Danceable Education

In this week's issue of Chicago's free paper, New City, there is a little interview/article with Cornel West who was in Chicago promting his new book "Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism.

Because I am optimistic dork, I thought, "hey, that books sounds good. I'm against imperialism too." Also, West is probably the inventor of what he terms, "danceable education." Even if it's just an excuse to make his rap CD more academic (obviously Dean Lawrence Summers at Harvard didn't think so - it's part of the reason West defected to Princeton two years ago) it makes me predisposed to liking him. Even though I don't really like to dance, I sort of like the idea of rocking out to Socrates or doing the twist to Thucydides.

Apparently the term imperialism is subjective. By now you've probably already guessed what took me a couple of minutes to get: America is the imperialist that is destroying the world. I haven't read West's book but I didn't find his interview to be any sort of rocking endorsement.Here is an exceprt:

West is fearful seeveral stages of "insiduous growth of deadening nihilisms," what he identifies as the "evangelical nihilism" of the President's men and women, the "paternalistic nihilism" of the democrats, the "sentimental nihilism" of the narratives of big corporate media.

I sort of get what he saying about the evangelical Republicans. Yeah, the exist. But I'm not sure what they mean by "President's men and women." Is it just wierd phrasing on the part of the journalist, Ray Pride, or is it supposed to suggest that the President like, "owns" people. What really confuses me is the last part. I mean, what does sentimental nihilism mean? What are the narratives of big corporate media? This sort of phrasing should not be allowed to leave the ivory tower! I really fear that there's not really anything behind these terms.

Later on he talks about voting machines. "Mm..mmm. You know the talk about those who own the machines. We have to ask, 'when [we] vote, will it count?" I guess I personally think this entire thing has been blown out of proportion. Don't people think there's going to be extra scrutiny this year? Why can't we just wait and see? And what is the business of people owning machines? I remember the problems over the 2000 election. I don't think the ownership of the machines was part of the problem. I guess a comment like that really borders on conspiracy theory to me. I would like to expect better from one of the most celebrated academics in America.

It's also worth checking this interview out. I gives a pretty complete take on his view of current events.