Schelling's Challenge by Christoph Schuringa (New Left Review)

The usual story about Hegel and Schelling goes something like follows. Hegel and Schelling were roommates, shared similar philosophical, religious, and political views. Hegel developed Kantian idealism to its fullest, freeing it of dichotomies and dualisms, whereas Schelling bit the bullet of irrationalism and mysticism, overcoming the binaries at the cost of rationality. Hegel rightfully shot up in fame and prestige, Schelling a mere minor character. The real story, as this review argues, is different. The book follows Schelling's later reactions to Hegel's fully formed philosophy. Schelling's reaction is not a mere reaction, rather, it is part of an ongoing dialectic between the two philosophers. Schuringa welcomes the addition to post-Kantian scholarship as it offers a correction to an inaccurate and oversimplified story.

Many Are the Crimes: McCarthyism in America by Ellen Schrecker (reviewed by Robert W. Cherny)

"Security is like liberty in that many are the crimes committed in its name", is where the books title comes from. The quote is from a dissenting opinion by Robert Jackson in 1950 Cherny says. Cherny praises the book for its ability to give a clear picture of how America's anti-communism crusade was both rational while being irrational, extreme and damaging to all parties involved. The communist movement had authoritarian, repressive, dogmatic, and generally anti-liberal tendencies. These tendencies may have resolved themselves organically and the progressive and reformist left-wing ideals may have had an actual impact on American politics. Schrecker wonders what America would have been like if the government showed more restraint. Cherny thinks that Schrecker's concerns are a bit too speculative, but ultimately finds the book even handed, informative, and a must read.

A Bitter Season in the West Bank by David Shulman (The New York Review of Books)

Shulman is an Israeli citizen who is on the front lines resisting the violent settlers in Israel who have become more empowered and fanatical since October 7. There are Palestianians and Israelis who want peace, stability, and an end to violence. Shulman shares a story of a Palestinian, "D", who shows saint-like patience and fortitude in the midst of settler violence upon her home.

Team Biden Needs a Reset on Israel by Daniel Levy (The New York Times)

A former negotiator for Israel under Rabin and Barak arguing why Biden needs to put pressure on Israel. Levy is certain of a few things that seem obviously true, that Biden has more leverage than he thinks if only he used it, that Netanyahu needs to go, a cease fire demand needs to be the new norm. Biden can push Netanyahu by making aid and support conditional, even by using the ICJ trial as leverage. Something in the equation needs to change, and only Biden can do it proactively.

An Editor Who Earned His Following by Bill Keller (The New York Times)

I learned about Joseph Levyveld while reading The Times last year. Levyveld was a true reporter, wanting to be in the field, reporting on imporant world-historical events as they are happening. Levyveld will be a canonical figure of The New York Times I imagine, an interesting story of people who put their heart, soul, and most of their good years into a paper.

Nietzsche Has Been Inspiring the Right for Over 100 Years by Matt McManus (Jacobin)

McManus reviews a book around the reception of Nietzsche in Scandinavia. The book is the debate over the merits of what is called Nietzsche's "Aristocratic Radicalism". McManus's essay is a critique of contemporary right-wingers who position themselves as some sort of Nietzchean. McManus, rightfully, points out the glaring contradiction of both these strains of Nietzcheanism, be it the capitalist or neoliberal, given Nietzche's criticism of both. What is missing in this essay is not just a negative critique of contemporary appropriations of Nietzsche, but Nietzche's own complicated "reactionary" status.

Having Done Wrong by Oded Na’aman (The Raven)

Mandatory military service is seen as an outdated practice to contemporary democracies. Notably, South Korea still has it, which can be understandable given North Korea. Another major US ally to have it is Israel. Oded Na’aman put in his mandatory three year stint. The difference between, say, South Korean and Israel military service is that South Koreans are not occupying another people. Na’aman is now a philosopher. One would think that philosophy, and the power of moral reflection that comes with it, would give one the tools to move on. Na’aman argues otherwise. If anything, philosophy only exposes the moral complexity of our lives. Na’aman writes one of the more powerful, first person perspectives I have read so far from an Israeli who acknowledges the wrongs of the occupation for what they are. To note, this was written and edited before October 7th, which makes it all the more worthy to be read.

'I Have No Idea How This Ends. I've Never Seen It So Broken' - Thomas Friedman on the Ezra Klein Show (The New York Times)

Thomas Friedman has been fascinating to read and listen to from October 7th and on, mainly given the shock value that a supposed establishment writer has in being so anti-establishment and critical of Israel's policies and actions. Friedman's ideas should be the bare minimum and starting point for American's and their views on our relation with Israel. Over 100 days in, it is worth hearing the two talk. As a fun fact from this episode, I learned that Thomas Friedman's essay about Middle Eastern paths to peace ended up becoming the Arab Peace Initiative.

Condition of France by Serge Halimi (New Left Review)

I do not know much about political climates outside of the US. The New Left Review has much more international breadth and depth than many places. Even if one is not sympathetic to the left, it is worthwhile to read a conversation that goes into the complexities of the French political scene. European politics are fundamentally different than the US, and the state of France's relation to the EU cannot be equated with, say, New York to the United States. Le Pen and Macron have been the two dominant figures in France politics. With Macron on the way out, it is worthwhile to get the lay of the land in our oldest ally.

After Gloomy Warnings, Adams Unveils N.Y.C. Budget That's Not So Dire (The New York Times)

First with crime rates, now the budget, Adams's tenure is full of mixed messaging. Living in NYC, I have read more about the migrant influx than I have seen it. More people who do not live here have told me about it than residents. The mayor should take the blame for much of this. Adams has been telling this story, despite the doubters, that New York City is on the verge of imploding due to the migrants. Now, Adams has reversed a lot of his cuts and proposes a budget showing that he was either exaggerating or expressing very poor judgement. Democrats at the national level are being pincered by the mayors, especially Adams, and the right on migrants and the border. With budgets and bills to pass, funding for Ukraine, and the presidential election, Adams's behavior seems baffling. The approval rating reflects it, and no one would be surprised if he is not mayor again.

Sermons for Princes by Dylan Riley (New Left Review)

Riley reviews a book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism by the chief financial editor at the Financial Times, Martin Wolf. The book is another iteration of a classic debate, and for that reason it is boring, that goes back to at least Smith and Marx. Fans and enemies of capitalism all seem to agree that there is something bad about "rent seeking" in capitalism, and that it is a moral problem. Riley reads the book as a moral plea to the elites and power makers to "do a better job". To the leftist or reader of Marx, capitalism is not about morals, the system necessarily contains the possibility for this to happen, good wills or not. Riley finds the analysis of "Rentier Capitalism" by Wolf to be very lacking, along with the other would-be crucial analyses of democracy and capitalism as such. However, reading a book like this may have informative value for ideology study of the elites.

After Populism? by Cihan Tuğal (New Left Review)

Tuğal reviews a book by Anton Jäger and Arthur Borriello called The Populist Moment. The book is a certain type of left-wing study on the left wing movement failures in Greece, Italy, France, the UK, and the US. Tuğal argues that its an important contribution for left wing social movements. Unfortunate for the authors, Tuğal gives a classic critique of the left, that it is too class or worker focused. Additionally, the main error, is that the authors argue that socialism and populism are incompatible. Tuğal rightly worries about a thesis like this, given that socialism is supposed to find validity in it being the proper political expression of the people in modernity. Lastly, the authors seem to suffer from another classic critique, the problem of criterions and definitions. Humanity is much too complex to give a definition or criterion of what is populist, what is socialist, etc. Any proposed definition, when applied across epochs and countries, ends up being simultaneously too narrow and too general. Too narrow in that, it leaves out cases that should be included, too general in that so many cases are included to make the definition seem too vague. Tuğal leaves me feeling like what is positive out of this book is just the "reporting" and research around the similarities and differences of major left wing movements in the 21st century.

On Canceling Writers by Christian Lorentzen (Jacobin)

When someone puts a gallery together at an art museum, something loosely related to an argument is made. Christian does not give a sermon, does not put forward a thesis, but provides the reader with a type of tour through the ages and let's the reader take what they will from it. From his piece, the sense I get is one of imparting personal knowledge that has truth to it. An immoral or reactionary writer is much more than the adjectives attached there, first and foremost they are a writer. Whatever someone's views, from Dante and Balzac to Didion and Mailer, what people take away age after age is the writing. Art, Christian responds, was never "sacrosanct" in the first place. In this case, Mailer had some work be subject to a round of cancelation, as it goes from time to time. Christian reminds us that, the previous Mailer collections and editions published did not cause a Mailer revival, nor did it cause people to try and headbutt Gore Vidal. The philosopher McHammer one time said something like "Just because I read Frankenstein, does that make me the monster?" Indeed Mr. Hammer.

Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Conversation with Thomas Friedman

Friedman gives the busy Secretary of State a round of easy to medium questions on the major issues today, mainly, the geopolitical tensions and conflicts of the Middle East, Ukraine and Russia, and Taiwan and China. With a few questions on Friedman's mind, such as politics in India or Donald Trump, Blinken mostly gives run of the mill answers. The first half is most interesting around Israel and Palestine. The constant repetition of feel good comments about a Palestinian state, less civilian deaths, etc., only erode trust in the United States at home and abroad. Friedman knows this, and passionate about the Middle East's prospect of regional peace himself, pushes Blinken at times to bust out of his diplomatic cage and take a jab at Trump or Netanyahu. Blinken does not play into it, which is arguably good for a person of his position to do. Friedman and most in the world would like to see America do more for Palestine, which, in turn, does more for Israel as Netanyahu and the right-wing Israeli leaders are bent on destroying the hard faught legitimacy the Israel won as a state over the decades, trading short-term emotional security for long term real security of Israel, not to mention the lack of any security for Palestine. A fun fact from here, the Taiwan Strait apparently sees 50% of global shipping go through it. If the current problems around Israel and shipping are causing such concern politically and disruption economically, it is easy to see the anxiety around Taiwan.

Gaza and New York by Alexander Zevin (New Left Review)

New York City has erupted in protests week after week since October 7th. Zevin traces the roots of how the events in Gaza impact the city of New York to a few root causes. New York boasts a diverse population, especially a diverse youth population of students. Ezra Klein argues the reason Israel is seen as the oppressor by the youth is that the two generations prior to this one saw Israel as a weaker and existentially threatened state, instead of the military and economic power it is now. New York also boasts a large population of Arabs, with an even larger population of Jewish folks, the largest outside of Israel and roughly four times the size according to Zevin. Zevin also notes the explanation that, when Israel was founded, Truman and his advisors were worried that not supporting Israel would jeapordize the Jewish vote in New York (while noting that Jewish folk are not the same as the Zionist bloc). This essay shares a sentiment similar to the influential essay early on in the war by John Ganz, who said "When I die, I hope it will be here in New York, the promised land, surrounded by my brothers: all the different peoples of the world."