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The Forum > Article Comments > Has Rudd bought the intelligentsia? > Comments

Has Rudd bought the intelligentsia? : Comments

By Marko Beljac, published 10/2/2010

When Robert Manne tells the Left that it should follow the 'social democratic Left' what he is really saying is, follow Kevin Rudd.

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Ah yes. Demolition via deconstruction. At least it was well constructed, props for that.

Essentially, Robert Manne made a comment refuting the hard left policies of Chomsky or Klein. This appears eminently reasonable to me, however I'm certain that were I to deconstruct the political views of either individual, I could come up with quite a convincing series of comments which illuminate vastly different views and political opinions. No doubt, I could then use them to render my own proposition invalid. All I would need to do, would be to cherry pick the best comments of either, then use contrary statements to invalidate one another.

I could then use this to discredit Manne, claiming he's been "bought". I wouldn't even need to say it directly, I could just insinuate as much via a heading (though to give the benefit of the doubt, this could have been caused via the editing process rather than the opinion of the writer).

To be honest, I find this piece shallow. There isn't much beyond the deconstruction techniques taught to undergraduates. Certainly, it's reasonably well done, if you judge it by the basic routine, but frankly, if you're going to criticise Rudd, don't criticise him for refusing to adhere to the stupidity of the extreme right or left, which only really seem attractive to the naive masses huddled within the walls of academia.

Offer alternatives. Give some kind of real-world scenario instead of the stereotyped criticism typically launched from beyond rose-coloured lenses.
Posted by TurnRightThenLeft, Wednesday, 10 February 2010 8:51:14 AM
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Why do people on the right spend so much time criticizing Robert Manne?

I find him to be one of the most decent public intellectuals in Australia. And despite his sometimes bloopers etc he is a beacon of clarity compared to most of the right wing ranters who now associate with Quadrant Magazine.

Check out Quadrants website and see how bad they really are. Including, and especially, the chief wind-bag.

If that website represents Australia's "leading" journal/forum of so called conservative ideas and opinions, then the Australian body-politic is in deep trouble.

Several years ago he was voted as Australia's most admired and respected public intellectual.

Are all the people who voted for him missing something?

Why do people refer to Naomi Klein as either "far" or "hard" left?

To me she is one of many who are telling the truth to the powers that be.

One of the many individuals and groups featured on this page:

http://www.dabase.org/GCF.htm

Telling the Truth to the now world dominant military-industrial-"entertainment" complex.

For which all of those on the right side of the culture wars divide are effectively cheer-leaders and propaganda hacks (while most often pretending otherwise.)
Posted by Ho Hum, Wednesday, 10 February 2010 9:53:26 AM
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Marko, have a look at my recent comments here
http://newmatilda.com/2010/01/22/losing-faith-softlysoftly-visionaries
and here
http://newmatilda.com/2009/10/30/where-are-we-going-kevin
to contradict your claim that "criticism of Kevin Rudd is frowned upon on Australian campuses". You've set up a straw man.

And I am not "left" of any brand, nor "right". We need to move beyond that tired false dichotomy.
Posted by Geoff Davies, Wednesday, 10 February 2010 10:28:42 AM
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"Why do people on the right spend so much time criticizing Robert Manne?"

They don't, it's your imagination, and when he is maybe it is because he doesn't back up what he says, e.g. so name 10, just 10 of the "stolen" ones.

Otherwise, he's irrelevant to the right, if he just makes wild statements that have been clearly shown by Windshuttle to be ridiculous, he lacks any credibility, is that why the left are so outraged?.

One could ask

"Why do people on the left spend so much time criticizing Andrew Bolt" at least he backs up what he says, regardless of the baseless and unsubstantiated attacks by the left.

I could care less about both of these, but it amuses me to see the outrage when one of the left is criticised, as the left continually attack the right. Has the right set up a Facebook hate site of Robert Manns, as the left has done of Andrew Bolt.

pot, kettle, black .. get it now?
Posted by Amicus, Wednesday, 10 February 2010 12:09:57 PM
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Ah yes--Andrew Bolt as a source of deeply considered discriminative intelligence! Re the great matters of human culture.

Bolt belongs entirely within the kind of journalism criticized in this essay. http://www.dabase.org/popdisgu.htm
Posted by Ho Hum, Wednesday, 10 February 2010 12:30:27 PM
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Ho Hum, you think "Andrew Bolt as a source of deeply considered discriminative intelligence!"

Amazing!

Well he certainly brings out the whackos of the left doesn't he?

He's just a hack journo trying to earn a living and has a little niche, why do you all take him so seriously?

oh the outrage!

Gosh, maybe I should have mentioned Sarah Palin .. you do get it that folks just love to bait the left for the reaction it gets don't you?
Posted by Amicus, Wednesday, 10 February 2010 12:39:19 PM
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