While searching for a link to Glen Newey’s recent article in the London Review of Books (9 July 2009: “Ruck in the Carpet” – on Raymond Geuss’s book, Philosophy and Real Politics), I have found this:
“I’m on research leave in Finland, which, like any well-ordered social democracy, but unlike the UK, maintains an air of strenuously contained bedlam. Public notices in Finnish look as if they were produced by pogoing on a typewriter. Bank staff, waitresses, children, even the drunks, have the air of Marks & Spencer management trainees. Matti Vanhanen, Finland’s cyborg-like teetotal prime minister, survived in office after ditching his mistress via text message – it’s hard to imagine Gordon Brown getting away with that. But now and again, one hears a keening strain from the old country. On the Alexanderinkatu recently a dress shop was enticing passers-by with ‘Things Can Only Get Better’, the D:Ream chantalong which Labour ran as its theme tune in the 1997 general election campaign. Apparently, the ditty is still good for shifting frocks, at least at 60°N. It’s a fair bet that Labour won’t revive it for the next election.”
Not difficult to recognise Glen’s style – it is a new article, to be published in the next issue of the LRB (27 August 2009), with the title “More ‘out’ than ‘on’ “. Unfortunately, both “Ruck in the Carpet” and “More ‘out’ than ‘on’ ” are only available online in toto to subscribers; however, you can find links to other articles by him at: http://www.lrb.co.uk/contributors/newe01
I liked “Ruck in the Carpet” very much, but I found the comments on Kantian philosophy too far from Kant. Looking forward to the next issue of the LRB!
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