Good, But not as Good as Original Lost Massey Lectures

This latest publication of "lost" Massey Lectures, following on last year's "Lost Massey Lectures" that featured such thinkers as John Kenneth Galbraith, Paul Goodman, Jane Jacobs, Eric W. Kierans, and last but not least Martin Luther King Jr. Compared to this one with Barbara Ward, Frank, H. Underhill, George Grant, Claude Levi-Strauss, and Willy Brandt.

Barbara Ward's lecture is titled, "The Rich Nations and the Poor Nations." Her central thesis is that four revolutions have enabled the West to surpass the once great civilizations of the East. These revolutions are: equality, this-worldliness, rising birth-rates, and scientific change. Published in the 1960s, Ward herself admits to having been influenced by W.W. Rostow. Reading it now in 2008, her Rostovian modernization theories come across as thoroughly antiquated by the various post-modernisms published since. One of her philosophies I do agree with, however, is regarding conservation and savings as capital growth. This last economic crisis has at least shown the limits to positivist theories of the consumption economy.

Frank H. Underhill's "Image of Confederation" is a perpetually relevant historical analysis of Canada's identity crisis. After all, our nationalism was borne more out of political and economic interests and rather uninspired compared to the Revolutionary Republicans of the south. Very Bismarckian as Underhill describes. And while Canada's nationalism may not have the romantic and patriotic undertones of the many nation-states throughout the world, Underhill argues that Canada's nationalism is unique due its relative peace. Yes, there have been antagonisms from within such as Quebec nationalism, First Nations. But Canada's nationalism is a symbol of what the rest of the world should strive for, as close to Kant's perpetual peace as we'll ever get.

George Grant's "Time as History" is probably the most academically engaging, but intellectually difficult lecture to read due to the philosophical nature of the material. Grant analyzes the philosophy of Nietzsche with respect to the study of history. Unlike Marx's dialectical method to history, Grant uses Nietzsche to show that beyond the duality of reason and empericism, beyond the morality of religion, the human experience is as Nietzsche argues is man-made. As such, we as humans must strive towards "amor fati" or the discovery of redemption, when time as history reaches its peak.

Claude Levi-Strauss' "Myth and Meaning" is an anthropological analysis of mythology as it relates to history. Can history be used to validate mythology? How are myths made and unmade? I didn't find much of the lecture terribly engaging, though some of the myths about twins and delivering babies feet first were interesting.

Willy Brandt, former Chancellor to West Germany, is the author of the last lecture titled "Dangers and Options." Most of the lecture is a summary of political science theory, mostly from the normative tradition of the liberal internationalist view through state cooperation, global governance, and humanitarian intervention. Interesting and ironic because Brandt is mostly remembered as a realist, for his ostpolitik, which was a pragmatic policy of small steps in the rapprochement between the East and West.

There is an introduction like the previous "Lost Massey Lectures" by Bernie Lucht. I honestly don't think there will be a More More publication, as I think this one was even a stretch. Still, the lectures themselves were thoroughly engaging and given the period when they were originally written, are still very relevant today.

Overall, I recommend "More Lost Massey Lectures", mostly because as an academic, I find the historical, philosophical, and sociological information fascinating. If none of the five names jumps out at you though, you'll probably find this book nothing more than an unintersting academic adventure. ( )