Posted on 09/15/2008 9:01:06 PM PDT by jazusamo
"A human group transforms itself into a crowd when it suddenly responds to a suggestion rather than to reasoning, to an image rather than to an idea, to an affirmation rather than to proof, to the repetition of a phrase rather than to arguments, to prestige rather than to competence."
Jean-François Revel was not referring to the United States when he wrote those words, nor to his own France, but to human beings in general. He was certainly not referring to Barack Obama, whom he probably never heard of, since Revel died last year.
To find anything comparable to crowds' euphoric reactions to Obama, you would have to go back to old newsreels of German crowds in the 1930s, with their adulation of their fuehrer, Adolf Hitler. With hindsight, we can look back on those people with pity, knowing now how many of them would be led to their deaths by the man they idolized.
The exultation of the moment can exact a brutal price after that moment has passed. Nowhere is that truer than when it comes to picking the leader of a nation, which means entrusting that leader with the fate of millions today and of generations yet unborn.
A leader does not have to be evil to lead a country into a catastrophe. Inexperience and incompetence can create very similar results, perhaps even faster in a nuclear age, when even "a small country"-- as Senator Obama called Iran-- can wreak havoc anywhere in the world, when they are led by suicidal fanatics and supply nuclear weapons to terrorists who are likewise suicidal fanatics.
Barack Obama is truly a phenomenon of our time-- a presidential candidate who cannot cite a single serious accomplishment in his entire career, besides advancing his own career with rhetoric.
He has a rhetorical answer for everything. Those of us who talk about the threat of Iran are just engaging in "the politics of fear" according to Obama, something to distract us from "the real issues," such as raising taxes and handing out largesse with the proceeds.
Those who have studied the years leading up to World War II have been astonished by how many people and how many countries failed to see what Adolf Hitler was getting ready to do.
Even though Hitler telegraphed his punches, few people seemed to get the message. Books about that period have had such titles as "The Gathering Storm" and "Why England Slept."
Will future generations wonder why we slept? Why we could not see the gathering storm in Iran, where one of the world's leading oil producers is building nuclear facilities-- ostensibly to generate electricity, but whose obvious purpose is to produce nuclear bombs.
This is a country whose president has already threatened to wipe a neighboring country off the map. Does anyone need to draw pictures?
When terrorists get nuclear weapons, there will be no way to deter suicide bombers. We and our children will be permanently at the mercy of the merciless.
Yet what are we talking about? Taxing and spending policies, socking it to the oil companies and rescuing people who gambled on risky mortgages and lost.
Are we serious? Are we incapable of adult foresight and adult responsibility?
Barack Obama of course has his usual answer: talk. Rhetoric seems to be his answer to everything. Obama calls for "aggressive" diplomacy and "tough" negotiations with Iran.
These colorful adjectives may impress gullible voters but they are unlikely to impress fanatics who are willing to destroy themselves if they can destroy us in the process.
Just what is Senator Obama going to say to Iran that has not been said already? That we don't want them to develop nuclear weapons? That has already been said, every way that it can possibly be said. If talk was going to do the job, it would already have done it by now.
Go to the United Nations? What will they do, except issue warnings-- and when these are ignored, issue more warnings?
But what does Obama have besides talk-- and adoring crowds?
Changes in Politics
Whose “Special Interests”?
The Galbraith Effect
…As Well As Several Other Issues
Are Facts Obsolete?
Conservatives for Obama?
Cocky Ignorance
Obama and McCain
Irrelevant Apologies
Success Built on Work Ethic
An Old Newness
A Living Lie
Obama’s Speech
Race and Politics
Non-Judgmental Nonsense
in
:-)
By the time Napoleon made himself emperor, he had won the Battles of Lodi, of Arcole, of Rivoli, of the Pyramids and of Marengo. And had promugulated the Napoleonic Code. He had yet to write a single autobiography.
Tough negotiations, sheesh. The only tough negotiation is a negotiation that is backed up by a willingness to use lethal force.
Wow! Great article.
BO isn’t capable of tough negotiation and he definitely wouldn’t use lethal force.
“Just what is Senator Obama going to say to Iran that has not been said already?
My guess is he will tell them if they don’t behave and if they develop nuclear weapons, he is going to get really, really mad.
How ironic. The Obama image will be defeated by the Palin image. A good decision for the slightly wrong reason.
Congressman Billybob
Agreed, I believe it’s Dr. Sowell’s best as yet re BO.
At least many of us are awake.
Thanks for the ping Jaz.
“But what does Obama have besides talk— and adoring crowds?”
Other than him being a BSer’s BSer I cannot think of a thing.
Been tryin’ to figure that one out for awhile now.
Well said, CBB. Dr. Sowell has been warning us for months and Palin has been on scene only weeks, sometimes it makes one wonder.
I am saddened to learn from this of the death of Jean-François Revel, a brilliant, tough critic of French anti-Americanism. Imagine an academic with guts enough to run contrary to the smug predispositions of his fellow academics his entire career and smart enough to make it stick. We have one like him and his name is Thomas Sowell.
I think we have lost our sense of responsibility and citizenship.
It's now like we are competing against each other to see who can get the most while giving the least.
That’s right, RQSR. He was supposed to a great orator and we found out that’s only true with a teleprompter.
lol
Very well said.
I believe many have and their numbers seem to be increasing.
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.