, basically conventional, views tbh.
September 11, 2010
His writing style is so much akin to Toni Morrison that I couldn't help but really like this book. Cornel West's impassioned analysis of the state of American democracy and society is sharp and evocative. Throughout the book he threads his philosophies together into a quilt colored by not only his words but also with the words and ideas of others like Socrates, Plato, Herman Melville, Toni Morrison, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Ralph Ellison, Big Boi, and Chuck D. West does go off on a couple of personal tangents in this book that don't quite seem to fit the theme and tone of the the rest of the book but all in all this book is a very worthwhile read for anyone interested in democracy.
December 29, 2017
West's work is good for the mind and the soul. I didn't agree with 100% of his arguments here (though I did with most), but even where I was critical I could still feel his beautiful, democracy-loving soul emanating from every page.
November 10, 2008
*I had to shorten this review.
The book is about the importance of Democracy, threats to Democracy, both in America and around the world interlaced with historical background and shared experiences. West declares that there are three nihilisms at work in American Democracy that need to be overcome: Evangelical nihilism, paternalistic nihilism, and sentimental nihilism.
These nihilisms lead to Imperialism as was the result in Iraq and Free-Market Fundamentalism, which is our Achilles heal parading as our crown jewel. "These three nihilistic threats connect the spiritual with the social, the personal to the political, and the economic to the existential."
The way to counter these nihilisms is to combine Socratic questioning/examination with Prophetic witness/drive/vision and a Tragicomic dark hope that seeks the "democratic" inspiration of Blues and Jazz. According to West this is the methodology and democratic forces that are vital to democracy matters at home and across the world.
What is problematic to me is his chapter "Forging New Jewish and Islamic Democratic Identities." In this chapter he calls for Jews and Muslims to be critical (nothing wrong with that) and to take on his methodology of Socratic questioning to form democratic identities(problematic). In particular he advocates the works of Mahmoud Taha and his "Second Message of Islam" which according to some does away with the Medinan period of Islam and focuses exclusively on the Meccan period. An overly liberal and in the end anti-intellectual and inaffective solution/contribution to reform of Muslim societies and renewal of Islam. It is careless of West to promote Taha who doesn't have a large audience in the Muslim world, though certainly all voices should be heard and fairly treated and his murder by the State of Sudan was unjust.
On the Palestine issue he hardly covers the deep questions, hypocrisy and nihilisms of Israeli society; its demolition of Palestinian rights, its self proclaimed commitment to a Jewish state (a justification for genocide and violence towards Palestinians), the land grabs and violence of Israeli settler's, Zionism, etc. Though he calls on both sides to be critical and terms the actions of Israelis "inhumane" his analysis falls far short of a fair and balanced critique.
He puts the oppressor on par with the oppressed when the monoply on power and violence is in the hands of Israel; and the victimized Palestinians who lash out in unjustifiable suicide bombing are labeled "barbaric." There is no doubt that when Palestinians target civilians and those not responsible for the violence they harm the resistance, contradict Islam, and act criminally but the fact that this action is not justifiable does not mean that it is not understandable as it occurs out of a deep dissatisfaction with occupation and daily state terror, something he also fails to mention when asking Israelis to be critical. He begins from the premise that Israel is a legitimate state that came into existence as similar liberation and independence movements across the world. He omits that the State of Israel itself is a colonialist state, and this tragic history is the greatest impediment to a peaceful and equitable solution to the conflict. His non-recognition of this fact contradicts his principles and reeks of the same nihilisms he is fighting against.
He goes on to state that the greatest Democratic possiblities may come out from the Palestinians and the Kurds. This is an interesting statement especially since in quite free and fair elections after this book was written the Palestinians overwhelmingly elected Hamas into government. West was quite critical of Islamic revivalists movements which he equates with clerical authoritarianism and fundamentalism, but what would he think about this democratic outcome in Palestine, does he believe it is a manifestation of the strong democratic possibilities of Palestinian society, or another manifestation of nihilism and if so how is he any different then George Bush and those Evangelical nihilists who parroted democracy and freedom only to destroy the democratic aspirations once a group they disliked came into power. Also on the issue of the Kurds I believe West has glossed over the fact that one group, the PKK and affiliated groups run Northern Iraq and are themselves quite autocratic and authoritarian when it comes to parties who challenge their power.
His other contention is that so called Islamic revivalists movements are in power in the Muslim world when nothing can be further from the truth, he states, "the Islamic revival mobilized the masses and gained state power." Aside from Iran which is quite a problematic and unique case in itself (being Shia') every Islamic revival movement from Algeria, Morroco, Lybia, Egypt, Syria, Sudan, until recently Iraq, Turkey, Bangladesh has not only felt the brunt of state repression but also state violence and subjugation. They have been the reciepients of some of the most gross violations of human rights that such a statement by West is unconcievable.
He goes on to state: "It is the legalistic conception of Islam that often authorizes an antidemocratic rule of Muslim jurists. This version of Islam is dominant in the world today...the present form of clerical Islam is an authoritarian effort to secure an Islamic identity and to run modern nation-states given the collapse of secular nationalism...like rabbinical Judaism or Catholic Christianity, clerical Islam is in no way the essence of Islam...therefore, the present task is to undermine the authority of the Muslim clerics on Islamic and democratic grounds."
The conception of Islamic "clerical" authority being on par with rabbinical Judaism and Catholic Christianity is nothing but a crude comparison. The fact is the uniqueness of Islam, sometimes to a fault but generally for the better, is that there is no Pope or hierarchy of established clerical authority; at least in the dominant Sunni tradition. There is also hardly any rule of Muslim jurists in the political realm outside of the Iranian theocracy (which is singular in Islamic history), as the State has gone to enormous lengths to subjugate, co-opt and undermine Muslim Jurists at every turn. The point of undermining clerics is crass and is exactly the same thing that Osama Bin Laden and other extremists have done and leads to nothing but anarchy and superficial understanding of Islam. The fact is and this may be counter intuitive but the Islamic revivalists movements and their associated scholars, Callers, intellectuals, laymen, and workers have been the foremost cultural force for transformative change that reconciles Islam with the current historical context and situation. The eternal modernizing force and tool at the disposal of qualified scholars is ijtihad, or independent reasoning and is being used precociously, being combined with tajdid or renewal of the Faith. A good starting point to read about the conversation between Democracy and Islam is the book by Yusuf Qaradawi, "The Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the Coming Phase."
In the spirit of Socratic questioning we must ask, "what is an authentic and truly prophetic model, organic to the historical paradigm of Muslim nations?" "Why should Muslims take on models and concepts from the West and show greater confidence in them than the West which has revealed a deep distrust and lack of confidence as highlighted by many of its own scholars and intellectuals" and "since the historical trajectory of the Islamic civilization is different in many ways to that of the West and its relationship with religion don't calls from Westerners for democratization lack historical knowledge and reek of paternalism." To his credit West does say that "Western style democracy has no future in the Islamic world."
I think the most salient point in the book and where he is his finest is when talking about our problems at home. Our need to be self critical of the abuse of power, the nihilisms that it leads to, the destructive Empire that succumbs to Imperialisms and the proper way in which to engage our strong historical democratic tradition and forces against the dark side of American Empire.
This requires paidea, or the cultivation of critical and active citizenry, something in my opinion that not only non Muslims but also Muslims here and abroad can gain from. America can be a force for good if it checks it's hubris, fights imperialism, and most importantly re-invigorates those forces that oppose expansionism, free-market fundamentalism, and oppression at home.
The book is about the importance of Democracy, threats to Democracy, both in America and around the world interlaced with historical background and shared experiences. West declares that there are three nihilisms at work in American Democracy that need to be overcome: Evangelical nihilism, paternalistic nihilism, and sentimental nihilism.
These nihilisms lead to Imperialism as was the result in Iraq and Free-Market Fundamentalism, which is our Achilles heal parading as our crown jewel. "These three nihilistic threats connect the spiritual with the social, the personal to the political, and the economic to the existential."
The way to counter these nihilisms is to combine Socratic questioning/examination with Prophetic witness/drive/vision and a Tragicomic dark hope that seeks the "democratic" inspiration of Blues and Jazz. According to West this is the methodology and democratic forces that are vital to democracy matters at home and across the world.
What is problematic to me is his chapter "Forging New Jewish and Islamic Democratic Identities." In this chapter he calls for Jews and Muslims to be critical (nothing wrong with that) and to take on his methodology of Socratic questioning to form democratic identities(problematic). In particular he advocates the works of Mahmoud Taha and his "Second Message of Islam" which according to some does away with the Medinan period of Islam and focuses exclusively on the Meccan period. An overly liberal and in the end anti-intellectual and inaffective solution/contribution to reform of Muslim societies and renewal of Islam. It is careless of West to promote Taha who doesn't have a large audience in the Muslim world, though certainly all voices should be heard and fairly treated and his murder by the State of Sudan was unjust.
On the Palestine issue he hardly covers the deep questions, hypocrisy and nihilisms of Israeli society; its demolition of Palestinian rights, its self proclaimed commitment to a Jewish state (a justification for genocide and violence towards Palestinians), the land grabs and violence of Israeli settler's, Zionism, etc. Though he calls on both sides to be critical and terms the actions of Israelis "inhumane" his analysis falls far short of a fair and balanced critique.
He puts the oppressor on par with the oppressed when the monoply on power and violence is in the hands of Israel; and the victimized Palestinians who lash out in unjustifiable suicide bombing are labeled "barbaric." There is no doubt that when Palestinians target civilians and those not responsible for the violence they harm the resistance, contradict Islam, and act criminally but the fact that this action is not justifiable does not mean that it is not understandable as it occurs out of a deep dissatisfaction with occupation and daily state terror, something he also fails to mention when asking Israelis to be critical. He begins from the premise that Israel is a legitimate state that came into existence as similar liberation and independence movements across the world. He omits that the State of Israel itself is a colonialist state, and this tragic history is the greatest impediment to a peaceful and equitable solution to the conflict. His non-recognition of this fact contradicts his principles and reeks of the same nihilisms he is fighting against.
He goes on to state that the greatest Democratic possiblities may come out from the Palestinians and the Kurds. This is an interesting statement especially since in quite free and fair elections after this book was written the Palestinians overwhelmingly elected Hamas into government. West was quite critical of Islamic revivalists movements which he equates with clerical authoritarianism and fundamentalism, but what would he think about this democratic outcome in Palestine, does he believe it is a manifestation of the strong democratic possibilities of Palestinian society, or another manifestation of nihilism and if so how is he any different then George Bush and those Evangelical nihilists who parroted democracy and freedom only to destroy the democratic aspirations once a group they disliked came into power. Also on the issue of the Kurds I believe West has glossed over the fact that one group, the PKK and affiliated groups run Northern Iraq and are themselves quite autocratic and authoritarian when it comes to parties who challenge their power.
His other contention is that so called Islamic revivalists movements are in power in the Muslim world when nothing can be further from the truth, he states, "the Islamic revival mobilized the masses and gained state power." Aside from Iran which is quite a problematic and unique case in itself (being Shia') every Islamic revival movement from Algeria, Morroco, Lybia, Egypt, Syria, Sudan, until recently Iraq, Turkey, Bangladesh has not only felt the brunt of state repression but also state violence and subjugation. They have been the reciepients of some of the most gross violations of human rights that such a statement by West is unconcievable.
He goes on to state: "It is the legalistic conception of Islam that often authorizes an antidemocratic rule of Muslim jurists. This version of Islam is dominant in the world today...the present form of clerical Islam is an authoritarian effort to secure an Islamic identity and to run modern nation-states given the collapse of secular nationalism...like rabbinical Judaism or Catholic Christianity, clerical Islam is in no way the essence of Islam...therefore, the present task is to undermine the authority of the Muslim clerics on Islamic and democratic grounds."
The conception of Islamic "clerical" authority being on par with rabbinical Judaism and Catholic Christianity is nothing but a crude comparison. The fact is the uniqueness of Islam, sometimes to a fault but generally for the better, is that there is no Pope or hierarchy of established clerical authority; at least in the dominant Sunni tradition. There is also hardly any rule of Muslim jurists in the political realm outside of the Iranian theocracy (which is singular in Islamic history), as the State has gone to enormous lengths to subjugate, co-opt and undermine Muslim Jurists at every turn. The point of undermining clerics is crass and is exactly the same thing that Osama Bin Laden and other extremists have done and leads to nothing but anarchy and superficial understanding of Islam. The fact is and this may be counter intuitive but the Islamic revivalists movements and their associated scholars, Callers, intellectuals, laymen, and workers have been the foremost cultural force for transformative change that reconciles Islam with the current historical context and situation. The eternal modernizing force and tool at the disposal of qualified scholars is ijtihad, or independent reasoning and is being used precociously, being combined with tajdid or renewal of the Faith. A good starting point to read about the conversation between Democracy and Islam is the book by Yusuf Qaradawi, "The Priorities of the Islamic Movement in the Coming Phase."
In the spirit of Socratic questioning we must ask, "what is an authentic and truly prophetic model, organic to the historical paradigm of Muslim nations?" "Why should Muslims take on models and concepts from the West and show greater confidence in them than the West which has revealed a deep distrust and lack of confidence as highlighted by many of its own scholars and intellectuals" and "since the historical trajectory of the Islamic civilization is different in many ways to that of the West and its relationship with religion don't calls from Westerners for democratization lack historical knowledge and reek of paternalism." To his credit West does say that "Western style democracy has no future in the Islamic world."
I think the most salient point in the book and where he is his finest is when talking about our problems at home. Our need to be self critical of the abuse of power, the nihilisms that it leads to, the destructive Empire that succumbs to Imperialisms and the proper way in which to engage our strong historical democratic tradition and forces against the dark side of American Empire.
This requires paidea, or the cultivation of critical and active citizenry, something in my opinion that not only non Muslims but also Muslims here and abroad can gain from. America can be a force for good if it checks it's hubris, fights imperialism, and most importantly re-invigorates those forces that oppose expansionism, free-market fundamentalism, and oppression at home.
May 16, 2024
I decided to read this book to learn more about Dr West, who is running as a 2024 presidential candidate. I have a lot of thoughts, I'll write them here:
- The book reads the way Dr West talks - intelligent, rambling, and personal. Dr West has an ability to make connections between topics that you wouldn't necessarily think are related, so the book stays engaging.
- This book, though written in 2005, is remarkably current and echoes much of what I've heard Dr West say in recent interviews and speeches. His chapter on Israel and Palestine is not as radical as his speeches now, but I do believe in the context of 2005 that they were. In many ways, it reads kind of like a political platform: Dr West identifies what he sees as the greatest threats against American democracy today, and what must be done to right the ship.
- Something I found interesting was an underlying paradox that I felt while reading this book. Dr West talks repeatedly about systemic anti-democratic processes and ideologies built into America. How democratic people have always clashed with the anti-democratic foundations of the country. He lists great American musicians, authors, and revolutionaries who explicitly opposed the systemic anti-democracy in America (most importantly slavery). And despite the fact that he repeatedly establishes the anti-democratic nature of what we consider to be "democracy" in America, he holds a hope for this country - a hope I don't relate to at all. He seems to care about some essence of America that we can tap into in order to make this place better. I think he has this belief partly because of his deep Christian spirituality (and I really appreciated his chapter on this prophetic Christianity) and his connection to tragicomic elements of Black culture, such as the blues. These two concepts are also not things I relate to. But despite not relating to or even agreeing with his position, reading Dr West's candidness about the very dark parts of America, and his simultaneous preservation of hope and faith for the development of democracy here, has inspired me and my outlook on struggle in a way I didn't expect. And also, it made me understand that this is the level of nuance, commitment, intelligence, and kindness that we should always expect from our politicians and especially our President.
Edit: after reading some reviews I understand even more that what I appreciate most about Dr West isn't his opinions or his arguments but his outlook on life, as a beautiful mixture of the good and the bad. He holds a lot of love, but it's not overly optimistic or wishy-washy or romanticized in any of the watered-down ways we think of love nowadays. He just clearly loves democracy and life and living and it feels contagious.
- The book reads the way Dr West talks - intelligent, rambling, and personal. Dr West has an ability to make connections between topics that you wouldn't necessarily think are related, so the book stays engaging.
- This book, though written in 2005, is remarkably current and echoes much of what I've heard Dr West say in recent interviews and speeches. His chapter on Israel and Palestine is not as radical as his speeches now, but I do believe in the context of 2005 that they were. In many ways, it reads kind of like a political platform: Dr West identifies what he sees as the greatest threats against American democracy today, and what must be done to right the ship.
- Something I found interesting was an underlying paradox that I felt while reading this book. Dr West talks repeatedly about systemic anti-democratic processes and ideologies built into America. How democratic people have always clashed with the anti-democratic foundations of the country. He lists great American musicians, authors, and revolutionaries who explicitly opposed the systemic anti-democracy in America (most importantly slavery). And despite the fact that he repeatedly establishes the anti-democratic nature of what we consider to be "democracy" in America, he holds a hope for this country - a hope I don't relate to at all. He seems to care about some essence of America that we can tap into in order to make this place better. I think he has this belief partly because of his deep Christian spirituality (and I really appreciated his chapter on this prophetic Christianity) and his connection to tragicomic elements of Black culture, such as the blues. These two concepts are also not things I relate to. But despite not relating to or even agreeing with his position, reading Dr West's candidness about the very dark parts of America, and his simultaneous preservation of hope and faith for the development of democracy here, has inspired me and my outlook on struggle in a way I didn't expect. And also, it made me understand that this is the level of nuance, commitment, intelligence, and kindness that we should always expect from our politicians and especially our President.
Edit: after reading some reviews I understand even more that what I appreciate most about Dr West isn't his opinions or his arguments but his outlook on life, as a beautiful mixture of the good and the bad. He holds a lot of love, but it's not overly optimistic or wishy-washy or romanticized in any of the watered-down ways we think of love nowadays. He just clearly loves democracy and life and living and it feels contagious.
May 27, 2020
Ugh I love Cornel so much. Honestly this book was meant for the general public, so the bare bones of what he says in this book were nothing new to me, though his way of saying it and his perspective and observations on certain things are far more eloquent than I could ever be. In this sense Cornel is great giver of language and insight, someone who can put into words what you already know (if youre already a lover of democracy in the truest sense of the word like he is). I also found myself disagreeing with Cornel in this one, particularly on his explanation for the lethargy of the younger (my) generation. While I agree with his observations and even some of his analysis, I think he fell a little into the paternalistic trap of underestimating young people's abilities. For one though I enjoyed disagreeing with him because it made me see that i am evolving a little in my intellectual and political opinions, and am not just dogmatically following hero figures like I used to. In any case, where Cornel truly shines for me in this work (and all his works really) is in how much knowledge of other people's work he brings to the table. Its very rare to read a paragraph written by Cornel where he doesn't reference someone. This acknowledgement of those who came before him and shaped his mind is not only a great showcase of humility and a key democratization of knowledge, it also is very useful for those among us who are unfamiliar with key figures from the intellectual left both within the academia and from the ground. I have after reading this book (i listened to it really but same effect) a very long list of authors and books to read next that I either had never heard of or forgotten about. It was also super fun to see Cornel mention a columbia professor that I had the honor of learning from this semester in this book, Dr Farah Griffin. She teaches an incredible class on african american literature and to know that cornel mentored her just solidifies my love for both even further. Couldnt recommend this book more.
January 14, 2025
A rebuke to the imperial (or Justinian, in the author's terms) rule of America written a few years after September 11, 2001. Much of West's writing advocates for a return towards a prophetic tradition, using religion for purposes of good, for social justice, for democracy, rather than religion co-opting political discourse towards the justification of top-down rule by elites. West holds both political parties for what he calls political nihilism, the inability to tell the truth about the lack of meaning (spiritual or otherwise) experienced by Americans (of all stripes) and the blind submission to market capitalism to solve our collective crises.
Expertly argued, concise yet precise, and worth revisiting. Though more than 20 years old, it partially explains why West ran as an independent in the 2024 election and a lot of what he mentions is still relevant today. Also draws on a significant amount of cultural references, including rap music, blues, and literature.
Expertly argued, concise yet precise, and worth revisiting. Though more than 20 years old, it partially explains why West ran as an independent in the 2024 election and a lot of what he mentions is still relevant today. Also draws on a significant amount of cultural references, including rap music, blues, and literature.
September 17, 2020
Wide in scope but genuine in purpose, Cornel West's "Democracy Matters" offers a passionate and prophetic perspective on the essence of the American democratic experiment--emphasizing personal and societal self-assessment in the struggle to realize a more egalitarian future for all.
September 24, 2020
Another required reading. Such beautiful prose, though I have to admit I skimmed the long diatribes on Christianity. A little preachy in the section about Christianity and about his Harvard scandal, but thoroughly enjoyed the parts about Israel, hip hop, and Toni Morrison.
March 7, 2010
p.52
"The three most indigenous forms of democratic radicalism initiated by white males in the American democratic experiment - populism, progressivism, and trade unionism - made major contributions to taming the corruption, graft, and greed of plutocratic elites and corrupt politicians. The farmers-led populist movement was a backlash against the free market fundamentalism of "the money kings" and "the business princes" of the Gilded Age. It called for more democratic participation of rural producers in the shaping of government and business policy. The progressive movement was an urban middle-class backlash against the corrupt ties of politicians to corporate elites and the unfettered greed of financial bosses. It called for more democratic input and bureaucratic efficiency over public policy. The trade-union movement was the worker-led backlash (often by new immigrants) against the free-market fundamentalism of corporate owners and financial bosses. It called for more democratic control over the workplace, especially more say in wages paid to laborers.
...
"In fact, all three movements tended to be xenophobic and imperialist even as they were deeply democratic. They stand as vital achievements in deepening our democracy, and yet we must acknowledge the limits of each in coming to terms with the legacy of race and empire, as well as the need for continued vigilance on all three of these crucial fronts."
His take on American imperialism and democracy within Jewish/Islamic traditions is tiring. Why doesn't he write like he speaks?
p154 Catholic Worker Movement and Dorothy Day "by fighting for better conditions, by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, or the poor, of the destitute - the rights of the worthy and the unworthy poor... we can to a certain extent change the world: we can work for the oasis, the little cell of joy and peace in a harried world."
"The three most indigenous forms of democratic radicalism initiated by white males in the American democratic experiment - populism, progressivism, and trade unionism - made major contributions to taming the corruption, graft, and greed of plutocratic elites and corrupt politicians. The farmers-led populist movement was a backlash against the free market fundamentalism of "the money kings" and "the business princes" of the Gilded Age. It called for more democratic participation of rural producers in the shaping of government and business policy. The progressive movement was an urban middle-class backlash against the corrupt ties of politicians to corporate elites and the unfettered greed of financial bosses. It called for more democratic input and bureaucratic efficiency over public policy. The trade-union movement was the worker-led backlash (often by new immigrants) against the free-market fundamentalism of corporate owners and financial bosses. It called for more democratic control over the workplace, especially more say in wages paid to laborers.
...
"In fact, all three movements tended to be xenophobic and imperialist even as they were deeply democratic. They stand as vital achievements in deepening our democracy, and yet we must acknowledge the limits of each in coming to terms with the legacy of race and empire, as well as the need for continued vigilance on all three of these crucial fronts."
His take on American imperialism and democracy within Jewish/Islamic traditions is tiring. Why doesn't he write like he speaks?
p154 Catholic Worker Movement and Dorothy Day "by fighting for better conditions, by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, or the poor, of the destitute - the rights of the worthy and the unworthy poor... we can to a certain extent change the world: we can work for the oasis, the little cell of joy and peace in a harried world."
December 31, 2014
This is the book of Cornel’s where you learn to subdivide Christianity into two kinds: Constantinian and Prophetic. The Romans co-opted the church when it couldn’t control it and it became a defanged tool of the state now known as Constantinian Christianity. Prophetic Christianity, on the other hand, draws on the prophetic legacy of Jesus: humility, loving your neighbors and helping the poor, etc. Christians who say yes to every war and proudly stand behind the guns of the state with the rippling flags are Constantinian Christians. If, as a Christian, you dare to concern yourself with facts and ethics, and are concerned with welfare of all people everywhere on the globe, then you are a believer in Prophetic Christianity. The state and media use Constantinian religious rhetoric to sell the wars of the state. Greatest quote inside: “All nations make decisions based on self-interest and defend them in the name of morality.” Cornel points towards renouncing narrow self-interest and developing a web of caring between all the peoples of the world. He also explains why an activist must be broadly educated. He views Martin Luther King as America’s last call to conscience with his connecting of race, poverty and war. And my favorite part of the book was learning the Greek concept of Parrhesia, which means fearless speech. Socrates admitted that it was the cause of his unpopularity. The only thing that is going to save this planet in the future is a universal Greek chorus of Parrhesia. Staying quiet on important causes bores ourselves, stifles our creativity, and changes nothing. Christianity and democracy have both been hijacked; it’s time to go get both back! Great book.
July 19, 2014
It's pretty rant-ish, his analysis is not terribly nuanced or original. It usually amounts to things like, gosh, did you know that capitalism produces a society where people pursue profit to the point that they are alienated from social/personal fulfillment. It's about as vanilla as leftist thought comes. That aside, the book does seem to come from a sincere effort to diagnose the American situation circa 2005. And as someone currently studying classics, it was nice to encounter lots of references to Plato and Thucydides. Everything sort of breaks down in the last chapter when he talks about how much of a spineless prick Larry Summers is. His attempt to spin what is basically personal gossip into his broader analysis, while well intentioned, just comes across as being really self-centered, and not very interesting. This seems to suffer from the same problem which a lot of leftist political writing did in the last decade, you really have to struggle to read it as much more than a reaction to the insane bullshit of the Bush administration. But that's one elephant in the room that we're all still trying to get past, so I can't really fault him for not succeeding in the thick of it.
November 11, 2011
When I mentioned I was picking this book up, someone who I don't agree with often politically but deeply respect had mentioned he wasn't a fan. When I finished the book and talked about it with some folks, someone else who typically falls into West's ideological camp said it best - for someone of his academic stature, there sure are a lot of platitudes and not much meat to it.
I could go into a really long critique about why he's misguided/wrong. The issue with this is not so much that he's wrong, but that so much of the book is a rambly mess, with a significant amount of self-congratulatory back-patting toward the end sandwiching some interesting, but unpersuasive, arguments for his point of view. I kept finding myself thinking back to Thomas Sowell's Vision of the Anointed, which was also angry and direct, but had a lot more meat to it.
I can't recommend, and I would love to read something a little more coherent from this side of the ideological divide. Closer to a 1.5.
I could go into a really long critique about why he's misguided/wrong. The issue with this is not so much that he's wrong, but that so much of the book is a rambly mess, with a significant amount of self-congratulatory back-patting toward the end sandwiching some interesting, but unpersuasive, arguments for his point of view. I kept finding myself thinking back to Thomas Sowell's Vision of the Anointed, which was also angry and direct, but had a lot more meat to it.
I can't recommend, and I would love to read something a little more coherent from this side of the ideological divide. Closer to a 1.5.
February 27, 2013
In Democracy Matters, Prof. Cornel West from Princeton (and formerly Harvard until that episode with Larry Sumners) speaks of the reach democratic tradition in the country, and presents it as a way to fight the growing inequalities. He walks us poetically through the works of democratic beacons such as James Baldwin, Ralph Emerson Waldo, Toni Morrison, Herman Melville, and the democratic foundations (what he generalizes as "the prophetic" or the pursuit of justice) of the Jewish, Islamic and Christian religions.
It is instantly obvious that Prof. West is someone who has a deep knowledge of American society and culture, and though his geopolitical assertions may be lacking, he does assert rightly that s lot of the modern problems of racism and inequality are due to the imperial power of the United States in the world. It is a book that doesn't diverge into tangents, and present a cohesive view of democracy as a continuous struggle and a process rather than a defined political state of being.
It is instantly obvious that Prof. West is someone who has a deep knowledge of American society and culture, and though his geopolitical assertions may be lacking, he does assert rightly that s lot of the modern problems of racism and inequality are due to the imperial power of the United States in the world. It is a book that doesn't diverge into tangents, and present a cohesive view of democracy as a continuous struggle and a process rather than a defined political state of being.
Read
November 15, 2014About as lovable an intellectual as we have in America, Cornel West defends these William James values of social work, democracy, and Socratic searching. While I find it difficult to disagree with his message of hope, participative politics, mutual understanding, and all around good vibes, and while I envy his radically optimistic worldview, this book kinda sucked.
Maybe I'm the wrong audience, but it didn't offer me any groundbreaking analysis or sharp solutions, so I'm left with a 200-page motivational seminar, albeit a well-written one.
Maybe I'm the wrong audience, but it didn't offer me any groundbreaking analysis or sharp solutions, so I'm left with a 200-page motivational seminar, albeit a well-written one.
June 10, 2009
West revisits the all the issues he addresses (and hasn't stopped addressing since) in "Race Matters." I enjoyed this one much more. Perhaps it's the cultural relevancy for me (I'm more in tune with the politics of the last twenty years than the previous twenty). It did feel like the writing was tighter here and a little more explanatory, which helped, but at the same time did not lose the musicality that is Cornel's speaking and writing.
November 7, 2016
p. 15 Cornel West makes vitally important points on our need to empower and inspire a democratic way of thinking and behaving,
p. 16 Socratic? Tikkun Olam, Hope
p. 19 I must read Checkhov after I finish el Quixote
p. 22 Nice citation of Walt Whitman qnd Modern Jim Crow ... "the way we fight"
p. 16 Socratic? Tikkun Olam, Hope
p. 19 I must read Checkhov after I finish el Quixote
p. 22 Nice citation of Walt Whitman qnd Modern Jim Crow ... "the way we fight"
June 16, 2020
One of the most important and lyrical voices alive today.
Read
June 26, 2020For the month of June I read Democracy Matters by Cornel West. In this book, West examines the current state of democracy not only in the United States, but in the Middle East as well. West admonishes the imperialistic attitudes, deeply rooted in American history, and which he argues, still stall the advancement of genuine democracy today. Particularly interesting is his discussion of American imperialism and race, and how imperialistic mentalities have historically marginalized and oppressed people of color, in particular Native American and Blacks, and continue to do so today. Far from being a dispiriting indictment of so many things wrong in American, West delves into what he calls the “deep democratic tradition America”. This book explores the works of American thinkers and writers like Emerson, Herman Melville, Toni Morrison, all of whom West claims helped to cultivate in the United States a tradition of compassion, love of justice and freedom, and community mindedness.
As the service term nears an end, I feel compelled to reflect upon the significance of my time spent in CTEP. In considering the meaning and importance of digital literacy, my focus is drawn to the word literacy. For me personally, this word invokes the writings of Paulo Freire, who discussed literacy as not merely the ability to read and write, but to be able to “intervene” in the world. This is to say, the literate person, possesses the capacity to transform themselves and the world around them through their ability to interpret and contextualize texts, and to communicate their own unique understanding of the world. I believe digital literacy ought to have the same connotation, making its aim to create - through an electronic medium - informed and engaged citizens, capable of fostering and propelling positive change.
In his book, Cornel West discusses various nihilisms, which he argues are undermining the “deep democratic tradition” in the United States. I believe in part, he is referring to a prevailing sense of being unable to intervene in the world, to be able to understand and react to important events and pressing social or political issues. With such a large body of human knowledge now existing in a digital format, I think that digital literacy has a large role to play in fostering informed, engaged, and democratic communities that are capable of overcoming paralyzing nihilism.
As the service term nears an end, I feel compelled to reflect upon the significance of my time spent in CTEP. In considering the meaning and importance of digital literacy, my focus is drawn to the word literacy. For me personally, this word invokes the writings of Paulo Freire, who discussed literacy as not merely the ability to read and write, but to be able to “intervene” in the world. This is to say, the literate person, possesses the capacity to transform themselves and the world around them through their ability to interpret and contextualize texts, and to communicate their own unique understanding of the world. I believe digital literacy ought to have the same connotation, making its aim to create - through an electronic medium - informed and engaged citizens, capable of fostering and propelling positive change.
In his book, Cornel West discusses various nihilisms, which he argues are undermining the “deep democratic tradition” in the United States. I believe in part, he is referring to a prevailing sense of being unable to intervene in the world, to be able to understand and react to important events and pressing social or political issues. With such a large body of human knowledge now existing in a digital format, I think that digital literacy has a large role to play in fostering informed, engaged, and democratic communities that are capable of overcoming paralyzing nihilism.
October 3, 2019
As someone of the Opinion that good books hardly provide us with answers, but rather furnish us with the ability to ask better questions, I really loved the book for its simplicity and accessibility ,as it were. I love the types of questions I find myself asking, with a view to making my life a lifelong artistic project ;and being engaged in social matters as perhaps the biggest duty a patriot has. The book is not only relevant to American society (I am a Kenyan in Kenya) ,but also in any event that two or more people with hopes and dreams are in a room, a scenario where a conversation ought to had.
I found West's erudition quite compelling and perhaps through this book one finds new peepholes into books that seemed underwhelming before-I've never loved Moby Dick yet suddenly I find it intriguing . You learn a few things here and there in history ,about hip-hop , Jazz, the blues and their antecedents.
I also appreciated the writing style, the lyricism, how West's voice and individuality percolates between words and phrases.
"One shouldn't be self-indulgent but rather self-critical" is a common theme in the book and perhaps my confirmation biases blind me to flaws in the book as the experience mostly felt like reading my mind and my "philosophy of life", so to speak.
I found West's erudition quite compelling and perhaps through this book one finds new peepholes into books that seemed underwhelming before-I've never loved Moby Dick yet suddenly I find it intriguing . You learn a few things here and there in history ,about hip-hop , Jazz, the blues and their antecedents.
I also appreciated the writing style, the lyricism, how West's voice and individuality percolates between words and phrases.
"One shouldn't be self-indulgent but rather self-critical" is a common theme in the book and perhaps my confirmation biases blind me to flaws in the book as the experience mostly felt like reading my mind and my "philosophy of life", so to speak.
February 12, 2023
Distinguished professor and philosopher, Cornel West offers a thoughtful and thought-provoking commentary on the state of the American democratic experiment. More than simply narrating an analysis of who we are and why, West presses us to consider how far we still must go and the barriers we need to overcome to get there.
Penned as a follow-up to his book Race Matters, West takes the next step in his analysis on the state of our union, positioning race (appropriately) at the center of what we still must address.
Of note is West’s framework on political nihilism which manifests in several forms and the prophetic commitment to justice issues that are necessary to overcome.
It is important to note that this book is approaching its 20th anniversary. While the power of some of the political anecdotes that were contemporary at the time might be lost on a modern audience, West proves his bona fides as an cultural critic in how prescient he has proven to be. Time and again throughout the book, West offers a diagnosis that remains more than true to this day.
Cornel West is one of the great thought leaders of our generation. He brings an important perspective that must be considered. As with all writers and teachers who provoke, West’s thoughts require critique. But he cannot be dismissed.
Penned as a follow-up to his book Race Matters, West takes the next step in his analysis on the state of our union, positioning race (appropriately) at the center of what we still must address.
Of note is West’s framework on political nihilism which manifests in several forms and the prophetic commitment to justice issues that are necessary to overcome.
It is important to note that this book is approaching its 20th anniversary. While the power of some of the political anecdotes that were contemporary at the time might be lost on a modern audience, West proves his bona fides as an cultural critic in how prescient he has proven to be. Time and again throughout the book, West offers a diagnosis that remains more than true to this day.
Cornel West is one of the great thought leaders of our generation. He brings an important perspective that must be considered. As with all writers and teachers who provoke, West’s thoughts require critique. But he cannot be dismissed.
December 9, 2024
Interesting time capsule of US liberal political thought after-9/11 with many of the themes and issues still ongoing and unresolved today. The first three chapters explored the role of free-markets vs. regulation, imperialism, media, culture, and how we otherize groups - at the time through the lens of Islamic terrorism.
After these chapters, there was less that rang as relevant today. Despite the ongoing conflicts in the middle east and the lack of any viable answer to Israel/Palestine existence, the writing was too centered on US dependence on foreign oil for foreign policy decisions. While energy is still somewhat important, post-fracking boom US is way more focused on economic power/threats, so this chapter was more hit and miss. The Christian fundamentalism that was very apparent and relevant them, seems less relevant today with the rise of MAGA and class-based populism. Similarly, I didn't find as much interesting in the Youth chapter or the little taste of philosophical political theory/grounding at the end.
Overall, it stood up better than I expected a 20 year old book on political theory to stand up; however, it didn't strike me a particularly poignant or necessary work to read.
After these chapters, there was less that rang as relevant today. Despite the ongoing conflicts in the middle east and the lack of any viable answer to Israel/Palestine existence, the writing was too centered on US dependence on foreign oil for foreign policy decisions. While energy is still somewhat important, post-fracking boom US is way more focused on economic power/threats, so this chapter was more hit and miss. The Christian fundamentalism that was very apparent and relevant them, seems less relevant today with the rise of MAGA and class-based populism. Similarly, I didn't find as much interesting in the Youth chapter or the little taste of philosophical political theory/grounding at the end.
Overall, it stood up better than I expected a 20 year old book on political theory to stand up; however, it didn't strike me a particularly poignant or necessary work to read.
July 28, 2020
This is an important book about American culture. It’s easy to forget where the parameters of democracy lie when concepts on either side of it become such taboos, like they have in America since WWII, the Vietnam war and the Iraq war. It’s easy to misunderstand where the idea of democracy came from in America when the norm becomes to consistently spend five times more money on military than any other country in the world. Cornel West writes from a deep understanding of American, Christian, Muslim, Jewish and western philosophical history. His discussion of race, religion, capitalism, equality and justice is unparalleled. What an important time for him to have written this during the Bush presidency. Written when wealth disparity had only begun to get out of hand in America and the federal government was used like never before as an instrument of wealthy capitalist elites. Written at a time when there was so much bubbling idealistic dreaming and yet so much violent sublimation of anger into racial hate.
October 5, 2019
This is one of my least favorite Cornel West books. It is ostensibly a book about democracy, but it's actually mostly a rant about race (and separately, religion). It's unclear to me what he means by democracy (although I'm not a huge fan of what I understand to be democracy, myself; human rights are critical, but the system of representation for government is an instrumentality.)
His whole "argumentation style" is a mix of nice-sounding rant mixed with fairly out of context and over the top references. When he's talking about racial issues directly, he's more clear, but viewing every single aspect of the world through a racial lens seems insane (he's worse than the white supremacist/nazi/etc whackos in degree!)
The really horrible part is when he goes into economics; he's basically a Marxist.
His whole "argumentation style" is a mix of nice-sounding rant mixed with fairly out of context and over the top references. When he's talking about racial issues directly, he's more clear, but viewing every single aspect of the world through a racial lens seems insane (he's worse than the white supremacist/nazi/etc whackos in degree!)
The really horrible part is when he goes into economics; he's basically a Marxist.
November 16, 2020
It's A Matter of Perspective
Written by Mandi Chestler on August 15th, 2007
Book Rating: 4/5
Cornel West is a masterful writer and intellectual. His book offers a view of American history and democracy totally stripped of the rose-colored glasses perspective often found in more traditional texts. However, his tendency to blame the ills of the world on deep-rooted, undiminished White Supremacy still lurking beneath the surface of American society seems a bit convenient and simplistic. Yes, America's history of slavery and racism is a terrible thing, and there can be absolutely no excuses for past abuses. But even as I found myself fascinated by Dr. West's very original ideas, I simultaneously wished he would give credit for at least some posititve progress towards equality and improved ethnic race relations in our country. It would have made his good book even better.
May 29, 2017
Dr. West has a socio-political lens that is nuanced and open understanding and interpreting all sorts of subtle trends and influences. He wrote this one back when 'W' was stumbling through his eight years and Dr. West felt the need to remind us what the endpoint of the trend of political nihilism would be. He was right.
Also, it feels important to include current art into a theory about political interaction, as art is taking the pulse of the culture that births it. Even ephemeral cultural items may give us important insights into the moment.
I'm glad I got to see Dr. West speak at Keene State, even though I was much more focused on KRS One at the time.
Also, it feels important to include current art into a theory about political interaction, as art is taking the pulse of the culture that births it. Even ephemeral cultural items may give us important insights into the moment.
I'm glad I got to see Dr. West speak at Keene State, even though I was much more focused on KRS One at the time.
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