without marx or jesus

[CPL.Luke]

It's a book by jean francois revel circa 1972 about the state of socialism in the world, and how america is the only country that posses the cultural ability to transform into a socialist society properly. Beyond that however the book has a number of other generally insiteful observations about the current and future state of foreign policy, among other things.

 

I was wondering if anybody has read this book, or any other political philosophy books written by persons outside of the USA. I ask because one of the most fascinating things in the book is the authors description of French attitudes towards America, I'm both curious to find out if his observations were accurate in general, or if there are any other books that more accurately cover europian oppinions of America

 

 

Also on that note if anybody here has there own oppinion on America I would like to here it, not for the sake of a debate on the validity of the oppinion (although it will most likely occur anyway), I mostly started this thread to get a real unaltered foreign view of America, its policies, and anything else you can think of.

[Pangloss]

I've read much of his second book, Anti-Americanism. I thought he had a point, but it was ultimately flawed by the kind of over-generalization that typifies most socio-political opinion books these days. So obvious was the message that I eventually grew tired of the volume and tossed it on a stack of books that I keep by the bed for use when I need to make sure I can get up early the next morning.

 

But as I say, it seemed to me that he had a point. I think all human beings "latch onto" dramatic excuses sometimes, because they're convenient and easy and they can toss them back and forth as if to explain everything. Whether it's the good/evil of socialism, or the good/evil of fundamentalist christianity, or the good/evil of "those darned Americans", doesn't really matter. If you latch onto a specific instance of a problem, and fail to target the root causes or the flaws that lead that "evil" group to the problem in the first place, then you really haven't solved anything, and you're more than likely going to see it again.

 

Anyway, getting back to the specific point of Revel's first book, I wonder how he might take a different outlook today in light of what's happened to China over the years since he wrote that.

[ecoli]

It's the same problem of curing the symptoms rather then the disease.

[Severian]

What does this have to do with Jesus?

[Sisyphus]

What does this have to do with Jesus?

 

Nothing! Says so in the title!

[CPL.Luke]

^very good, the book "without marx or jesus" I'm sure has something to do with jesus in a part that I haven't go to yet.

[Pangloss]

Nothing! Says so in the title!

 

ROFL! Best setup and payoff I've seen in a forum all week. (grin)