Alienation, autonomy, and ideology
These are posts about books from the blog Base and Superstructure. Occasionally I’ll read a book worth talking about, and write some thoughts on it. These cover a wide range of topics from the blog.
Like many people still largely staying at home, I spend lots of time reading. And for any Iowans out there, remember the derecho back in August that took out power across the state? Good times. And another opportunity for reading.
And so, these little reading/listening list posts have probably moved from seasonal to monthly. If you like them, enjoy! If you don’t…read something else?
As summer turned to fall, my local public library started reopening. And so, I finally started borrowing books rather than buying. It also gave us something to talk about other than cloth masks.
Here’s what I’ve been reading lately.
Robert Boyers – Skidmore College academic and veteran professor – wrote The Tyranny of Virtue to collect his thoughts on social justice movements among college students. I can imagine many of you rolling your eyes. Your worry is clear enough. Is Boyers just an old white man who can’t change with the times, comfortable at his privileged liberal arts college and reluctant to embrace the change that’s reached even his ivory tower?
Maybe.
Yeah, OK. I’ve already made a summer reading list this year. I get it! But, here’s the thing. I’m doing a lot of reading these days. Reading and walking occupy far more of my time than I’d have ever expected back in January. Admittedly, it’s one of my favorite parts of our unique situation.
I’ve also gone on a bit of a vinyl record kick. And so, here are some books and records I’ve been into lately.
I tried to buy The ABCs of Socialism one time. I messed up and bought The ABCs of Capitalism instead. Doing the best I could with the situation, I read the pamphlets and wrote an overview. As it turned out, they’re a – decent, not great – socialist overview of capitalism.
This time I bought the real thing: The ABCs of Socialism, from Bhaskar Sunkara‘s Jacobin crew. Like much of what’s going on in the Jacobin world, it’s influential among many people in the social democratic-to-socialist left. And I think it has much to offer people in that camp.
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