Monthly Archives: June 2019

Philosophy, Political correctness, Radicalism

What Made American Academia Great (and How It Was Destroyed)

BY GARRETT WARD SHELDON| JUNE 21ST, 2019

The processes and ideology destroying American universities described below by Professor emeritus Garrett Ward Sheldon of the University of Virginia are almost an exact parallel with the decline – or rather degeneration – of Australian universities.

Since retiring from the university, several people have asked if I miss it. I tell them I miss what it was, but not what it has become. Higher education in America has gone from being the best in the world to one of the most pathetic. Why? It’s hard to describe what academia was to me and to millions in the past. It was not just a job, but a way of life, and of Western Civilization; and I’m so close to it, that it’s hard to describe—like trying to describe one’s own mother (hence alma mater!).

But let me try. University life at its best was both the most serious, difficult, challenging and maddening existence; and yet, it was also the most exciting, lively, rewarding, and fun experience.

It was deadly serious because we constantly examined the most intense human issues: historical and personal tragedies; ethical dilemmas, philosophical complexities; theological mysteries; and scientific wonders. It was hard because it stretched you intellectually and emotionally, made you question everything and be changed by that knowledge. And it was difficult, because of the enormous workload and demands; assignments, exams, papers, presentations and seminars. I don’t know of another situation, except possibly the military during a war, where one could be tested so much.

Read on…

Catholicism, Conservatism, Culture, My books, Radicalism

Update of the Abbott book

I have completed a six-month update of TONY ABBOTT AND THE TIMES OF REVOLUTION.

In addition to the review received (see recent blog), I had feedback that the book was unnecessarily long.

I have removed all text not directly related to the book’s three intertwined themes: the character of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott as displayed in his fearless no-holds battle with the far-left radicals at Sydney University (1976-1980); what it means to be a philosophical conservative in a leftist world; and the author’s critique of the student rebellion and the radicalism driving it. The author lived through the tumultuous years of the 1960s and 1970s revolution.

TONY ABBOTT AND THE TIMES OF REVOLUTION is as much about the author as about Tony Abbott.

Australia, Catholic Church, Catholicism, Culture, Religion

Pell case reaction: a veneer of civilisation

Human rights lawyer Greg Barnes warns of where Australian society is heading in, THE CARDINAL PELL CASE: TRIUMPHALISM OVER PELL VERDICT SHOWS CIVILISATION JUST A VENEER.

Most of those supporting Cardinal Pell and condemning the guilty verdict have focused on the problems of evidence. Just as worrying as the failure of Victoria’s legal system which is supposedly based on the application of reason to the concrete evidence, is the mob mentality of those wildly rejoicing over the Cardinal’s dramatic demise. That rejoicing was a sign of civilisational decay. Barnes:

‘Reaction to the … case against Cardinal George Pell was characterised by frightening ignorance on the part of many about how our legal system works, an awful sense of triumphalism on the part of some media who have pursued Cardinal Pell for some years, and above all the spectacle of a lynch mob literally screaming at the guilty man out the front of Melbourne’s County Court.

Continue reading Pell case reaction: a veneer of civilisation →
Australia, Culture

The measure of an Outstanding Liar

It surely cannot be disputed that the measure of an outstanding liar is the degree of successful deception. The greater deception – the greater the credibility achieved – the more estimable the liar’s success. Credibility is what the great liar aims for. If a liar projects unquestioned credibility without any independent proof for his claims, then that’s without doubt scaling the pinnacle of successful deception.

A man is to be applauded who can lie so convincingly that a great part of a country’s population is sucked in and tricked into ignoring the total lack of hard evidence for his claims.

Catholic Church, Law, Politics, Religion

The left: Morally right defeats factually right

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a Democrat member of the US House of Representatives. She has achieved a deserved notoriety for her unblushing Green-Left views. Recently she was reported as saying, ‘I think there’s a lot of people more concerned about being precisely, factually, and semantically correct than about being morally right.’

Whether AOC (as she is referred to) was correctly quoted or not is not my concern here. The declaration certainly belongs to the AOC drift of mind. No, whoever said it, it is a recognizable emanation of the Green-Left mind. Being morally right for this mind, is being in line with Green-left dogma.

One does not arrive at Green-Left dogma by way of the operations of reason. Green-Left dogma is handed down from on high, where the swirling emotions of the Green-Left elite make the dogmatic declarations.

Continue reading The left: Morally right defeats factually right →
Literature

Duncan McLaren on Evelyn Waugh and George Orwell

More than six months ago I received a link to Duncan McLaren’s latest  (what shall I call it?) meandering musings on Evelyn Waugh. At the time I was bogged down with writing TONY ABBOTT AND THE TIMES OF REVOLUTION and did not have the mental space to read and post the link.  I have now got around it.

Duncan’s writings are for the extreme Waugh lover. Prepare for a wild ride. He had received a letter from someone who mentioned a meeting between Waugh and George Orwell. Duncan’s imagination took flight. Enjoy.

WHEN WAUGH MET ORWELL or “DOUBLEPLUSGOOD, JEEVES” 

Catholic Church, Catholicism, Culture, Feminism

The march of cultural Marxism in Catholic schools

It is an ironic coincidence that I came across a Cath News report about four Catholic girls’ schools in Brisbane dumping traditional language to adopt inclusive language in religious matters directly after posting my review of INFILTRATION: THE PLOT TO DESTROY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH FROM WITHIN.

The great big thicked-soled jackboots of cultural Marxism have clearly stomped their way into Catholic education.

The schools reportedly dumping traditional Church language and adopting ‘inclusive’ language are All Hallows’ School Brisbane, Loreto College Coorparoo, St Rita’s College Clayfield and Stuartholme School Toowong. These are the smartest Catholic schools that parents can send their daughters to. The privilege would cost them buckets of money.

Continue reading The march of cultural Marxism in Catholic schools →
Books, Catholic Church, Catholicism, Political correctness, Radicalism, The Left

Book Review

INFILTRATION: THE PLOT TO DESTROY THE CHURCH FROM WITHIN
Taylor R Marshall
Crisis Publications
An imprint of Sophia Institute Press
Manchester, New Hampshire
Pub. 31 May 2019

Dr Taylor Marshall’s book Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from within aims to uncover the forces within the Catholic Church seeking its destruction. The destruction aimed for, though, is not obliteration. The Catholic Church is far too important as a moral and political power to obliterate. The destruction is in the form of a fundamental or ontological change, the change from one substance to its opposite, the change from the Church of Jesus Christ to the church of Lucifer, the Angel of Light and the Prince of Darkness. It is crucial to understand that the forces of Lucifer are people and ideas. Some agents are conscious and purposeful in their subversion. Others, naive or self-deceived or easily led, drive those ideas. If I were to name the outstanding feature of Dr Marshall’s book, I would say it’s the revelation of those people of influence, many of good will, who unwittingly or blindly clear the way for those intent on destroying the Church as it is and ever has been.

Continue reading Book Review →
Political correctness, The Left

Some concrete problems with gender theory

A growing number of feminists are raising objections to the concrete outcomes of transgenderism.

Say two physically fit biological 17-year-old males decide they’re girls. Their decision, we are told, is not to be disputed. Having switched to the female gender, they would go with the girls in sporting contests. That’s the logical outcome of gender theory.

How would biological female athletes of the same age feel about being thrashed by the biologically male girls? Not great, I imagine.

Just such a case was reported by the Washington Times under the heading, Transgender sprinters finish 1st, 2nd at Connecticut girls indoor track championships.

You have to feel sorry for the biologically female girls who spent weeks training for the sport meet only to suffer disadvantages feminists were all about removing.