Nathan and a few others asked about the Third Worldist ideology that swept over the black rights movement in the 1960s. Specifically, he asked: “Do you consider Third Worldism to be connected to or the same as the exporting of Marxism from Western intellectuals to the former European colonies so that the oppressed peoples of the world could throw off the colonial masters?” I’m not sure I fully understand the question, but let’s use it as a prompt and see what falls out.
I just re-upped my subscription for a 2nd year, and articles like this are why (completely separate from the also-worth-it Jonestown & Whose America podcasts). Particularly struck by:
1. Roman parallels to modern America: onetime successful landowners displaced by mass immigration, which drives down wages and consolidates enterprise in a few powerful hands while relatively impoverishing others. I was once a loathsome radical libertarian who believed “complacent” Americans had no right to labor that could be done for half price by an immigrant. Now I understand that, “yeah, if I were supporting my family on $40/hr, and now a Guatemalan will do any of those jobs for $20/hr, I’m not taking a 50% pay cut, selling my house and never taking another vacation for the luxury of keeping my job.” The bipartisan free market view of the 80s, 90s and 00s is an economically correct one that has gutted the country and strip-mined its culture, because it is an incomplete/utopian vision of progress.
2. The geographically mobile economic nomad point. Our family has done well with this but you’re right: “local” culture and values are mostly extinct, replaced by hyper mobile paycheck-mercenaries. There was an old PBS special in which a northeastern linguist-academic lamented the disappearance of Philadelphia’s (and PA’s) *multiple* accents, which were different even between neighborhoods in Philly. If only she could have lived to see that most Texans you meet no longer even have an accent. And values, once local, and inculcated locally in schoolrooms and churches and civic clubs, are now national/international, and inculcated on screens and enforced by Western intelligence communities.
3. The idea that your gardening windfall (“it’s the same price for me to buy from WMT as it is to tend a garden”) is understandably shrug material for you, but panic material for any non-corporate farmer. As soon as that’s true, it’s lights out for millions
4. CIA involvement in culture. The more I read about the IC of the midcentury, the more I realize that the virtuous America I fought for as a Marine in the 00s probably hasn’t existed since WWII, and maybe not even then. To think that the Church Committee failed to address most of it, and what it did address largely just encouraged the IC to be more covert in its activities, and that they’re now gaining confidence that they can be bolder in their strong-armed tactics as it seems nobody can/will stop them...
“Someone who moves from Austin to Los Angeles for work, and may move again if the right opportunity arises, does not have a home in either place, even if he owns property in both cities.”
Very true. Have you heard any of VDH’s recent talks on his book “the dying citizen”? Really changed my perspective on citizenship, property, class, and politics.
I had no idea that it had been revealed that the CIA was actively subverting traditional art and culture. I subscribe here because I usually learn something new that I should have known.
I wonder which subversive cultural movements they are spending our $$$ on today.
Now I need to go squeeze Jackson Pollock into my list of the CIA's Top 10 Crimes Against Humanity...
“...can we expect some sort of “the pride is back” 80s vibe to roll in around 2030?”
I don’t think so. Reagan’s original 1980 “Make America Great Again” was vastly different than Trump’s 2016 revival. The WWII generation still had strong reserves to draw on; the glow of victory in Europe and the Pacific, the resulting post-war economic boom, the productive labor - management settlement, were all in living memory and a deep if latent patriotism was waiting to be stirred.
Reagan’s nostalgia was in service to a hopeful narrative for the future. Trump’s nostalgia only brought “American Carnage” into sharper focus. “MAGA” now is more a cry of despair than a call to glory.
“The pride is back” needs an origin story or collective psychic locus to pull from. Do our meaning making institutions provide one?
Honestly I'm pretty cool with the more thought out posts being punctuated with a steadier stream of stream-of-conscious posts. There is a lot of valuable tinder that probably gets lost in the quest for conciseness and perfection, which is admirable, but sketch books are great too.
This was an excellent answer. I loved reading about the relationship between the fall of the Roman Republic and what's happening now. There are so many similarities in how the Republican system that was made for a small city-state (or country) starts to fray at the seams once that country starts to expand into a global power
My question about Third Worldism is one I wish I could ask in person. It was difficult coming up with a concise way of putting it so I knew it would come across somewhat vague the moment I hit the post arrow. Anyway, I was trying to link several things at one time. If memory serves, it was in The Administration of Savagery where you mentioned how the Soviet/Communist propaganda essentially wrote itself. This Soviet propaganda fought against US propaganda for power/influence globally. A number of smaller, weaker nations appeared to be swerving toward the Soviet sphere from the late 60’s through the 80’s. (Side Note: I remember hearing the term “Third World” a lot as a teenager in the 80’s so those memories are jumbled into my thinking as well). Anyway, the Soviet propaganda was one of urging the people’s of Asia and Africa to throw off their colonial oppressors through revolution if necessary and install their own governments (preferably Marxist and under direction from Moscow of course). However, isn’t Marxism a Western intellectual concept? Therefore, did the peoples of Asia and Africa throw off one form Western oppression only to institute another form? That is an argument I’ve heard made from others (I mentioned Bruce Gilley in my previous post). I think the mistake I made was equating Third Worldism with the spread of Marxist ideology. Also, totally did not think of the impact the NAM may have had. Simply bringing up the NAM essentially answered my question but , of course, leads to many others but will save those for another day.
By the way, “stream of consciousness” is the phrase I use when describing how I like to have conversations. Unfortunately, I am surrounded by people who only talk in “bumper sticker” or “Twitter post” mode.
Lastly, thank you for introducing me to a new word. I cannot wait to drop “latifundia” on people in a conversation and see all the blank states!
Great work DC. Hey if I could put in a request, I like the merch but would rather have the larger art piece on the back of tees. With maybe a smaller piece on the front breast. I know this may impact cost but if you could keep this in mind for future production.
Mar 10, 2023·edited Mar 10, 2023Liked by Darryl Cooper
"but it still took another twenty years of decline before people found the will to turn things around."
Too true. '92 is basically when Democratic party head honchos decided it was time to show they were getting tough on crime. The bi-partisan crime crackdown lasted about two decades, and then vanished overnight in 2014.
I don't think everything is cyclical, you will only see cynical, temporary tactical retreats from 60s ideology from now on. They rode out a voter backlash that lasted around forty years ('68-'08), they are in it for the long haul, unless they are forced to stop.
We are currently experiencing the exact same situation as Roman agriculture. However, rather than slaves it is technology. The entire industry now realizes “go big or sell out”.
I just re-upped my subscription for a 2nd year, and articles like this are why (completely separate from the also-worth-it Jonestown & Whose America podcasts). Particularly struck by:
1. Roman parallels to modern America: onetime successful landowners displaced by mass immigration, which drives down wages and consolidates enterprise in a few powerful hands while relatively impoverishing others. I was once a loathsome radical libertarian who believed “complacent” Americans had no right to labor that could be done for half price by an immigrant. Now I understand that, “yeah, if I were supporting my family on $40/hr, and now a Guatemalan will do any of those jobs for $20/hr, I’m not taking a 50% pay cut, selling my house and never taking another vacation for the luxury of keeping my job.” The bipartisan free market view of the 80s, 90s and 00s is an economically correct one that has gutted the country and strip-mined its culture, because it is an incomplete/utopian vision of progress.
2. The geographically mobile economic nomad point. Our family has done well with this but you’re right: “local” culture and values are mostly extinct, replaced by hyper mobile paycheck-mercenaries. There was an old PBS special in which a northeastern linguist-academic lamented the disappearance of Philadelphia’s (and PA’s) *multiple* accents, which were different even between neighborhoods in Philly. If only she could have lived to see that most Texans you meet no longer even have an accent. And values, once local, and inculcated locally in schoolrooms and churches and civic clubs, are now national/international, and inculcated on screens and enforced by Western intelligence communities.
3. The idea that your gardening windfall (“it’s the same price for me to buy from WMT as it is to tend a garden”) is understandably shrug material for you, but panic material for any non-corporate farmer. As soon as that’s true, it’s lights out for millions
4. CIA involvement in culture. The more I read about the IC of the midcentury, the more I realize that the virtuous America I fought for as a Marine in the 00s probably hasn’t existed since WWII, and maybe not even then. To think that the Church Committee failed to address most of it, and what it did address largely just encouraged the IC to be more covert in its activities, and that they’re now gaining confidence that they can be bolder in their strong-armed tactics as it seems nobody can/will stop them...
“Someone who moves from Austin to Los Angeles for work, and may move again if the right opportunity arises, does not have a home in either place, even if he owns property in both cities.”
Very true. Have you heard any of VDH’s recent talks on his book “the dying citizen”? Really changed my perspective on citizenship, property, class, and politics.
I had no idea that it had been revealed that the CIA was actively subverting traditional art and culture. I subscribe here because I usually learn something new that I should have known.
I wonder which subversive cultural movements they are spending our $$$ on today.
Now I need to go squeeze Jackson Pollock into my list of the CIA's Top 10 Crimes Against Humanity...
“...can we expect some sort of “the pride is back” 80s vibe to roll in around 2030?”
I don’t think so. Reagan’s original 1980 “Make America Great Again” was vastly different than Trump’s 2016 revival. The WWII generation still had strong reserves to draw on; the glow of victory in Europe and the Pacific, the resulting post-war economic boom, the productive labor - management settlement, were all in living memory and a deep if latent patriotism was waiting to be stirred.
Reagan’s nostalgia was in service to a hopeful narrative for the future. Trump’s nostalgia only brought “American Carnage” into sharper focus. “MAGA” now is more a cry of despair than a call to glory.
“The pride is back” needs an origin story or collective psychic locus to pull from. Do our meaning making institutions provide one?
Honestly I'm pretty cool with the more thought out posts being punctuated with a steadier stream of stream-of-conscious posts. There is a lot of valuable tinder that probably gets lost in the quest for conciseness and perfection, which is admirable, but sketch books are great too.
"You know what, let's take a little detour" MartyrMade in a nutshell haha
This is the best Substack my money can buy, and a bargain at that.
This was an excellent answer. I loved reading about the relationship between the fall of the Roman Republic and what's happening now. There are so many similarities in how the Republican system that was made for a small city-state (or country) starts to fray at the seams once that country starts to expand into a global power
Another solid piece of work you put in. Thank you yet again.
My question about Third Worldism is one I wish I could ask in person. It was difficult coming up with a concise way of putting it so I knew it would come across somewhat vague the moment I hit the post arrow. Anyway, I was trying to link several things at one time. If memory serves, it was in The Administration of Savagery where you mentioned how the Soviet/Communist propaganda essentially wrote itself. This Soviet propaganda fought against US propaganda for power/influence globally. A number of smaller, weaker nations appeared to be swerving toward the Soviet sphere from the late 60’s through the 80’s. (Side Note: I remember hearing the term “Third World” a lot as a teenager in the 80’s so those memories are jumbled into my thinking as well). Anyway, the Soviet propaganda was one of urging the people’s of Asia and Africa to throw off their colonial oppressors through revolution if necessary and install their own governments (preferably Marxist and under direction from Moscow of course). However, isn’t Marxism a Western intellectual concept? Therefore, did the peoples of Asia and Africa throw off one form Western oppression only to institute another form? That is an argument I’ve heard made from others (I mentioned Bruce Gilley in my previous post). I think the mistake I made was equating Third Worldism with the spread of Marxist ideology. Also, totally did not think of the impact the NAM may have had. Simply bringing up the NAM essentially answered my question but , of course, leads to many others but will save those for another day.
By the way, “stream of consciousness” is the phrase I use when describing how I like to have conversations. Unfortunately, I am surrounded by people who only talk in “bumper sticker” or “Twitter post” mode.
Lastly, thank you for introducing me to a new word. I cannot wait to drop “latifundia” on people in a conversation and see all the blank states!
Great work DC. Hey if I could put in a request, I like the merch but would rather have the larger art piece on the back of tees. With maybe a smaller piece on the front breast. I know this may impact cost but if you could keep this in mind for future production.
"but it still took another twenty years of decline before people found the will to turn things around."
Too true. '92 is basically when Democratic party head honchos decided it was time to show they were getting tough on crime. The bi-partisan crime crackdown lasted about two decades, and then vanished overnight in 2014.
I don't think everything is cyclical, you will only see cynical, temporary tactical retreats from 60s ideology from now on. They rode out a voter backlash that lasted around forty years ('68-'08), they are in it for the long haul, unless they are forced to stop.
Daryl as ever, awesome stuff. Cannot thank you enough for doing what you do. Gonna send out some gift subscriptions, as more people need to read this.
Is the C.I.A. always playing 4D chess? It's too bad they are not good at it.
We are currently experiencing the exact same situation as Roman agriculture. However, rather than slaves it is technology. The entire industry now realizes “go big or sell out”.
Keep up the great work - you the Man, DC