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July 12, 2008
A place called Audacity
Ralph Peters takes on a popular but empty slogan: ...Nor can all of the hipster slogans used to avoid debates be blamed on the ancients. The latest example of utter nonsense is Obama's contribution, "The Audacity of Hope."Anyone remember "Keep Hope Alive"? (I guess audacity has cut the nuts off that slogan.) Or how about America, A Place Called Hope? -- "the inside story of Clinton's America." Surely, hope can't get more audacious than that. So, while I agree that "the audacity of hope" is blubbering gobbledy-gook, I also think it's unoriginal, and I believe in giving credit where credit is due. Audacity began in a place called Hope. Peters conclused by saying, If we want a "politics of meaning," the words we use in politics have to mean something.I agree. But "hope" now seems to mean whatever the Democrats say they're for, and whatever they say the Republicans are against. I'm thinking that the meaning of politicized "hope" began in a place called hype. How audacious it is should be left to the proper authorities. LINGERING QUESTION: But what if the goal is to make us sick of hope? MORE: An illustration:
UPDATE: My thanks to Glenn Reynolds for the link, and a warm welcome to all. Comments welcome. And don't miss Roger L. Simon's post about Obama's Catch-22: Barack's deep in the old Catch-22, not able to look like the candidate of change or "new" politics as he slips-slides to the center.There's certainly nothing new about the Democratic "hope" meme. (It's been a trademark since the 1980s.) posted by Eric on 07.12.08 at 03:12 PM
Comments
It's possible that Obama will be elected President without ever having to tell us just exactly what it is we're supposed to hope for, what change he plans to bring. That IS audacity, to get out there and string words together that are meaningless without any context and yet have the voters buy it. We'll see if it works. And if it does, all he has to worry about is the day after. Because it's probably too much to expect that we're going to be happy for 4 years with nothing more than a campaign slogan to hang all that hope and change on. Sally · July 13, 2008 12:13 PM
Surely it will gall Hillary to the end of her days that Obama beat her using her husband's own bullshit. Hell, it was probably her that thought it up to begin with back in '92... yours/ peter jackson · July 13, 2008 01:03 PM "I don't blame anyone for my failures should they occur. Instead, I examine any failure for the error on my part." gsarcs, that is exactly how I try to live my life. When things go wrong at my workplace, I try to resist the temptation to blame someone else even when it is justified. Some people try to take responsibility while others always pass the buck. I think that is one reason my politics have moved to the right over the years. One of the trademarks of the modern-day left is that no one is responsible - criminals, drug addicts, terrorists; someone "made them do it". The only people who have to take responsibility (and blame) are their political opponents. It was not always this way. Harry Truman was famous for the plaque on his Oval Office desk that said "the buck stops here". But the Trumans are long gone from the Democrat party. Gary Rosen · July 13, 2008 02:24 PM Post a comment
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I live my life by this credo: Hope for the best; Plan for the worst. The action part of the credo is the "plan." I find that "the worst" cannot be dealt with in a simpering and pussy-footed fashion. No, it must be confronted head on with actions that are bold and creative. I don't blame anyone for my failures should they occur. Instead, I examine any failure for the error on my part.
The "hope" part of my credo involves no action other than prayer. Even there I ask for guidance rather than intervention. And even there I approach it with the attitude that "God helps those that help themselves."
Your analysis of Senator Obama's slogan is spot on.