Happy Labor Day!
Happy Labor Day!
Chats, Koch brothers, authenticity and Rousseau from Yours Truly.
Instead of a post today, I want to invite you to the Calling the Shots 话语权时代 subscriber chat. Three posts in, we've already gathered a strong community of over 200 subscribers—thank you all for your support!
This long weekend, I'm spending time outside of the city in the burbs, rummaging through my bookshelves and revisiting some old reads. I re-read Ryan Hass’ Stronger: Adapting America’s China Strategy in an Age of Competitive Interdependence. And I have quite a few pages dog-eared on his analysis of projecting power and translating into influence. Despite some contradictions in his thesis, Hass skillfully weaves a compelling narrative. His storytelling approach offers valuable insights for crafting coherent and impactful arguments.
Another fantastic re-read is "Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America." This book goes beyond chronicling how Koch Industries became one of the world's largest private companies and a political powerhouse. It also delves into the complex web of political maneuvering, media influence, and corporate governance that collectively amplifies its power. Chapter 19, aptly titled "Warming," gives us an insider's view into their lobbying operations.
“As koch industries became more politically influential, it became increasingly insistent that its lobbyists were pursuing a purely idealogical mission. Koch’s lobbyists and public relations team said their goal wans’t to boost Koch Industries’ profits, but to champion theideas of freedom and prosperity.” (pg. 407)
Lastly, some wise and uplifting words from The Ethics of Authenticity,
“Being true to myself means being true to my own originality, and that is something only I can articulate and discover. This is the background understanding to the modern ideal of authenticity, and to the goals of self-fulfilment or self-realization in which it is usually couched.
Our moral salvation comes from recovering authentic moral contact with ourselves. Rousseau even gives a name…'“le sentiment de l’existence.”
Ok, back to the chat—share your recent favorite read with me and the community. See you back next week.
Hugs, Ivy
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