I am not an unqualified fan of Melanie Phillips; sometimes she seems a tad too rigid and a tad too pious in her pronouncements. But her new book, The World Turned Upside Down, is a fascinating – and riveting – read for all those who wonder where the BBC’s Jew-hating, tree-hugging, anti-religious, industry-bashing, climate change fanatical, lefty-loving mindset comes from. Her central theory is that such causes are now espoused by BBC types because they believe that they are “liberal” – but in reality, the agenda of all of the various trendy “-isms” is authoritarian state control of a type best exmplified by Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia. And very relevant to the current Jew-bashing that is going on, Ms Phillips trenchantly reminds us in the book that in 2009, the BBC Trustees rebuked BBC Middle East “expert” Jeremy Bowen for claiming that the Israeli agenda in the six days war was not to protect itself from Arab aggression, but to finish the unfinished business of 1948 – to capture East Jerusalem. It’s also relevant to Mr Bowen’s latest reports of hate over the past few days that he received only a mild rap over the knuckles for this outrageous claim; clearly, the Trustees’ real agenda was to allow him to carry on regardless.
WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN
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Robin- I’ve been reading it as well and I agree with what you say. I don’t agree with Melanie on everything either but she is spot on in what she says in the book.
For what it’s worth, I don’t agree with Mel on everything by any means, either. Her knowledge and understanding of Israel, however, is admirable, and the eloquence with which she expresses it is awesome.
I’m reading the book too, but I must admit, metaphysics, and the chapter on scientific triumphalism are beyond me. I think I’ll have to save them for later.
She was right about Obama all along, and her take on international affairs is perceptive and intelligent. I could go on….
I am a fan, but don’t have time to read all her output.
Many posters on this website were right about Obama all along too !
Another good one from Melanie:
“the Tories are now in coaltion with the Israel-bashing LibDems, who would blame Israel even if jihadis were to sail a flotilla up the Thames and take the entire LibDem leadership hostage..”
http://www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips/6045519/the-truth-about-the-turkish-terror-convoy.thtml
Melanie Phillips, Peter Hitchens and the like are to be treasured…of course they are not to be agreed with at all times-they want you to think for yourselves too.
The real enemy of liberal mediocrity is the person who was part of the “consensus” themselves way back…they know the mind set of those they left behind and they KNOW just how dangerous they are in their gestures and platitudes.Unlike these superannuated and featherbedded phonies, Melanie and Peter have grown wiser and are very much feared and despised by the driftwood that they left behind way back!