http://prairieprogressive.com/2008/06/02/book-review-the-great-derangement-by-matt-taibbi/ thoughts while vastly outnumbered on the northern great plains Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:55:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 http://prairieprogressive.com/2008/06/02/book-review-the-great-derangement-by-matt-taibbi/#comment-5936 kate Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:17:59 +0000 http://prairieprogressive.com/?p=1249#comment-5936 What I find amazing about the sense of powerlessness people feel towards the political process is that they tend to go off and join splinter groups rather than working in the mainstream political process. Isn't that what democracy is supposed to be about? We may rail against our current politicians, yet how many actually get involved in changing the political landscape at their local levels? Grassroots involvement in small ways can make a difference ...but maybe that's the idealist in me. The danger to me in failing to get involved, for the majority of 'rational' people, is that there is a vacuum created that history has shown (e.g. Nazi Germany) can be filled by a 'saviour' who promises to fix everything that people are complaining about. This same jadedness toward politicians is in Canada as well - but so few people get involved - as is the idea behind democracy. What I find amazing about the sense of powerlessness people feel towards the political process is that they tend to go off and join splinter groups rather than working in the mainstream political process. Isn’t that what democracy is supposed to be about? We may rail against our current politicians, yet how many actually get involved in changing the political landscape at their local levels? Grassroots involvement in small ways can make a difference …but maybe that’s the idealist in me. The danger to me in failing to get involved, for the majority of ‘rational’ people, is that there is a vacuum created that history has shown (e.g. Nazi Germany) can be filled by a ’saviour’ who promises to fix everything that people are complaining about. This same jadedness toward politicians is in Canada as well - but so few people get involved - as is the idea behind democracy.

]]> http://prairieprogressive.com/2008/06/02/book-review-the-great-derangement-by-matt-taibbi/#comment-5910 Scott Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:03:14 +0000 http://prairieprogressive.com/?p=1249#comment-5910 I love this book (along with Taibbi's Rolling Stone columns), particularly because he is not afraid to criticize both sides. Too many political books these days act like their side is the angel and the other is the devil. I love this book (along with Taibbi’s Rolling Stone columns), particularly because he is not afraid to criticize both sides. Too many political books these days act like their side is the angel and the other is the devil.

]]>