Posted on 04/12/2021 4:05:17 AM PDT by Kaslin
In a recent essay for Quillette, Mark Goldblatt outlined the ways in which “scientists, theorists, technicians, entrepreneurs, and even a few kooks are laboring independently toward radical life extension, with an eye on the ultimate prize: the eradication of death.”
The eradication, he argues, is not as preposterous as it sounds. One day, in the not so distant future, immortality may very well be achieved. However, one thing is for sure, even if death is eradicated, one thing simply can’t be removed from the human equation - tribalism.
Mortality, Goldblatt argues, “is the defining feature of human existence.” Although this is very much true, right now, division is the defining feature of American existence.
The country is more divided than ever before. Suspicion reigns supreme. Tribalism is a natural part of human existence. In fact, both past and present, it’s the reason for so much animosity. In Northern Ireland, as I type, Protestants and Catholics are engaged in violent clashes. In Eastern Europe, the Croatian War of Independence, which ran from 1991 to 1995, was really a tale of two tribes, the Serbs and Croats. The Rwandan genocide, which resulted in over 800,000 deaths in 100 days, was tribalism at its most brutal.
Yes, these are extreme example of tribalism, but a deep-rooted hatred of the enemy can make humans do terrible things.
Which brings back to America; more specifically, American politics.
Can I trust you? Can we be friends? Would I want you as a neighbor? These questions appear to be shaped by the most important question in the United States right now – Red or Blue?
Ostensibly, Americans speak the same language. When it comes to politics, however, this is not the case. As the left becomes more left, those on the right view the other side as unreasonable – and more importantly, unreachable. The feeling, one assumes, is mutual, with those on the left viewing many a Republican as both unreasonable and unreachable.
As the always excellent John McWhorter recently pointed out, Americans have been struggling with basic definitions for years, and things appear to be getting worse. Words like “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion” have lost their meaning. As McWhorther writes, ‘many vocal people on the left now use social justice as a stand-in for justice,’ as if they are interchangeable (which they’re not). Words have been weaponized, with people using them to launch rhetorical hand grenades at each other.
Who suffers when words are misused, intentionally or otherwise? Fellow Americans. And when Americans suffer, America suffers.
What can be done?
Joe Biden, as you know, is the current president. I am not here to discuss his ability as a leader. No, what I am here to discuss is the fact that Joe Biden can never work to unite America. Why? One word: Baggage. More precisely, too much baggage.
This is why Hillary Clinton failed in her efforts back in 2016. It had far less to do with being a woman than it had to do with her history. Too many Americans simply did not trust her. The baggage was substantial in size.
Tucker Carlson, Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo, Donald Trump Jr., all of these names are being thrown around as potential presidential candidates. Although someone like Carlson would be extremely popular on the right, he would create an extreme reaction on the left. As Fox’s leading man, Carlson possesses too much partisan history to be a uniting leader.
Meanwhile, the Democrats, as mentioned earlier, are moving further left. The future of the party appears to be more “progressive,” with a capital P. Biden, for all his flaws, will seem extremely tame compared to his successors, I imagine.
Too extreme, be it in a left or right direction, is not god news for America. A future president needs to be more balanced, both tonally and ideologically.
Who is the right person for the job? How about JD Vance?
After all, what America needs is a Goldilocks candidate. Why not the man from Cincinnati?
It’s very early days, but the "Hillbilly Elegy" author appears to be eyeing up a possible Senate campaign in Ohio. Well over $10 million has been raised for a super PAC supporting the venture capitalist.
Although he has not officially announced a run for the US Senate, the PAC is doing everything in its power to recruit him.
Americans love a good rags-to-riches story, and Vance's background ticks all the boxes. A millionaire with genuine working-class roots is a rare thing indeed. Most importantly, Vance is very much a man of the people. Just 36-years-old, Vance, a husband and a father, has already accomplished so much at such a young age. Moreover, unlike all of the aforementioned figures, he doesn’t have any baggage. Of course, things can change, but Vance appears to have what so many politicians lack – commonsense.
Talking about a future President Vance may seem premature, and perhaps it is. Nevertheless, he is a family man, well-spoken, intelligent, and considerate. What he lacks in political experience, he makes up for in commonsense and acumen. This is the age of never-ending wars and the debasement of the US dollar. Commonsense is sorely lacking. Backed by the erudite Peter Thiel, Vance may very well end up becoming one of the most important figures in American politics.
In the aforementioned Quillette article, Goldblatt writes that the pursuit of immortality “is an extraordinarily long-term project with an unclear probability of success, you’re going to need the right sort of social arrangement to sponsor it. You’re going to need popular buy-in, and a logically consistent politics that esteems, defends, and incentivizes the pursuit.”
Substitute in the words “palatable presidential candidate” for “immortality” and the sentence still reads true. In the future, could JD Vance be the man to create a more united America?
This is not some sort of utopian dream. After all, according to the Greek definition, utopia simply means “nowhere.” In the future, a President Vance might be able to take America somewhere, somewhere more united, somewhere more open to the idea of commonsense politics.
What I learned from this article:
Some guy named JD Vance is from Cincinnati.
When have Republicans EVER gone far right? The USA has NEVER has a far right president but we have had many far left presidents (Wilson, Roosevelt, Johnson, Carter, Clinton, Obama).
The rats have moved so far left that John F Kennedy could not be elected as a democrat.
Anything close to the center is now considered far right.
I watched ‘Elegy’ and was bored out of my mind.
So he is running as a Republican, if he actually decides to run for the Ohio Senate.
Read the book. In the movie, Ron Howard tried to dodge the very penetrating issues Vance was raising on the sociological, political and cultural front. I assume that Howard, who is a conventional Hollywood liberal but a pretty decent guy who makes mainstream movies, recognized that Vance was too explosive for Hollywood to handle. He centered the movie on the underlying family drama while largely sidestepping the wider issues. The book is excellent. The left hates it because Vance insists that poor people have agency and that escaping the poverty trap is likely to require changing behavior.
I think my wife read it and therefore it is around the house. It sounds like I should find it and read it.
J.D. Vance was on Tucker the other night. It was a short teaser segment of a longer interview that is on the new paid-subscription Fox Nation. Vance seems like a very bright, well grounded guy. He may eventually warrant attention...but I’m still feeling VERY burned by the 2020 election.
Ivy lawyer. Yale,.
Unqualified
What exactly do you think disqualifies him?
Just watched the film and I think it’s safe to say that JD Vance would never sell the American people out to China. That the most important qualifier I can think of right now.
Young + potential. A bit too fat. Why aim so high right off the bat? We have to be pretty empty to think we can or need to catch lightning in a bottle. Starting off as an intellectual makes voters have to do their homework first. Track records. He has plenty of time but too much early ambition. Our issue is getting the best candidates to run. Jim Jordan anyone?
Because he may understand Horacio Alger well enough
But he is light on culture war
The war we are in is all culture
It’s not fiscal versus spenders
It’s the we hate white people and Christians
It’s the we hate America and western civ
It’s the we hate traditional family
It’s the we hate free people having guns
Against us
They wish to destroy out culture in total
JD Vance doesn’t get that...and Peter Theil who is useful regardless does not either
Neither does Townhall understand this either
They are clinging to the old paradigm ....not GOPe but not Trumpian either
Townhall is perfect for original Nevertrumpers here who have sneaked back in
I see them
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.