Ortega y Gasset does more with authenticity than Heidegger does

[speaking of likes and dislikes
from Object-Oriented Philosophy by doctorzamalek
Speaking of likes and dislikes, I think that the best model of philosophical engagement would not be a neutrally distant critique, whether of the sneering or politely aloof variety.
What I really want to hear from a commentator is this: which aspects of the text commented upon do they most passionately enjoy and detest? This is one reason I’ve always loved Badiou’s book on Deleuze (in fact, it is my favorite Badiou text, and always has been). Badiou comes and lays his cards right on the table, telling us what he likes and dislikes about Deleuze, and how he thinks it differs from his own position. Nice job.] [some disingenuous claims
from Object-Oriented Philosophy by doctorzamalek
I’ve blogged before about ways in which people use adjectives dishonestly.]

[Education here is based on rote memorisation, with virtually no emphasis on creative thinking. Few schools here even teach the theory of evolution...
In large part because of the emphasis on memorisation over critical thinking, many here say, the quality of the education is poor. While countries in the region often spend as much or more than the world average per pupil, the results are frequently far below average.
Egypt, for example, once considered the intellectual capital of the Arab world, was recently ranked 124th of 133 countries in the quality of its primary education by the World Economic Forum, based in Switzerland. Other global assessments have provided equally dismal results. Harnessing Darwin to push an ancient intellectual centre to evolve Michael Slackman © 2009 The New York Times News Service]

[The secular liberalism of the nation-state has demanded conformity and obedience from Europe’s citizens. Upholding an abstract idea of the individual citizen divested of his religious and ethnic identity, this liberalism has not had an easy relationship with Europe’s ethnic and religious minorities, to put it mildly; the current obsession with Muslims, for instance, betrays a deep unease with expressions of cultural distinctiveness (previously exemplified in Western Europe by Jews). Pankaj Mishra, Beyond boundaries UAE / Friday, November 27, 2009 Abu Dhabi 6:56 AM]

[International Congress in Auroville “Spirituality beyond Religions”, 5-8 January 2010 Mon, 06/15/2009 - 11:42am — International Congress in Auroville, 5-8 January 2010 “Spirituality beyond Religions” spirituality A New Path to a Universal Cultural Dialogue]

Graham Harman blogging from Cairo holds a great promise for the East-West reappraisal. [TNM]