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There’s been a bit of interest in the blogosphere regarding David McKnight’s book ‘Beyond Left and Right: New Politics and the Culture Wars’. Rafe has some links here.
I’m going to try to go along, because from what I’ve seen and heard on LNL, McKnight’s effort is a worthwhile attempt at a worthwhile project, though I’m instinctively wary of self consciously ‘left’ or ‘right’ attempts at the project. If you can’t at least attempt to forget that stuff, and your own self positioning, and just try to think things through on their merits, I think you’re weighing yourself down. And since it’s a difficult task, you can do with as much weight off your back as you can manage.
Would be nice to see some Troppodilians there. If you want to see what I look like, I’m here. Details below the fold.
Wednesday, 12 October: Australian Fabian Society Event. ‘Do Right and Left still mean anything in politics?’. Dr David McKnight – Sydney academic and author of ‘Beyond Left and Right: New Politics and the Culture Wars’ – argues that by re-thinking these definitions the ascendancy of the Right can be broken and a new kind of progressive politics can emerge. 6 for 6:30pm to 8pm, Meeting Room 1, Trades Hall (Victoria Street Entrance), Cnr Lygon and Victoria Streets, Carlton. AFS members $5, non-members $6, concession $2.
Well how did it go then? I was unable to attend, being otherwise engaged in Sydney, listening to the outgoing or recently gone head of the Commonwealth Bank talking about productivity in the workforce.