[extropy-chat] Re: A view of what politics is

[Dirk Bruere]

On 10/17/05, Jack Parkinson <isthatyoujack at icqmail.com> wrote:
>
> Really?
> Well, perhaps you would be good enough to enlighten me?
> Rafal thinks two people coveting the same apple and then reaching a
> compromise is politics. I say its not. Acclaim whichever you like - but
> its
> not nearly as convincing as hard facts.
> The OED says:
>
> POLITICS. The science and art of government; the science dealing with the
> form, organization, and administration of a state or part of one, and with
> the regulation of its relations with other states (hence,
> name="5"imperial,
> name="6"national, name="7"domestic, name="8"municipal, name="9"communal,
> name="10"parochial, name="11"foreign politics, etc.). Also name="12"†the
> politics, public or social ethics, that branch of moral philosophy dealing
> with the state or social organism as a whole
>
> Nothing there about individuals - right?
> Politics is NOT individual action unless that action is undertaken on
> behalf
> of a constituency (=group) Note that the OED says politics is "that branch
> of moral philosophy dealing with the state or social organism as a whole"
> (by 'whole' I think you can safely read group) ...
>
> As I said - politics is about relations between groups. So, if you want to
> make a political statement. Better get a group behind you. Or without
> group
> sanction, you WILL be labelled as eccentric, individual, deviant,
> original,
> humorous, interesting, criminal, insane or whatever - but you will never
> be
> acknowledged as engaging in politics...
> Jack Parkinson
>
>
So if Tim McVeigh said "I blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City
because I don't like the government" that is not political.
However, if he said "I blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City on
behalf of all those who don't like the government" it *is* political.

Dirk
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