Francis Fukuyama’s new book
I have always enjoyed reading Mr. Fukuyama who, even though he was a neocon policy wonk, always seemed lucid and insightful in his writings. His new book, “America at the Crossroads” is no exception, and the fact that he has bravely spoken out about the wrong-headednesss of our administration’s recent forign policy is, to me, a good sign that even some conservatives are starting to see the light of reason. He is still too distrustful of institutions like the U.N. for my taste, but there is much in this little book that is very worth reading.
Cheers,
DS
May 1st, 2006 at 10:02 am
I can safely say that there are definitely conservatives out there that have now “turned on the light bulb” to the administration’s wrongdoings. I’ll have to check this book out. Thanks for the tip.
I would also like to thank you for a PHENOMENAL show in Indianapolis last Thursday night. You were incredible! Words cannot describe. . .
I look up and there you are plopped in front of me on the stage. You are amazingly real and down to Earth. I had a blast talking with you briefly and look forward to seeing you again sometime. I truly appreciated you taking the time to sign my CD and take a few pictures with me and my sis. I hope that you realize what your music means to your fans. You are a great performer and I wish you all the best!
Big Kiss back at ya,
Sarah
May 1st, 2006 at 3:31 pm
hi duncan,
i saw you a week ago in verona,new york and i just wanted to say that you were great.i have never seen you live before and your voice is just perfect in person.i met you after the show and got an autograph and a photo.i was very nervous and almost completely terrified to meet you.i even said how nervous i was when i spoke to you and you were very nice to me.i just wanted to say thanks for being so good to us fans and for staying and signing autographs and for calming me down a little when i met you.your comments in the show were hilarious(i want everyone to make out during this song).i wish i had been less nervous and actually talked to you when i met you,you seem very clever and nice.it’s too bad you didn’t do the pre-show wine tasting i had read about.that would have been so much fun.i’m not much of a drinker but it would still be cool.you should do it in the future definetely.i know after a little wine i would be acting like a dork,and after more i would probably need a nap:),but i would love the opportunity to hang out and talk to you.one more quick thing,do you think you will ever perform “varying degrees of con-artisrty’in your live set?just wondering.have a beautiful week and a wonderful spring.donya
May 1st, 2006 at 6:29 pm
Mr. Sheik,
True…many conservatives are seeing the light…but I don’t believe the current adminstrations actions as being as “insidious” as many make them out to be. I think challenges should be made based on sound arguments with well thought-out alternatives-unfortunately, I don’t see that from too many. Ironically, Pat Buchanan, of all people, describes best my thoughts on our involvement in the Iraq war or other foreign wars for that matter-namely, that we shouldn’t be involved in foreign conflicts unless there is an absolute, credible, immediate threat. Speculation “about what may happen to us someday” or a pre-emptive attitude only causes
us to “become” what we despise-to some degree-especially, when that speculation is “in error” or fed to us by other country’s “politico’s” for their own agendas.
Having said all of that, I still firmly believe it is our duty to get involved as best as we can (and certainly swiftly debate it beforehand) when all sorts of “evil” is on blatant display (such as the Darfur/Rwanda situation) in a internationally-unified manner. Unilateral efforts are the ideal…but not likely because of the bureaucracy inherent in the U.N….but we can always hope.
Love your music and songwriting, Mr. Sheik…and this is coming from a friendly-conservative “who wants to be a hippie cuz life is so free” and “will one day wear a flightsuit in a white limousine” but is unfortunately caught up in the system right now.
Best,
Alex S.
By the way, I’ve written songlyrics over the years…and I’ve come to the conclusion I’ve just infused too much of your music to not credit you (don’t sue…we all wore corduroy’s as kids) (sample in another post…soon)
May 1st, 2006 at 11:14 pm
Let me just highlight the best part of this,
your last post Mr. Sheik.
“…neocon policy wonk…”
That’s some fancy vernacular.
Two points for the “Duncan Cracks Up Susann’s Shizz” category.
May 2nd, 2006 at 11:04 pm
Duncan,
I?ve read Fukuyama?s book and couldn?t help but feel he was a bit too opportunistic in his critique of so-called neoconservatives, Bush, and the war for that matter. I use the word opportunistic because if what he asserts is something he?s believed for several years, then he had an intellectual responsibility to reflect those thoughts in his other writing/speeches/essays. I?m tempted to point out passages from documents he wrote up until 2004 in support of the war before and after he saw the light at a big Neo Con-Conbut I?ll leave that alone. I do, however, think he was lacking in contrition for his own participation in the so-called neo-con movement, (that is, if he really believes his influence and that of other Neocons was really that strong) but perhaps that was not something that had a place in his book.
His history lesson on Neo-conservatism shows the term has not been consistently defined or, at best, maybe the term has evolved. Nevertheless, Neo-conservatism appears to have a bit too much dualism. (The Neocon movement, frankly, had its roots in liberalism-big shocker!no wait, it was leftist anticommunism and not just good ole? right wing anticommunism) It appears Neo-conservatism is such a convoluted concept it should perhaps be dismissed as simply a new term for those that delight in intellectual sparring. Almost in the same vain that the word gravitas appeared out of nowhere a few years back. Just call them pro-war advocates or war-mongers I say.
Fukuyama implies that the Neocons (this selective group of former Trotskyites/liberals and Jews) and their offspring/prot?g?s got to Bush and convinced him to go to war. I hardly think that was the case. He gives himself and all those think-tankers a bit too much credit. But, in all fairness, Fukuyama does concede that there were other factors involved and history will be the judge one day.
The solutions he offers to our nations wrong-headedness as it relates to foreign policy (interestingly, a full 7 pages in the book) are full of contradictions (based on what he presents previously) His primary solution to restoring our Foreign Policy is to have complete regime change in our country. Okay..that seems fair. If our foreign policy makers are wrong-headed then lets vote them out. But his brilliantly-thought-out advise that the U.S. should promote both political and economic development, and it should care about what happens inside states around the world.by focusing primarily on good governance, political accountability, democracy, and strong institutions is straight out of the same playbook being used and frankly tells me nothing (again, based on what he previously wrote). First, he asserts that democracy won?t take hold or can?t be forced on many culturesso the aspect of promoting democracy as part of his foreign policy is out the door for many. Secondly, good governance? political accountability?these are all certainly not institutional traits of Hussein?s, Milosevic?s, or Iran?s governments. Not to mention, other third world countries that desperately need rescue from murderous ideologies. Where would these countries fit into his compact little vision statement for our foreign policy? Soft institutions will be the right cure for Darfurprobably not. And multi-multi-lateralism?I?ll leave that enlightened concept alone.
I did agree with what Fukuyama writes about the mis-steps leading to (and after/during) the war, the over-reliance on questionable data on WMDs as justification for the war, and the fact there was never any admission by Bush of what he now realizes were clearly critical mistakes. I also agreed with him that NATO should be fully utilized in an effort to be multilateral.
I do realize these are all rather complex issues…too much for a blog maybebut again, I?m left dis-heartened by solutions offered.
You were definitely right about Fukuyama?s disdain for the UN-even I think the UN could be very useful-especially with humanitarian efforts.
All the best,
Alex S alejandro5557@yahoo.com
hippy conservative…currently reading Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums”
May 4th, 2006 at 11:41 am
Speaking of books, I was reading Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins, when I came across a part that totally reminded me of Duncan and the way his music makes me feel.
“The guitarist on the stage, tuning his guitar, let pure drops of sound fall into the noisy room, making the pockets of quiet. The drops fell into the middle of conversations and hushed them. The drops of sound fell on an unmoistened sponge that was waiting somewhere inside Hector. In his heart or his mind or his soul. He didn’t realize that he was in a sponge state but, having been seperated from his moorings- couch,TV, pizza- and led into unfamiliar territory, there was a spongy piece of him left open and receptive to the universe in whatever form it might take, and the form it took was a guitar.
Hector’s first thought about the guitar was how good it sounded. It sounded great. There was something different about it than a radio or a record. There was more darkness and more brightness to it.”
Duncan’s music always finds a way into my heart and mind and soul!!
Shannon
May 4th, 2006 at 6:11 pm
Hey Sheiky!!!
I dunno if you’d be able to do this since the new issue came out today, but go out and try to get your grubs on the last quarter’s Tricycle. There’s an article in it that was called “Ego in the Shopping Cart”… ish? I don’t have the mag on my person right now, so I can’t be sure that was title. But. I saw it and thought of you- of “Shopping.”
I haven’t gotten a chance to read it yet (got my own stripped copy today- ah, the perks of bein a B&N employee), but I thought I’d throw it out there for ya.
A little moral reinforcement never hurts. ;)
Hope you and yours are traveling well.
Be safe and don’t eat too much junk!
Big Kiss,
May 4th, 2006 at 6:16 pm
(that should have ended with:)
(hahahahahaha! I’m stealing your style!)
Susann
On a further note:
Apparently I can’t push the “g” button when writing “being.”
HA! (hope there’s no symbolism in that- eek!)
I must be feeling a bit wonkish today. ;D
June 13th, 2006 at 11:54 pm
Duncan, I had your name written down on the back of a Barnes & Noble card. I was looking for some Nick Drake and the salesman asked if I had heard of you. I told him I hadn’t, and asked where your music was. This was in October 2004 and he said that unfortunately the store didn’t have any (at the time?). So, I asked which album he recommended. He wrote down “Phantom Moon.” Lucky for me, I found the card about 6 months later. It was in a zipper pocket of a purse that I pulled out of my closet to donate to my girls for dress-up. I immediately recalled the conversation, and after satisfying my little ladies’ appetites for accessories, I checked iTunes and, there you were. “Mr. Chess” remains one of my favorite.
Thoughtful, intelligent lyrics complimented with equally equipped music makes it a delight. I see you also have a good taste in literature. Thanks for the music and the recommended reading.