Police, Charlie Hebdo, Philosophy Of Art, Branding, Taiwan

Seeing Through Police

Mark Greif | n+1 | 1st May 2015

Notes on the role of police in society. "Police are negotiators. Usually they confront situations of conflict they did not cause. They bring a separate set of criteria to bear. Is this chargeable? Should this person be removed or transported? How do I scare these citizens a bit so they won’t come into conflict again? Police negotiate without a unitary goal other than to end the necessity for their being present" (5,600 words)

The Myths Surrounding Charlie Hebdo

Jeffrey Goldberg | Atlantic | 5th May 2015

Charlie Hebdo is more principled and less prejudiced than its liberal critics claim. It is prone to offend all religions equally, and generally takes the side of the oppressed. It attacks ideas, not people, and ideas should always be open to attack. "I don’t like blasphemy either. But my belief in free speech trumps my distaste for blasphemy, and in any case, my conception of God is large, and I can’t imagine He gives a shit about cartoons" (1,890 words)

Noel Carroll On The Philosophy Of Art

Nigel Warburton | Five Books | 5th May 2015

Discussion of books about the philosophy of art from Clive Bell's Art to Arthur Danto's After The End Of Art. "After photography, representation and imitation are not what artists should be about because these can be achieved automatically by machines. What is art going to be about after photography and cinematography? One of the most powerful suggestions is that art will be about itself. Art will be about exploring its own nature" (5,200 words)

The Clintons And Brand Architecture

Eric Mineart | Medium | 3rd May 2015

"Companies master-brand because it works. Once a company name is recognizable it can be used to lift other products up. Bill imbued the Clinton name with value and it lifted Hillary, Chelsea and eventually the Clinton Foundation." But branding also requires discipline. Putting the name on a faulty product devalues the name. The Clinton Foundation was a branding error, Hillary Clinton is suffering for it, and reasonably so (1,745 words)

Will America Defend Taiwan?

Hugh White | The Interpreter | 5th May 2015

The balance of power has changed beyond recognition since America signed the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979. Back then China was poor and weak. Now it is rich and strong. None of America's Asian allies, except possibly Japan, would join a war with China. "Today a US-China conflict would impose equal risks and costs on both sides." Which gives, in effect, the advantage to China. It has more at stake, and thus greater resolve (887 words)

Video of the day: Putin’s Propaganda Machine

What to expect: Vice News report: How state-controlled television and radio fuel Russian nationalism (11'11")

Thought for the day

It is easy to be certain. One has only to be sufficiently vague
C.S. Peirce