Posted on 12/13/2019 1:47:18 PM PST by billorites
Love the phrase “OBushinton political class”.
“....the force of his movement, the soundness of his policies, and the base vacuity and snobbery of much of the criticism of him”.
Perfectly stated.
I believe the technical term for this slight lift of the left end of the upper lip is “sophistry”, an attitude that the perpetrator of this wisdom is simply the smartest person in the room.
After all, his (or her) mother had often repeated how very precious (pr precocious) her “smart kid” was. Now they believe it themselves.
Peggy Noonan was one of Reagan’s speechwriters and has become a terrific columnist. She wrote some good stuff explaining Trump and his attraction to the political class. I am deeply disappointed she has emerged as a disdainer.
This was a very well written article but even though I pride myself on a pretty decent vocabulary, I had to look up a couple of words.
All you've got is "whatabout Reagan"?
I like it too, but I would have referenced it as the oBushington Deep State political class.
Make no mistake about it, he and his cronies are all on the Deep State’s band wagon.
? The piece is pro-Trump.
Or, perhaps the "air" is the last effort of one merely attempting to be relevant without committing to an opinion which might, later, be held in "disdain" among the vast East and West Coasts' army of haters.
- sophist
- 1542, earlier sophister (c.1380), from L. sophista, sophistes, from Gk. sophistes, from sophizesthai "to become wise or learned," from sophos "wise, clever," of unknown origin. Gk. sophistes came to mean "one who gives intellectual instruction for pay," and, contrasted with "philosopher," it became a term of contempt. Ancient sophists were famous for their clever, specious arguments.
- philosopher
- O.E. philosophe, from L. philosophus, from Gk. philosophos "philosopher," lit. "lover of wisdom," from philos "loving" + sophos "wise, a sage."
"Pythagoras was the first who called himself philosophos, instead of sophos, 'wise man,' since this latter term was suggestive of immodesty." [Klein]
- philosophy
- A fondness or love for wisdom that leads to searches for it; hence, seeking a knowledge of the general principles of elements, powers, examples, and laws that are supported by facts and the existence of rational explanations about practical wisdom and knowledge.
True. It’s also inane.
Great, great writing and I love this:
“”He is rising in the polls, has told the haters and the disdainers to stuff their complaints, bring on the impeachment burlesque, and he will see his enemies on Election Day.””
Thanks for posting...
Didn’t the Iran-Contra affair also involve a cake?
“But historians who write untainted by the cant, emotionalism, and bias ...”
Sometimes this takes less time than you think it will. Watching “Killing Jimmy Hoffa” (2015) I noticed that most of the well-below-age-fifty authors and historians they had on betrayed no special love or awe for the Kennedys and their Camelot. They seems disgusted or contemptuous if anything. It was very refreshing to see.
Peggy Noonan?
The verbose, bloviating GOP dinosaur?
The voice of the Complacent Republican Establishment?
Peggy long ago revealed that she couldn’t care less about the concerns of Trump voters.
Well, I seem to translate his bottom line point being the same people ie. Noonan etc. that would criticize Trump for “perceived” behaviors that someone like Reagan would get from them a complete pass.
I happen to agree with that.
Also I would agree that those very same people feel “disdainful” toward Trump and those that support him. Not hate but a sort of derision borne of self righteous arrogance and conservative puritanism.
I don’t know if the Greeks used the term sophist quite the same way that we do, but in English sophistry is the clever use of language in order to deceive. In contrast to philosophy, the love of wisdom.
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