Neal Stephenson, Walter Wink, and the empirical science of shaftology
by Josh at 9:50 pmI read this interview with Neal Stephenson in Reason Online because I’m reading his book Cryptonomicon right now. I wasn’t expecting to find a brief discussion of Walter Wink and the theology of domination systems. What I find particularly interesting here is that Reason is a libertarian magazine. Stephenson is saying that libertarians should be interested in what Walter Wink has to say about domination systems.
Stephenson likens social systems to biological systems, comparing diseases whith what he calls “power disorders.” Essentially out understanding of social systems is centuries behind our understanding of biological systems. We currently know very little about the underlying causes of power disorders. Stephenson seems to think Wink is on the right track by developing an empirical science of shaftology by looking at people in various situations who are getting the shaft.
The problem is that this interview has very little to say about Wink himself. Stephenson points out that, in Wink’s view, Jesus was all about opposing opressive power systems. A quick look at Wink’s bibliography reveals that he’s also very committed to nonviolence. Wink may just end up on my reading list.
The main point that I take away from this interview is how any plans to fight opression ought to include libertarians who apparently feel very strongly about fighting opression. They are traditional enemies of the left because of their distrust of centralized government, but they may have a point in that gevernments are typically some of the worst oppressors of the poor. This is also evidence, in my view, for why the Republican party has passed its point of usefulness. We need a libertarian voice in the national political dialogue, which has traditionally been the role of the Republican party. However, these days Republicans are authoritarian despite a lot of talk about small govenment.
Tags: christian,libertarian,politics,Religion,sff,stephenson,wink
February 15th, 2005 at 9:12 pm
Damn, this Wink guy sounds really interesting. I’m totally putting him on my list of stuff I need to read. If you beat me to it, and have any recommendations about which of his books are worth starting on, let me know.
February 16th, 2005 at 8:15 am
Yes yes yes yes yes! Haven’t you and I talked about this before??? Poul Anderson? See? I’m not just a kook who wants to embrace political perversity. Not. (Females that I Have Known have sometimes not taken kindly to my straying from solid D politics, regardless of the direction of my straying.)
Anyway, I’m way ahead of you here. Maybe. Let’s talk more about it, let’s develop a state-of-the-art biblical libertarianism!! Seriously man! It can be a cooperative venture! Let’s write a book, Josh!! We’d be like a hot knife through butter! We’d be interviewed by Jon Stewart! (I’m kidding about the last part, not kidding about writing a book that could be quite influential.)
In case you’re wondering what the hell I’m doing on MySpace, I took a sick day because Angela is a little sick and wanted me here.
February 16th, 2005 at 10:20 am
Actually, one of my main problems with God’s Politics so far is how easily Wallis dismisses libertarians. He mistakenly characterizes them as the “just leave me alone and don’t spend my money” party. While there are definitely a few of those types in the party that is undeniably a vast oversimplification of libertarian ideology.
February 16th, 2005 at 2:01 pm
Exactly! So when do we start our libertarian club/book?
February 16th, 2005 at 2:12 pm
You know this already, but the Republican Party has never been dominated, certainly not numerically at least, by people with a consistent libertarian approach. Libertarians have always been a very influential minority, and they continue to have influence, but Republicans are morphing into imperialists/fascists, as the U.S. continues its slow, determined slide into the toilet.
Not that I know jack about American political history.
So anyway, this is what we’ll do: you discreetly reconnoiter the Boston-area Libertarians (there have to be at least a few), and I’ll do the same for the folks in the metro Philly area. And we’ll compare notes. I can see why Wallis has that attitude–he is very politically connected and savvy, and the national Libertarian party is pretty wacky and fringe-y and needs help. And here we are to help it! We’ll be like corporate turnaround specialists.
I decided a few months back that we need to shrink the state, a lot a lot. But can’t do that without reviving civics first/simultaneously.
February 23rd, 2005 at 9:19 am
too ignorant to add much- but I should say- Christians should not forget that everything is broken. I read Marx a little, and he was wrong because he thought the system was the only broken thing. I think all the people are broken, so no christian should devote too much energy to the system- it cannot help people much. Jesus did oppose Rome and the Pharisee political group, he refused to compromise with the pagan empire, and he refused to go with the morality salvation pressure group- but his option was not political- though you are right, it is for peace.
February 23rd, 2005 at 3:03 pm
Hmmm… Did you read the interview? Stephenson mentions specifically is that Marx doesn’t really get to the root of things, and he seems to think that Wink does a better job of this. Which is why I want to read Wink.