Conversations with History: Institute
of International Studies, UC Berkeley
This interview is part of the Institute's "Conversations
with History" series, and uses Internet technology to share with the
public Berkeley's distinction as a global forum for ideas.
This interview with Lewis Lapham was conducted by Harry
Kreisler as a public
event entitled,
"Criminal Folly of the Bush Administration: A Case for Impeachment."
This
event was cosponsored by KPFA Listener-Sponsored Radio in Berkeley, California,
and by Global Exchange.
- Background ... growing up in San
Francisco ... civic-minded family ... patrician upbringing ... honoring American
principles
- Choosing Journalism ... love for
words ... the SF Examiner ... learning economy of language ... shipping
business background ... learning about capitalism ... interview at the CIA
- Journalism Career ... coming to Harper's ...
editor ... history of Harper's ... writing vs. editing
- On Writing ... slow process ...
keeping a journal of reading ... sarcasm and irony ... learning from history
... new quarterly journal ... understanding McLuhan ... new media
- On Political Discourse ... media
manipulation ... understanding new media ... Veblen ... myth of Red and Blue
states ... viable political debate of the seventies ... decay of language
... writing skills ... losing language in images ... political communication
in the new medium
- Democracy ... discourse as advertising
... struggle to convey meaning ... thoughts on Bush ... the case for impeachment
... attack on constitutional order ... loss of civil rights ... muzzling
of Congress ... disrespect for treaties ...remove the tumor ... loss of faith
in democracy ... enduring American spirit of civic service ... escaping the
prison of the self

© Copyright 2006, Regents of the University of
California
Site questions: Email iis_webmgr at berkeley.edu.