To Fukayama (v) to say something so false that people can't resist writing about how false it is thus making the Fukayamer famous. True Fukayaming only occurs when this is the result of a deliberate strategy.*
Fukayaming is named after the brlliant Francis Fukayama who wrote "The End of History" and was cited by everyone who wrote about anything that happened as in "Milosovic has noticed that the messy period between now and the Francis Fukayama's end of history will last longer than his life (and he is n years old)." (author forgotten but definitely in The New Republic which tends to get Fukayamad regularly). There is no proof that Fukayama was being deliberately stupid, but I mean come on.
A recent example of succesful Fukayaming is "Liberal Fascism" now number three on the New York Times non fiction best seller list. Since a reasonable definition of Fascism is total rejection of all tenets of classical liberalism (and the meaning of "liberal" in English speaking countries has not become the opposite of the original meaning) Goldberg obvviously Fukayamed.
I have been trying to Fukayam a bit myself. Hmm how about
"Reckless Conservativism" ... nah that really exists and has dominated US politics this century.
How about "Puritans for Free Love ?"
Uh Oh the official name of puritans is "congregationalists" and they ordain gay ministers and teach yoga.
"Calvinists for Free Love ?"
Hmm worlds number 1 Calvinist is Alan Boesak and, in one of the most dramatic moments in TV news an announcer reading off a teleprompter revealed for the first time to the public and himself that his wife was having an affair with Boesak. Also they have Gay marriage in Holland and give heroin to addicts in Calvin's home town.
"Catholic Communism" damn I've met Catholic Communists.
Damn out Fukayaming Goldberg is hard.
Still, if you want to be famous go Fukayam yourself.
* The word was coined by Elisabetta Addis.
2 comments:
it spreads!
http://cscs.umich.edu/~crshalizi/weblog/566.html
Careful with the phrase "classical liberalism". I've seen it used on several occasions to mean small-government neoconservatism.
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