I've said it before and I'l say it again: cosmopolitanism doesn't follow the tenets of philosophical liberalism. It's the common ground shared by conservatives of varying beliefs. And that connects to the irony of art against the pedantry of philosophy. 

Somewhere in the archives of this page there's a mention of a famous European political scientist's concern about religion and assimilation, and his missing the point because his data comes from mosques and not restaurants. 

I've remembered the name. Ulrich Beck is an idiot. See also Shadi Hamid.

Hamid's ideal of secularism comes out of Protestant theology. It's a transition within the elite. But Protestant secularism also comes against theology: the secularism of the demos. The division between the church and street becomes the division between the academy and the theater.

Catholic, Jewish, and Islamic secularism all come from the street. Unlike Protestantism there's no possible smooth transition. Religious scholars continue their role only as readers of secular books. 

"Hey Kabir. Its Ramadan!"

"Began today." He raises his glass.

"I'm watching you! Yeah. I'm the Irish mullah. Muslims. Just like everyone else. Full of shit!"

Kabir, getting out of his chair: "See you tomorrow."

"What else you gonna do?"

A friend tells a story about an old woman, wealthy and devout, and her dinnerware: one for meat, one for dairy. And for special occasions: one for meat, one for dairy. And for high holidays: one for meat, one for dairy. And for high holidays with guests: one for meat, one for dairy. And one for shellfish, because she loved oysters. The owner of a Brazilian restaurant had breakfast every morning at a Cuban one. One day he told us—I was there, as I was at the bar—about a man who came in for lunch and complimented him on the Feijoada, a pork stew. The owner thanked him, then the customer took off his hat, revealing a yarmulke, showing his seriousness as a critic. They both laughed. 

Emmanuel Todd says the end of the Rassemblement National will be sex, because fucking is the drug that destroys ideologies.