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March 17, 2007
Political labels redux
Per the lability of political labels: Are we liberal hawks? Centrist hawks? Neocons? Civ-cons? Whatever, we are a supersaturated solution within the body politic, ready to crystallize around a label of convenience (as they are all) which enables us to focus our clout.
But "neocon" is probably not it, as this email from a reader to Jonah Goldberg illustrates:
Subject "Neocon" Now Has No Meaning Part 3,717,206You're often noted that "neoconservative" has a very hazy definition. Indeed to some people it's become what Orwell said of Fascism just another word for "bad'.
The reductio ad absurdum of this came in my women's studies class (don't judge!) where the professor put up this definition: "Neo-Conservative: racist and misogynist stereotypes but in new forms" She then asked if anyone could give any examples of "Neo-Conservative". A girl's hand shot up and gave the example of kids in the playground using the word "gay" to mean "stupid".
This anecdote confirms my experience of how this term is received. Which is not to say it can't be rescued. In the meantime I call myself a neocon whenever I want to shock people.
Judith | 03/17/07 at 07:56 PM | Categories: Competing narratives
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