I'm still thinking and talking about the election. Which is wierd, since about one day before hand I couldn't have cared less who won. And now it's like I'm a fucking pinko commie Democrat.
Arthur Silber (my DNS at home is being a piece of shit so I can't find a link to him, just go down the page if you need one you lazy ass) wrote a great essay on what he calls contextual libertarianism. Which I consider a great leap for an Objectivist. Anyway, the basic idea is to advance your politics without the proverbial stick of rigid principles up your ass. Y'know, the basic pompousity problem of the LP and libertarianism in general. Lord knows I exemplify it sometimes, but since I've found this newly discovered affinity with Democrats and liberals in general (I've recognized it for some time but only lately has it approached the level where I would have to acknowledge it) it's made me particularly anxious and confused. I don't know why.
Silber puts it quite simply. He simply says that if he had to choose between the repressed, rigid, morally consistent Salem-esque world of the staunch Republicans and the near communist, atheistic, communal, hippie patchouli-infested smugness of the staunch Democrats, he'll take the liberals anyday. I have to agree. But it really is a shame.
Anyway, my girlfriend is reading every David Sedaris book she can find, and this morning I got up early and started his latest, Dress Your Family in Cordouroy and Denim. Just finished it and I can see the appeal and also why I avoided reading it for so long. In fact it's only Tasha's absence for the past 2 days that provoked me to pick it up, and the fact taht I'm sick of watching movies. Anyway, it's entertaining - the kind of humor I can see the liberal elite enjoying - morally vacuous, deep text with shallow but intriguiing themes. I only laughed at certain places and I get the feeling I was supposed be laughing the whole book long, but frankly I found it more interesting than humorous. He makes (god can't I come up with a synonym for) interesting observations, and it's (sigh) interesting to notice what he leaves out as well as what he includes in his writing. That interest and the feeling it provokes kinda makes me understand what it's like to be an English major. No wonder they're so cocky - nobody interprets every word out of their mouth on the 10 or 20 simultaneously different levels they meant it.
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