Rod Dreher goes non-profit:
[At]t the end of this year, I'm leaving the Dallas Morning News, and will start a job as director of publications at the John Templeton Foundation in suburban Philadelphia. My primary job there will be to create and edit an online magazine called Big Questions Online. It's going to be a philosophically-oriented magazine that explores fundamental questions arising from science, religion, the free market and public ethics/morality -- Templeton's four big areas of focus.
Exactly what Dreher knows about science is a mystery, considering his long-time embrace of the global-warming hoax:
Our nation and our world have reached a crucible of near-cataclysm in our economy and -- with climate change -- in the environment, chiefly because we have refused to live within our means. . . .
"Given the cataclysmic disruptions forecast from climate change, in which humankind's carbon emissions play a role, and considering the informed forecasts of diminishing world oil supply, to continue to live this way amounts to 'national insanity.' "
-- Rod Dreher, Oct. 26, 2008
Dreher's ignorant hostility to free markets (inspired by anti-capitalist economist
E.F. Schumacher) was the focus of
my review of Crunchy Cons (see also
Jonah Goldberg's evisceration.) Nevertheless let us be thankful for
this news from Dreher:
This move is going to require a significant shift in my own writing. Templeton is not a sectarian or politically partisan organization. Therefore, my own political commentary will be drawing to an end at the end of this year.
Answered prayer.
Posts
Yeah, right. Bill Keller's own political commentary is, too, absent from the Grey Madam.
ReplyDeleteOff topic but what's the deal with this?Snopes says it's a mixture of true and false. My issue is why did the entire crew have to change out in order for the flight to proceed if it wasn't anything more than a "mishap in communication"?
ReplyDeleteThis will be problematic for Drichead. First, are there any "craftsman-style houses in Phily? Row-houses, but no craftsman.
ReplyDeleteSecond, will he be able to get organically grown veggies? Will his organic Salvadorean coffee be available? What about all the crap about being "close to the land"? How "close to the land" is he in Phila?
God forbid he turns into another free marketeer who just wants to live his life as he sees fit without having some boutique conservative climbing all over his ass about it.
Exactly what Dreher knows about science is a mystery, considering his long-time embrace of the global-warming hoax:
ReplyDeleteOther than the part-time and seasonal jobs one has as a student, Dreher has been employed by newspapers throughout his working life (bar one year on the staff of a magazine). He identifies strongly with people in his own trade and gives the the benefit of every doubt he denies anyone else. If I am not mistaken, he has been employed as a critic or editorial writer, or columnist (not a reporter) for all the papers for which he has worked. He has a college degree - in journalism. That is what he knows.
The economic state of newspapers appears to be similar to that of vaudeville houses ca. 1930, so it would appear he is departing 'ere being made redundant.
I think if you want to apprehend Dreher's perspective, consider that since his middle teens his political affiliation has had three distinct phases and his religious affiliation has had at least three distinct phases. Each phase was defined by an explicit rejection of the previous affiliation; also, his default mode in contemplating public life is not one of observation or analysis but rather one of accusation.
One of his critics summarized his 'perspective' thus: "the political is an expression of my personal psychodrama". As a summary, that is not bad. Another of his critics offers this reminiscence:
http://www.capnken.com/wisdom/2004/05/page/2/
The loss of his political commentary is a small loss because what Rod has to say has generally been a function of Rod's inner turmoil on any given day, and not much else.
Philly is just his launching pad for "The Benedict Option".
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