A roundup of the most engaging recent pieces on the web read by the Pittsburgh Review of Books this week.
“What can the left do against technocapitalism?” from El Pais English
“The response from the left (and not only from the left) to the advance of technopopulism involves three related elements: a vindication of democracy against the power of large corporations, a defense of workers against precarity, as well as a commitment to technological sovereignty, so as to avoid dependence on the United States.”
“The Cassandra of the Machine” from The New Atlantis
“So the Machine is an impulse. But it is also a spiritual presence, a new god we have enthroned, replacing Christian or earlier powers.”
“Where Loneliness Can Lead” from Aeon
“Arendt was no stranger to bouts of loneliness. From an early age, she had a keen sense that she was different, an outsider, a pariah, and often preferred to be on her own.”
“Serpents in the Garden” from The Point Substack
“The machine was always full of illiberal ghosts, the irritable gestures of a weak authority tired of allowing itself to be questioned. And this was true of America’s most prestigious and rigorously ‘liberal’ institutions.”
“Why Can’t Conservatives Create Art?” from First Things
“No matter how much effort conservatives put into cultural production, no matter how far the progressive mainstream declines, conservatives never come out on top. Nothing they produce ever feels good, refreshing, or genuinely life-giving.”
“Nobody Will Benefit From This War But The Rich” from Current Affairs
“Clearly, Iranian civilians are most directly in the shadow of death. They desperately need international support, and an immediate ceasefire. But war with Iran will be a disaster for Americans, too.”
“‘One Battle After Another’ is a Well Made Movie… With Racist Themes” from The Root
“Coogler did a masterful job of directing “Sinners,” but PTA is no slouch when he is in the director’s chair; so him beating Coogler in the director category doesn’t enrage me. Where this movie fails? The screenplay.”
“Jürgen Habermas Showed What Philosophy Could Be” from Jacobin
“Then something began to click. The more I read the book, the more begrudgingly impressed I became by the sheer learning on display.”
