I have only quite recently become aware of Eagleton as a public intellectual, and find him an interesting thinker, if perhaps not, rigorously speaking, a philosoper, but this short speech in solidarity with an anti-war event is decidedly disappointing in, among other things, a knee-jerk anti-Americanism that serves to obscure both Britain's more recent complicity in current Middle East misadventures and, more importantly, the long shadow of its own imperialist history in the region.
To be fair, Eagleton has never claimed to be a philosopher. But he is a pretty significant literary critic, academic and popular intellectual. Even so, this is a pretty pointless speech; sadly like other great influences from my youth (Chomsky, Tariq Ali, et al) the left has become a bit over reliant upon a few notable figures who like a stand-up comedian towards the end of their national tour are trotting out (pun intended!) the same old one liners. They are however, substatially correct.
Eagleton is a facsimile radical in Raymond Williams' sense: he has been part of the 1960s piss-take of the emergent Aquarian socialism which is only now forming in the back streets and unknown alleys of our civilisation. In five years time he will sound like the inflated binarist buffoon he is. Can you remember anything he ever said, did or wrote? Soon you won't need to. x
odd that he didn't mention the british government and british troops!
listenerab 3 days ago
brilliant Dr. Eagleton, just brilliant.
absba9 6 months ago
I have only quite recently become aware of Eagleton as a public intellectual, and find him an interesting thinker, if perhaps not, rigorously speaking, a philosoper, but this short speech in solidarity with an anti-war event is decidedly disappointing in, among other things, a knee-jerk anti-Americanism that serves to obscure both Britain's more recent complicity in current Middle East misadventures and, more importantly, the long shadow of its own imperialist history in the region.
AJourneymanWayfarer 6 months ago
To be fair, Eagleton has never claimed to be a philosopher. But he is a pretty significant literary critic, academic and popular intellectual. Even so, this is a pretty pointless speech; sadly like other great influences from my youth (Chomsky, Tariq Ali, et al) the left has become a bit over reliant upon a few notable figures who like a stand-up comedian towards the end of their national tour are trotting out (pun intended!) the same old one liners. They are however, substatially correct.
ljwnorth 8 months ago
Eagleton is a facsimile radical in Raymond Williams' sense: he has been part of the 1960s piss-take of the emergent Aquarian socialism which is only now forming in the back streets and unknown alleys of our civilisation. In five years time he will sound like the inflated binarist buffoon he is. Can you remember anything he ever said, did or wrote? Soon you won't need to. x
Zoundsism999 10 months ago
LOL! Eagleton a philosopher? How does he qualify?
levanyzzuf 1 year ago
@levanyzzuf I guess he isn't much of a modern philosopher however philosophy used to be inseperable from politics and society.
XXthewaveXX 9 months ago