In this post, I will highlight two great American public intellects: John Mearsheimer and Jeffrey Sachs, focusing on their insights into the war in Ukraine and American exceptionalism.
1. Who is John Mearsheimer?
Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia – John Mearsheimer.
John Joseph Mearsheimer (/ˈmɪərʃaɪmər/; born December 14, 1947) is an American political scientist and international relations scholar, who belongs to the realist school of thought. He is the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago. He has been described as the most influential realist of his generation.[3]
Mearsheimer is best known for developing the theory of offensive realism, which describes the interaction between great powers as being primarily driven by the rational desire to achieve regional hegemony in an anarchic international system. In accordance with his theory, Mearsheimer believes that China’s growing power will likely bring it into conflict with the United States.
2. Prof. Mearsheimer: One of his best videos
In 2015, Professor Mearsheimer accurately predicted the war in Ukraine – Watch the video below.
3. Who is Jeffrey Sachs?
Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia – Jeffrey Sachs.
Jeffrey David Sachs (/sæks/ SAKS; born November 5, 1954 is an American economist, academic, public policy analyst, and former director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University where he holds the title of University Professor. He is known for his work on sustainable development, economic development, and the fight to end poverty.
Sachs is Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University and President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. He is an SDG Advocate for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 global goals adopted at a UN summit meeting in September 2015. From 2001 to 2018, Sachs served as Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General, and held the same position under the previous UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and prior to 2016 a similar advisory position related to the earlier Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight internationally sanctioned objectives to reduce extreme poverty, hunger and disease by 2015. In connection with the MDGs, he had first been appointed special adviser to the UN Secretary-General in 2002 during the term of Kofi Annan.
4. Prof. Sachs: One of his best videos
In 2018, Professor Sachs called for the end of American exceptionalism – Watch the video below.
5. Discussion
Both Professors Mearsheimer and Sachs are great public intellects. However, their worldviews are so different from the “standard” narratives promulgated by the establishment (i.e., the leading politicians and the MSM – Mainstream Media) that Americans hardly hear from them directly via the MSM.
So, what do they do?
They appear on the non-MSM (e.g., YouTube), including foreign media (e.g., CGTN – China Global Television Network)!
5.1 Prof. Mearsheimer on CGTN
5.2 Prof. Sachs on CGTN
6. More discussion
Shunning away from great public intellects like Professors Mearsheimer and Sachs, is the MSM dumbing down Americans?
Yes!
Two informative readings:
Next, two more recent videos …
6.1 Prof. Mearsheimer on America and Ukraine
6.2 Prof. Sachs on America and China
7. Still more discussion
Here is a key difference between Prof. Mearsheimer and Prof. Sachs: The former is a neocon war-hawk in the name of realism, while the latter is peace-loving with a more rational and enduring vision for humanity.
Specifically, Prof. Mearsheimer not only believes in American exceptionalism (especially the American hegemony), but also “hates” China’s comeback (Why does America hate China?). In contrast, Prof. Sachs not only denounces American exceptionalism, but also “adores” China’s comeback, believing in co-existence and cooperation among great powers.
Overall, I think Prof. Sachs is intellectually superior to Prof. Mearsheimer, although Prof. Mearsheimer published his view of this Ukraine thing earlier and more clearly, which is especially critical for the world today.
Bottom line: I like Prof. Sachs far more than Prof. Mearsheimer.
The image below is worth more than 1,000 words.
For more, read History 2.0 – China’s Comeback vs. America’s Decline.
8. Closing
America, wise up by listening to great public intellects like Professors Mearsheimer and Sachs, while resisting the distortion by the MSM (Media distortion in America)!
Now, please sit back and watch the long video below – Prof. Sachs talks about everything in geopolitics.
