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Reihan: Snark-Countersnark-Snarky-snark
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On the rare occasions I indulge in snark, it is out of either laziness (rare) or frustration (common). Which is why I'm always surprised by snark-addicts: where's the fun? Roger Cohen wrote a clueless column snarking at anti-war liberals. The reliably smart Michael Tomasky wrote some boilerplate quick-take countersnark. And, via Chris Hayes, I see Cohen is engaging in defensive snarking. Now comes the time we engage in accusations and counter-accusations regarding who is and is not truly anti-Stalinist. This is what we've been reduced to.
Let me just say: I'm pretty sure that if I were actively participating in intellectual debates in the 1950s or 1980s that I'd have a whole slew of opinions that are both wrong and interesting, so I think we should be careful about assuming that of course we'd see the Soviet Union for what it really was with great moral clarity, etc. Plenty of people saw the Soviet Union for what it really was precisely because they were lunatic Neanderthals, and thank goodness for that. I consider myself a lunatic Australopithecene.
PS- Matt has more substantive thoughts here!
Let me just say: I'm pretty sure that if I were actively participating in intellectual debates in the 1950s or 1980s that I'd have a whole slew of opinions that are both wrong and interesting, so I think we should be careful about assuming that of course we'd see the Soviet Union for what it really was with great moral clarity, etc. Plenty of people saw the Soviet Union for what it really was precisely because they were lunatic Neanderthals, and thank goodness for that. I consider myself a lunatic Australopithecene.
PS- Matt has more substantive thoughts here!
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