Hegonomy of Pragmatism

With financial chaos and leadership challenges in the air the labour party has been called on to greater assert their ideologies more than ever before, with a battle to realign to the left or readjustment the third way. I read a great article recently by Kieran Brett, ‘Against Ideology', published in Prospect’s August edition (I know I’m slow on the up take) http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=10322 that argues ideologies are bankrupt in the face of the true modern idea of pragmatism.

I’m inclined to agree with Brett’s theme of pragmatism as the greatest modern ideology, one that best guide us in what is an ever increasingly complex society, where being adaptive is key to achieving what’s best for all.

But I can’t help feeling stumped as to why has the age of great ideas become a chapter in the history books. For the beginnings of being literate man has etched out his reason for being, morals and ideas for centuries, in a rich tapestry of philosophical thought, from Socrates to Kant and beyond.

But the 21st Century has as of yet brought any reconciling of reason, knowledge and idea to the contemporary world - there is no true philosophical narrative for our age. In a globalized world with a greater fusion of ideas and information how come we have become philosophically bankrupt?