The Philosphy of M McDowell

gom

While reading Michael McDowell's Bio page in dublin.ie I noticed his PHILOSPHY..

Michael McDowell's Bio page on Dublin.ie

Philosophy: None at this time

So does this mean that the President of the PDs has no vision. That is new to me.

Tommy Vercetti

there's not much to see when your head's up your....etc.

gom

Originally posted by Tommy Vercetti
there's not much to see when your head's up your....etc.

I'm sure he would need a ladder to climb out. Maybe he can get ahold of one on a poll in Ranelagh??

Cork

Michael McDowell Philosophy:


Some politicians have little time for dealing with issues of Philosophy.

Maybe Philosophy should be left to the competing socialist partys in Ireland.

Socialist Party SF and Labour.

Who are the real socialists ansd who are of the champange and salomn variety?

sceptre

Originally posted by Cork
Who are the real socialists ansd who are of the champange and salomn variety?

Who cares. Start a thread about it.

I'm sure that socialists can eat salmon, smoked or otherwise without abandoning their views in the same way that the other wing (what the hell, let's call them "evil capitalist pig overlord dogs because it fits in with your diversion) can feed poor people without abandoning their views.

I like the tinned stuff. Maybe on crackers, though buttery bread is better. I'm not too sure if I'm a socialist though (probably not of the Joe Higgins type and definitely not of your windmill-tipping-preferred pinko variety), though I like the idea of keeping people fed without involving soup kitchens in the process.

I doubt anyone asked McDowell if he was a philosopher (as he plainly isn't). I suspect he was sent a questionnaire asking for a bio with that question at the end, to which he gave that answer but one can hardly blame the site owner for just reporting his response. He must have ideas about "things". Everyone has, right? Even if his philosophy is self promotion and stopping kids drinking as much as he did in college.

Cork

Originally posted by sceptre
Even if his philosophy is self promotion and stopping kids drinking as much as he did in college.

But philosophy is very academic when dealing with real problems on a day to day basis.

Leaving politics aside - should realism be the key philosophy for politicians.

But what we seem to be getting is much contrieved fake out rage without any alternative vision or policies.

sceptre

Originally posted by Cork
But philosophy is very academic when dealing with real problems on a day to day basis.

Leaving politics aside - should realism be the key philosophy for politicians.

But what we seem to be getting is much contrieved fake out rage without any alternative vision or policies.

It's not an "or" thing. Deal with day to day things on a day to day basis but at least have some plan for what you'd like to achieve in a political career as a result of having that career. if you don't have one of those then you're just a horsetrader without a horse.

It's not a "realism" versus "philosophy" thing. The two are reconcilable and philosophy is only a conceptual thing if you're studying it. Ask someone what their philosophy is and the answer isn't expected to be something esoteric. Even "working for a more equal Ireland with peace and prosperity for all" is good enough for a politician's answer, even if it sounds like a vague something written as a prepared answer to such a question by any idiot. You're trying to imply that it's a complicated question.

uncivilservant

Is there an assumption here that McDowell was asked the question?

Whatever one's opinion of the man, if he were asked the question "What is your philosophy?" I sincerely doubt he would say "None at this time."

Surely it's just some placeholder text put there by the webmaster?

sceptre

Originally posted by uncivilservant
Is there an assumption here that McDowell was asked the question?

Whatever one's opinion of the man, if he were asked the question "What is your philosophy?" I sincerely doubt he would say "None at this time."

Surely it's just some placeholder text put there by the webmaster?

Oh you could well be right. McDowell obviously has some life or career philosophy.

DadaKopf

Even "working for a more equal Ireland with peace and prosperity for all" is good enough for a politician's answer, even if it sounds like a vague something written as a prepared answer to such a question by any idiot. You're trying to imply that it's a complicated question.

In the Irish Catholic last month McDowell said that inequality is an important, if not essential part of Irish society and his political vision because inequality encourages people to work more. If only we could get rid of our bloated, evil socialistic überstaat.

Hmmm. Personally, I think everything stems from the fact that he went to Gonzaga, was probably bullied at school, and joined the wanker brigade when in UCD. On top of that, he's genetically conservative.

I think it's ironic that, in the biog of him there, it says he's descended from Eoin MacNeill. The Gaelic League was a group, of whom many were zraxy socialist theorists. Clearly the good family tradition hasn't carried on down the generations.

Personally, I think someone who says inequality and relative deprivation is a positive thing in society is absolutely and totally morally bankrupt.

A Realist? Perhaps, but I'm not sure he's thought this through enough. He seems like a arch technocrat, a typical lawyer who sees nothing beyond statute books and market dynamics.

Yeah, I'd agree with "Philosophy: None at this time", except maybe it should be "None at all. Period."

lucernarian

With Michael McDowell making comments like that who needs quasi-fascism?:D

AngelofFire

Mcdowell is one of them neo con facists.He calls himself "liberal" yet last year he reduced pub opening hours and made it possible for pubs to descriminate against 18-21 year olds.Thats hardly the legacy of a "liberal" minister for justice."Inequality is an incentive in the economy he says". So suffer little children its good for business:rolleyes:. At an IBEC dinner he suggested that abandoning social protections in order to make way for a dogma of neo liberal economic policies would be a good idea. (he really did pick the right audience to make that particular speach on front of, no wonder IBEC love the PDs).

therecklessone

Originally posted by Cork


Some politicians have little time for dealing with issues of Philosophy.

Maybe Philosophy should be left to the competing socialist partys in Ireland.

Yes, some are far too busy forging letters from the Taoiseach and others avoiding tax. Some even find the time to take the odd back-hander or two...

article6

Originally posted by DadaKopf
Yeah, I'd agree with "Philosophy: None at this time", except maybe it should be "None at all. Period."

Even if you don't agree with right-wing liberalism, you can't claim that it is not a philosophy. In fact, the philosophy of minimising governments is quite a successful one among the powerful in society today, as I'm sure you'd agree. Granted, the Minister is no immaculate libertarian; his is the sort of philosophy whereby the State has too little money to actually enforce any of its laws; 'liberalism by default', to coin a phrase.

Originally posted by DadaKopf
Personally, I think everything stems from the fact that he went to Gonzaga, was probably bullied at school, and joined the wanker brigade when in UCD. On top of that, he's genetically conservative.

What experiences in your youth led to your adoption of your political philosophy? Or, indeed, mine? Questions like that get pretty personal when we direct them to ourselves; it's simplistic to presume that all opinions other than our own are due to 'bad breeding'.

DadaKopf

Right-wing liberalism is an ideology, I'm not sure you could entirely elevate it to the status of a philosophy when you talk about McDowell or our government. Not in any normative sense, anyway.

Like you say, we've got liberalism by default - something that happens within an political and ethical vacuum. Interesting, therefore, how he manages to transform inequality and poverty into a positive social value, its exact opposite.

I'd love Jules Verne to write a novel about McDowell's mind.

article6

Originally posted by DadaKopf
Right-wing liberalism is an ideology, I'm not sure you could entirely elevate it to the status of a philosophy when you talk about McDowell or our government. Not in any normative sense, anyway.

Bah. Semantics. Don't like them myself.

Originally posted by DadaKopf
I'd love Jules Verne to write a novel about McDowell's mind.

"Around the Ego in Eighty Days"?

DublinWriter

Originally posted by DadaKopf
I'd love Jules Verne to write a novel about McDowell's mind.

40,000 Leagues Under the Polls.

I'd rather be a champagne socialist than a champagne fascist.

Pass the Bolly baby.