Yes! I try to explain to people that the reason the south especially the deep south is so unruly is because we tend to be made up of English, Irish, and Scots. We pretty much judge each according to their behavior towards us. That's it. And we teach a culture of personal choice along with personal responsibility. The North and Especially the the Northeast is filled with Germans. I hate their culture. Sorry.
I can still hear my mom. "Well Brandy, think of the worst possible consequence that could happen if you do X. Can you live with it? If so, do it."
Note: I can still be set off to become quite tribal, but its more an "attacking my little sister" kinda thing.
Hear hear! And the original English that populated the Northeast (my ancestors, the English Puritans) were essentially Germanic in their thinking (being hardcore Calvanist utopians and all). The deep stain of suspicion, individual fragility, fanaticism, and witch-huntery still persists there--I can smell it in the air anytime I spend a summer or three in New England.
Strong men want growth, adventure, and freedom. Weak men want to be coddled and controlled. The system we now live in trains men and women to be weak but think they are virtuous and powerful. They are now the majority and resent the strong, resent the free, and resent having to think critically. Great article
Right on, as usual. My pseudonym gives some indication of where I'm coming from. I've always been concerned about ideology, any ideology. This essay crystalizes my reasons. Ideology is a surrendering of one's own thought process to the demands of the mob.
I have an observation, although I'm not sure what thesis it proves: I drove from Frankfurt, Germany to Rome, Italy a few years ago. In Germany, there are strict rules. No, not laws, rules. You will not drive slow in the left lane unless you are OK with being tailgated at 100 mph. It is easy enough to discern the real rules of the road, because everyone practices them. But the closer I got to Rome, the more chaotic it became. In Southern Italy, there are no rules. Drive however you want. Be in the way and don't worry about it. I state this is absolute proof of something, but I'm not exactly sure what.
1. I'm surprised you didn't contrast American success in war being (mostly) inversely related to the centralization being temporary. Even Wilson wasn't able to maintain things like his nationalization of the railroads after WW1. WW2, of course, is the exception, but it was followed by Korea, Vietnam, and the GWoT. The success in that period were short and limited, ie pragmatic.
2. Never thought of the Netherlands as Nordic.
3. I wish you'd touched a bit more on the different uses and purposes of exclusion in the two mindsets. Both use it but on different lines (purity vs. contribution to grossly simplify) and to different degrees.
4. I'm surprised no discussion of "the personal is the political" being the most common expression of the idealist core in the US.
5. Between this and the body/spirit post you're convincing me the importance of "the resurrection of the body" focus in Orthodoxy in my journey from Protestantism to Eastern Orthodoxy.
1) Oddly, I didn't even think of it. Kitty pointed it out to me after the article published (as did you). It's a hell of an observation. I like it!
2) The Netherlands is a mix of the Norse (Viking) and the Germanic. Not *strictly* Nordic, but close enough for government work on this particular score.
3) Very interesting angle
4) That would've been a very deep rabbit hole. I wanted to keep this one readably short and share-ably punchy :-)
5) I have a LOT of problems with Orthodoxy, but their insistence on rooting their anthropology in the body is one of their wisest and finest features, in my not-so-humble opinion.
When the very first footnote - not to say the entire essay - convinces you your paid subscription is worth it, you've found the right Substack.
Anyone who cites both the Longshoreman Philosopher and Heinlein is worth following.
Yes! I try to explain to people that the reason the south especially the deep south is so unruly is because we tend to be made up of English, Irish, and Scots. We pretty much judge each according to their behavior towards us. That's it. And we teach a culture of personal choice along with personal responsibility. The North and Especially the the Northeast is filled with Germans. I hate their culture. Sorry.
I can still hear my mom. "Well Brandy, think of the worst possible consequence that could happen if you do X. Can you live with it? If so, do it."
Note: I can still be set off to become quite tribal, but its more an "attacking my little sister" kinda thing.
Hear hear! And the original English that populated the Northeast (my ancestors, the English Puritans) were essentially Germanic in their thinking (being hardcore Calvanist utopians and all). The deep stain of suspicion, individual fragility, fanaticism, and witch-huntery still persists there--I can smell it in the air anytime I spend a summer or three in New England.
Omgosh, same! My dad's family live in Gettysburg. They are from the PA Dutch. It is very stifling there.
Strong men want growth, adventure, and freedom. Weak men want to be coddled and controlled. The system we now live in trains men and women to be weak but think they are virtuous and powerful. They are now the majority and resent the strong, resent the free, and resent having to think critically. Great article
Oh yes - excellent essay.
What an excellent post - again!
Right on, as usual. My pseudonym gives some indication of where I'm coming from. I've always been concerned about ideology, any ideology. This essay crystalizes my reasons. Ideology is a surrendering of one's own thought process to the demands of the mob.
I have an observation, although I'm not sure what thesis it proves: I drove from Frankfurt, Germany to Rome, Italy a few years ago. In Germany, there are strict rules. No, not laws, rules. You will not drive slow in the left lane unless you are OK with being tailgated at 100 mph. It is easy enough to discern the real rules of the road, because everyone practices them. But the closer I got to Rome, the more chaotic it became. In Southern Italy, there are no rules. Drive however you want. Be in the way and don't worry about it. I state this is absolute proof of something, but I'm not exactly sure what.
Random points:
1. I'm surprised you didn't contrast American success in war being (mostly) inversely related to the centralization being temporary. Even Wilson wasn't able to maintain things like his nationalization of the railroads after WW1. WW2, of course, is the exception, but it was followed by Korea, Vietnam, and the GWoT. The success in that period were short and limited, ie pragmatic.
2. Never thought of the Netherlands as Nordic.
3. I wish you'd touched a bit more on the different uses and purposes of exclusion in the two mindsets. Both use it but on different lines (purity vs. contribution to grossly simplify) and to different degrees.
4. I'm surprised no discussion of "the personal is the political" being the most common expression of the idealist core in the US.
5. Between this and the body/spirit post you're convincing me the importance of "the resurrection of the body" focus in Orthodoxy in my journey from Protestantism to Eastern Orthodoxy.
1) Oddly, I didn't even think of it. Kitty pointed it out to me after the article published (as did you). It's a hell of an observation. I like it!
2) The Netherlands is a mix of the Norse (Viking) and the Germanic. Not *strictly* Nordic, but close enough for government work on this particular score.
3) Very interesting angle
4) That would've been a very deep rabbit hole. I wanted to keep this one readably short and share-ably punchy :-)
5) I have a LOT of problems with Orthodoxy, but their insistence on rooting their anthropology in the body is one of their wisest and finest features, in my not-so-humble opinion.