Jihad vs. McWorld

September 26, 2001 8:53 AM

Jihad vs. McWorld I read this in college, and it was recently talked about on NPR. (I did a search on MeFi and couldn't find it linked). Interesting article written 9 years ago but significant today, addressing the "brutal realities of Jihad and the dull realities of McWorld". Thoughts? (warning, loooong read)
posted by adampsyche (8 comments total)

Wow... I checked that book out of the library yesterday. I used to have the book in high school, but I loaned it to someone and haven't seen it since.

Agreed: very significant right now.
posted by Coda at 9:37 AM on September 26, 2001

MTV, Macintosh, and McDonald's

One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn't belong...
posted by kindall at 10:37 AM on September 26, 2001

College, ehh?
posted by rutgersgrad00 at 11:14 AM on September 26, 2001

Livingston College, Rutgers U., 2000.
posted by adampsyche at 11:48 AM on September 26, 2001

i only skimmed it :) but it reminded me of The Eternal Struggle: Maintaining property rights in a dangerous world by gregory p. nowell. i guess economic determinism/political economy arguments are becoming subsumed under cultural determinism/clash of civilization ones. a return to weber?
posted by kliuless at 12:16 PM on September 26, 2001

Hrm, I read that as MacWorld. I think that "brutal realities of Jihad and the dull realities of MacWorld" is a reoccurring thread on Slashdot.
posted by ix555 at 12:34 PM on September 26, 2001

University College, Rutgers U., 2000
posted by rutgersgrad00 at 12:41 PM on September 26, 2001

Wow, RU reunion at MeFi, who woulda thunk it...

Admittedly, both are pretty scary. I just thought that it was an appropriate link becuase it makes a long-reaching description about the events and what has led up to them. I think it also outlines how engrained the McWorld is in our psyches, how it is part of our culture to think "why wouldn't someone want to have 12 different pairs of jeans to chose from?". It also makes me think about a discussion I had with someone who said that "communism offers no incentive". I don't want to get into a communism debate, etc., but it was interesting to note what we consider incentive. For instance, community, reduced crime, free education, these are also things that I think of when I think "incentive".

It also illustrates how much Marx was right about a lot of things. Sure, communism has never been successfully implemented, but his imperialism theories (expanded upon by Lenin later) are impossible to ignore. But what the article is good at is explaining how each polarization, in its extremes, is antithetical to democracy. Extreme Capitalism on ESPN2, coming shortly...

Given the two polarities, where does the world end up? And why do some think that getting rid of the Taliban would create a situation in which there was anyone more "acceptable" in charge over there? Would Afghans ever accept democracy? There seems to be some culture in the way. I am no Rhodes scholar, and don't claim to have the answers here, that is why I ask so many questions. I guess I just wanted to see what everyone else thought.
posted by adampsyche at 12:58 PM on September 26, 2001