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Paul Berman

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418: 210: 317:. I didn't see a blinding light or hear a thunder clap or cry 'Eureka!' If I was going to cry anything it would have been 'Oh bloody hell!' ... I was going to have to turn it round and see the world afresh. The labour would involve reconsidering everything I'd written since 11 September, arguing with people I took to be friends and finding myself on the same side as people I took to be enemies. All because of Berman." 393:, "I approved on principle the overthrow of Saddam. I never did approve of Bush's way of going about it. In the run-up to the war, I became, on practical grounds, ever more fearful that, in his blindness to liberal principles, Bush was leading us over a cliff… It is true and it is a matter of satisfaction to me that, in the years since then, I have not made a career of saying 'I told you so.'" 370:
Once the invasion had begun, he nonetheless called on the liberal left to support the war on humanitarian and anti-totalitarian grounds, even while continuing to elaborate his criticism of the larger Bush Doctrine. His pro-war and anti-Bush positions confused some, as they managed to irk people on
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and criticized him for " and the most dangerous aspect of the Bush Administration's approach to the war on terrorism: the lumping together of radically different elements in the Muslim world into one homogeneous enemy camp." Berman has also been criticized in books by the liberal sociologist,
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human rights record in Nicaragua. Moore believed Berman's claims to be inaccurate: "The article was flatly wrong and the worst kind of patronizing bullshit. You would scarcely know from it that the United States had been at war with Nicaragua for the last five years." Moore sued for wrongful
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In Berman's interpretation, observers relying on modern liberal values have sometimes found it difficult to identify the anti-liberal and anti-rational quality of totalitarian movements. Berman proposed this argument and offered an explanation based on the concept of "rationalist naiveté" in
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civilization. The ideologies promoted mythologies of world events that were paranoid, apocalyptic, utopian, obsessed with purity, and ultimately nihilist. In Berman's account, the totalitarian movements were mass mobilizations for unattainable aims.
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in the same light. In the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, he declined to endorse the Bush administration's policy and warned that it was likely to fail: "we are wielding power without liberalism, which will turn out to be no power at all."
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each side of the American political spectrum. His argument corresponded, however, to the views of the political tendency that is sometimes described as the anti-totalitarian left. He was one of the American signatories of the
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At the close of the book, Berman considers the effect of the war in Iraq on these graduates of '68. He suggests that the war split the movement greatly, with many now deeply aware of the dramatic excesses of the regime of
262:– mutually hostile movements whose doctrines, in his interpretation, overlap and have allowed for alliances. Berman regards suicide terror and the cult of martyrdom as a re-emergence of totalitarianism's nihilist strand. 488:, as well as the potential negative consequences if such a dictator remained in power. Nonetheless, they were deeply concerned by the arguments offered by the Bush administration. 1132: 1338: 1333: 254:
Berman tries to trace the influence of these European movements upon the modern Muslim world. He identifies two principal totalitarian tendencies in the Muslim countries,
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that "Islamism is a modern, instead of an ancient, political tendency, which arose in a spirit of fraternal harmony with the fascists of Europe in the 1930s and '40s."
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Berman draws a distinction between the religion of Islam, founded in the 7th century, and the political movement of radical Islamism. In July 2010, he wrote in the
293:, helping to shape debates about the concept of the "post-left" in Britain. Amis invokes Berman's argument in the opening paragraph of his book on 9/11, 1308: 1303: 469:. The hijackers split the passengers by ethnicity, with Jews on the one side and non-Jews on the other, with the intention to kill all of the former. 1318: 358:": an intervention intended to rescue endangered populations from extreme oppression and to promote liberal and democratic freedom. He looked on the 168: 400:
that its "true origin ... is anti-Semitism, the assumption that the Jews are the center of the world and therefore the center of the world's evil."
1097: 905: 787: 625: 1313: 449:(of which he was a member). He argues that packaged together with the liberal ideals in this movement were decidedly disturbing elements. 1229: 1343: 1057: 1241: 812: 1220: 1136: 772: 1017: 606: 591: 749: 480:—a member of the 1968 Generation who would later marry active improvement of human rights to established political goals. 1353: 1348: 1298: 101: 509:
dismissal, with the case settled out of court for $ 58,000; Moore used the settlement as seed funds for his first film,
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magazine. He was fired a few months later, partly for refusing to print an article by Berman that was critical of the
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as a major influence: "The only time I realised I was charging up a blind alley was when I read Paul Berman's
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in 2006, a British document which expressed that tendency. Berman is also sometimes associated with the "
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Jewish Journal: "What will New Republic exodus mean for American Jewish thought?" by Anthony Weiss
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Power and the Idealists: Or, The Passion of Joschka Fischer, and its Aftermath
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foundations and from the Cullman Center for Scholars & Writers at the
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A Tale of Two Utopias: The Political Journey of the Generation of 1968
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and Foreign Minister, decided that there was in fact the presence of
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Reason Papers: A Journal of Interdisciplinary Normative Studies,
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Cockburn, Alexander. "Beat The Devil: Michael meets Mr. Jones",
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Berman's approach has not been without its critics. A writer in
1283: 815:. The American Interest, September/October 2008. Archived from 429: 224: 342: 91:(born 1949) is an American writer on politics and literature. 942:"What Lincoln Knew About War,The New Republic, March 3, 2003" 131:, for the American Poets Project of the Library of America. 348: 339:, and the neo-Marxist political theorist, Robert Meister. 750:"NYU Journalism - Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute" 396:
Speaking of Israel in an interview, Berman commented of
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are the first two parts of a history of the so-called
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In 2011, Moore humorously described Berman as a "neo-
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Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni
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Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs
639:"Paul Berman's Farewell Wave to 'The Village Voice'" 1186: 19:For the American lawyer and professor of law, see 960:"Bush is an idiot, but he was right about Saddam" 849: 403: 1290: 1169:Matt Labash. "Michael Moore, One-Trick Phony". 285:Berman's ideas have influenced writers such as 246:as a reaction to the successes and failures of 491: 1098:"His Toughness Problem—and Ours: An Exchange" 793:. Democratiya 15, Winter 2008. Archived from 330:, labeled Berman a "Philosopher king" of the 188:, and a Distinguished Writer in Residence at 656: 1034: 957: 788:"The Concept of the 'Post-Left': A Defense" 343:Liberal interventionism and the Middle East 301:(NY: Random House, 2006) and an article in 172:. He has been awarded fellowships from the 924:"Who's For War, Who's Against It, and Why" 461:impulses in this movement when he saw the 354:in 1999 was justified by the doctrine of " 1309:21st-century American non-fiction writers 1304:20th-century American non-fiction writers 664:"Inside the Collapse of The New Republic" 1319:University of California, Irvine faculty 1095: 978: 1267:Irfan Khawaja, Review of Paul Berman's 981:"Liberal Hawks Reconsider the Iraq War" 888: 472:Also, Berman tracks major figures like 279:. He developed the argument further in 1291: 997: 903: 770: 120:, and an illustrated children's book, 1276:Vol. 33 (Fall 2011), pp. 165–89. 1184: 873: 775:. Wall Street Journal, July 10, 2010. 160:, a member of the editorial board of 196:Totalitarianism and the modern world 184:. He was a Regents' Lecturer at the 124:He edited, among other anthologies, 1314:Jewish American non-fiction writers 1258:Video of interview with Paul Berman 1244:by Paul Berman (essay adapted from 1242:"The Philosopher of Islamic Terror" 1018:"A Friendly Drink In A Time of War" 979:Weisberg, Jacob (16 January 2004). 904:Packer, George (December 8, 2002). 773:"What You Can't Say About Islamism" 13: 14: 1375: 1344:American male non-fiction writers 1214: 1037:"Defending And Advancing Freedom" 836: 785: 906:"The Liberal Quandary Over Iraq" 810: 582:. New edition, with preface by 416: 281:The Flight of the Intellectuals. 208: 186:University of California, Irvine 1178: 1163: 1150: 1125: 1089: 1075: 1050: 1035:Paul Berman (1 November 2005). 1028: 1010: 998:Berman, Paul (April 15, 2004). 991: 972: 951: 934: 916: 897: 882: 867: 830: 804: 525: 110:The Flight of the Intellectuals 1193:. Grand Central Pub. pp.  779: 771:Berman, Paul (July 10, 2010). 764: 742: 722: 698: 674: 631: 619: 533:Quotations from the Anarchists 404:History of the 1968 generation 1: 1232:, interview by Joel Whitney, 958:Suzy Hansen (23 March 2003). 613: 559:. W W Norton & Company. 542:. W W Norton & Company. 531:Berman, Paul (1972). (ed.). 360:2001 invasion of Afghanistan 352:war in the former Yugoslavia 238:, Berman offers a theory of 166:, and an Advisory Editor at 41:1949 (age 74–75)} 7: 1269:Flight of the Intellectuals 1096:Berman, Paul; Buruma, Ian. 1000:"Will The Opposition Lead?" 599:Flight of the Intellectuals 492:Comments from Michael Moore 154:. He is critic-at-large at 16:American writer (born 1949) 10: 1380: 1354:21st-century American Jews 1349:20th-century American Jews 1299:American political writers 1225:American Academy in Berlin 422:Presentation by Berman on 18: 1324:Jewish American academics 415: 410: 386:in 2007, Berman wrote in 217:interview with Berman on 207: 202: 76: 61: 53: 45: 35: 28: 889:Meister, Robert (2011). 390:New York Review of Books 138:family, Berman attended 1185:Moore, Michael (2011). 1113:Cite magazine requires 586:, W. W. Norton, 2007. 478:Doctors Without Borders 443:Power and the Idealists 356:liberal interventionism 347:Berman argued that the 305:The British journalist 182:New York Public Library 118:Power and the Idealists 1024:on September 29, 2006. 845:. Normblog, July 2005. 813:"The Task of the Jews" 476:—the later founder of 379:" movement in France. 303:The American Interest. 1246:Terror and Liberalism 841:Terror and Liberalism 811:Levy, Bernard Henri. 597:Berman, Paul (2010). 570:Berman, Paul (2005). 556:Terror and Liberalism 553:Berman, Paul (2003). 538:Berman, Paul (1996). 535:. Praeger Publishers. 500:became the editor of 439:A Tale of Two Utopias 424:A Tale of Two Utopias 364:2003 invasion of Iraq 315:Terror and Liberalism 311:Terror and Liberalism 277:Terror and Liberalism 235:Terror and Liberalism 219:Terror and Liberalism 114:A Tale of Two Utopias 97:Terror and Liberalism 1160:, September 13, 1986 874:Wolfe, Alan (2011). 760:on January 20, 2012. 574:. Soft Skull Press. 122:Make-Believe Empire. 89:Paul Lawrence Berman 39:Paul Lawrence Berman 1172:The Weekly Standard 930:. 19 February 2003. 800:on August 13, 2011. 730:"Fathom – About us" 465:participate in the 463:Revolutionary Cells 268:Wall Street Journal 190:New York University 140:Columbia University 66:Columbia University 1251:The New York Times 1189:Here Comes Trouble 1083:"Euston Manifesto" 1004:The New York Times 910:The New York Times 754:journalism.nyu.edu 601:. Melville House. 447:Generation of 1968 426:, January 17, 1997 382:Reflecting on the 291:Bernard-Henri Lévy 94:His books include 21:Paul Schiff Berman 1329:MacArthur Fellows 858:, Anatol Lieven, 856:Liberal Hawk Down 607:978-1-933-63351-0 592:978-0-393-33021-2 584:Richard Holbrooke 467:Entebbe hijacking 435: 434: 230: 229: 145:The Village Voice 86: 85: 1371: 1262:Bloggingheads.tv 1209: 1208: 1192: 1182: 1176: 1167: 1161: 1154: 1148: 1147: 1145: 1144: 1135:. Archived from 1133:"Gaza and After" 1129: 1123: 1122: 1116: 1111: 1109: 1101: 1093: 1087: 1086: 1079: 1073: 1072: 1070: 1069: 1060:. Archived from 1058:"The Apologists" 1054: 1048: 1047: 1045: 1043: 1032: 1026: 1025: 1020:. Archived from 1014: 1008: 1007: 995: 989: 988: 976: 970: 969: 955: 949: 948: 946: 938: 932: 931: 920: 914: 913: 901: 895: 894: 886: 880: 879: 871: 865: 864:, 7 October 2004 853: 847: 846: 834: 828: 827: 825: 824: 808: 802: 801: 799: 792: 786:Brahm, Gabriel. 783: 777: 776: 768: 762: 761: 756:. Archived from 746: 740: 739: 737: 736: 726: 720: 719: 717: 716: 710:Dissent Magazine 702: 696: 695: 693: 692: 678: 672: 671: 660: 654: 653: 651: 650: 635: 629: 628:December 9, 2014 623: 474:Bernard Kouchner 420: 419: 408: 407: 377:New Philosophers 373:Euston Manifesto 299:American Vertigo 295:The Second Plane 212: 211: 200: 199: 151:The New Republic 129:: Selected Poems 26: 25: 1379: 1378: 1374: 1373: 1372: 1370: 1369: 1368: 1289: 1288: 1254:, 23 March 2003 1217: 1212: 1205: 1183: 1179: 1168: 1164: 1155: 1151: 1142: 1140: 1131: 1130: 1126: 1115:|magazine= 1114: 1112: 1103: 1102: 1094: 1090: 1081: 1080: 1076: 1067: 1065: 1056: 1055: 1051: 1041: 1039: 1033: 1029: 1016: 1015: 1011: 996: 992: 977: 973: 956: 952: 944: 940: 939: 935: 922: 921: 917: 902: 898: 887: 883: 872: 868: 854: 850: 843:by Paul Berman" 839:"Nick Cohen on 835: 831: 822: 820: 809: 805: 797: 790: 784: 780: 769: 765: 748: 747: 743: 734: 732: 728: 727: 723: 714: 712: 704: 703: 699: 690: 688: 686:Tablet Magazine 680: 679: 675: 662: 661: 657: 648: 646: 643:Tablet Magazine 637: 636: 632: 624: 620: 616: 528: 494: 451:Joschka Fischer 417: 411:External videos 406: 345: 244:First World War 240:totalitarianism 221:, June 22, 2003 209: 203:External videos 198: 40: 31: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1377: 1367: 1366: 1361: 1356: 1351: 1346: 1341: 1336: 1331: 1326: 1321: 1316: 1311: 1306: 1301: 1287: 1286: 1277: 1264: 1255: 1239: 1230:"Nazi Sheikhs" 1227: 1216: 1215:External links 1213: 1211: 1210: 1203: 1177: 1175:. 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Columbia. 455:Green Party 287:Martin Amis 106:best-seller 81:Non-fiction 54:Nationality 30:Paul Berman 1293:Categories 1143:2011-12-26 1068:2011-12-26 891:After Evil 861:The Nation 823:2011-12-26 735:2020-06-28 715:2020-06-28 706:"Masthead" 691:2020-06-28 649:2020-06-28 614:References 506:Sandinista 337:Alan Wolfe 326:magazine, 323:The Nation 307:Nick Cohen 178:Guggenheim 134:Born to a 108:in 2003), 46:Occupation 496:In 1986, 437:Berman's 215:Booknotes 174:MacArthur 62:Education 1235:Guernica 878:. 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Index

Paul Schiff Berman
Columbia University
MA
Non-fiction
Terror and Liberalism
a New York Times best-seller
Carl Sandburg
Jewish
Columbia University
The Village Voice
The New Republic
Tablet
Dissent
Fathom
MacArthur
Guggenheim
New York Public Library
University of California, Irvine
New York University
Booknotes interview with Berman on Terror and Liberalism, June 22, 2003
C-SPAN
Terror and Liberalism
totalitarianism
First World War
liberal
Baathism
Islamism
Wall Street Journal
Martin Amis
Bernard-Henri Lévy

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