It's Time To Review Your Political Philosophy And Old Books.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (painted portrait)

The US presidential campaign is in full swing, like a punch drunk boxer on steroids that only special interests can afford. There are many important issues on the agenda, issues we'll probably overlook until the eleventh hour. But, hopefully, we all know what they are and will be telling all the interested parties to pay attention to us - we the people. 

I have one recommendation today that I think would benefit anyone anywhere in the world. We all think we come from great places, but to really understand the gravity of its greatness one needs to know where the ideas came from that made our great place possible. To that end, I'd like to direct your attention to a wonderful, free series of lectures given by Yale political science  Professor Steven B. Smith: Introduction to Political Philosophy. 

Only a fortunate few can attend Yale, but thanks to iTunes U and Yale we can benefit from some great courses that I feel are fundamental in shaping our understanding of our world. 

We can start by autiting his last lecture: In Defence of Politics. If you love this simply download the rest of the lectures in the series from iTunes U and enjoy. You'll be better off for it and better able to recognize the true value of politics in America and the rest of the world even as everything seems to be more and more distorted by spectacle and money. 

Read it here:

National Affairs

In Defence of Politics

Steve Smith

Now get out there and crack open those old books. It's never too late!