[Air-l] suggestions?

[Paula]

Charles, as someone who ended up in CulCom via Philosophy myself, I'm
puzzled as to why so many people think that 17th-century political
thought is relevant to complex post-modern (or is that post-post-modern)
social history? The same reason they think a 17th-century economist is
all you need to elucidate hypercapitalism? Is there any chance the
Anglo-American school might consider tentatively dipping a toe into the
PPE of the 18th century someday? ;-)

I'd be more inclined to apply Barthes' concept of mythologising to this
particular question!  I can't straighten out the tangle of psychology,
phenomenology and right-wing justifications of the divine right of
kings? Terrorism is what people do when they can't confront an oppressor
directly - not sure there's anything all that new about it?

Paula

Charles Ess wrote:

>To demonstrate that my background is in philosophy, not communication
>studies (for better and for worse)...
>
>My my applied ethics class, we're reading an essay by Robinson A. Grover,
>"the New State of Nature and the New Terrorism," which argues that new media
>and globalization have brought about a new version of Hobbes' war of each
>against all, etc.
>I attempted to buttress some of Grover's claims with the work of Cass
>Sunstein, his notion of "The Daily Me," etc.
>
>This inspired one of my students to ask: are there studies, etc., that
>suggest that the new media, by giving us greater communication with "the
>Other" works to make us _less_ fearful of the Other, and thus, under some
>circumstances at least, _more_ likely to engage in aggressive behaviors,
>including warfare?  That is, his thought is that in a state of ignorance of
>the Other, one is more likely to assume the worst - the Other is bigger,
>more powerful, etc., so I'd better stay home.  But once I see the Other on
>TV, the Internet, etc., I discover that this is not so...
>
>I thought it a worthwhile question - citations and suggestions?
>
>thanks in advance,
>
>Charles Ess
>
>Distinguished Research Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies
>Drury University
>900 N. Benton Ave.              Voice: 417-873-7230
>Springfield, MO  65802  USA       FAX: 417-873-7435
>Home page:  http://www.drury.edu/ess/ess.html
>
>Co-chair, CATaC'06: http://www.catacconference.org
>Co-chair, ECAP'06: http://www.eu-cap.org
>
>Professor II, Globalization and Applied Ethics Programmes
>Norwegian University of Science and Technology
>NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
>http://www.anvendtetikk.ntnu.no/pres/bridgingcultures.php
>
>Exemplary persons seek harmony, not sameness. -- Analects 13.23
>
>
>
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