David F. Ruccio — Richard Rorty, postmodernism, and Trump

Good observations but I would disagree with the conclusion that "… we still have two formidable weapons: critical thinking and political organizing. And, while liberals continue to deny it, the Left is still the best place to find and develop those weapons." 

The human pursuit of truth is dialectical. The Left enunciates a particular POV in terms of an interpretive narrative that combines descriptive (representational), normative and prescriptive aspects, among other factors. The Right articulates an opposing POV. There are nuances in  the POVs on both the Left and Right. 

Some of these come into conflict with each other and others cooperate. This is a dynamic process that continually unfolds over time in a series of historical moments that are shaped by individuals interacting in changing conditions, subject not only to individual dispositions but also cultural and institutional influences.

Differences in POV are now being trace to cognitive-affective-volitional factors based on brain functioning. Differences in neurological functioning are correlated with differences in POV. It remains to be determined in which way the causation runs but it seems clear that feedback deepens neural pathways and therefore intensity of commitment to a POV.

People like to think that they have the "facts" on their side, which is only true to a degree. Thinking about subjects of any complication or complexity involves conceptual models based on assumptions and methodological approaches. There are no independent criteria for deciding the "best" assumptions or method, other than in aspects of human life. 

What is ideal may not be realistic, e.g., utopian thinking. Too much political thinking on both Right and Left is utopian or dystopian, driven by desire and aversion, and to that degree, irrational.

Moreover, history is dynamic as well as dialectical. What is suitable at one time may not be at another.  The Ango-American contemporary Left tends to be mired in gold standard thinking.

Postmodernism is a dialectical "retort" to Modernism. POVs tend to be characterized by their extremes, but those are more caricatures or stereotypes. But it is the extremes that provoke reaction and drive the dialectic.

Donald Trump is an iteration in the political dialectic of US left and right, who views the task at hand to be moving beyond the current oppositions by forging a new POV.

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Richard Rorty, postmodernism, and Trump
David F. Ruccio | Professor of Economics, University of Notre Dame