I asked Harry about the quote ("Capital is above all objectionable
because it is boring") and got two replies which I am now forwarding.
In solidarity, Jerry
----- Original Message -----
From: "Harry M. Cleaver" <hmcleave@eco.utexas.edu>
To: "gerald_a_levy" <gerald_a_levy@msn.com>
Cc: <hmcleave@eco.utexas.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 8:31 AM
Subject: Re: fyi & btw
> Jerry,
> I don't know where the quote comes from, but I know that I have said it.
> Now the context has some importance, I think. That context was a
> discussion of the circuits of capital and the way capital reproduces
> itself again and again in essentially the same form. It may get bigger,
> but it's just MORE of the same old endlessly repeated pattern. The
> only source of change is --in the jargon-- living labor power, i.e., us.
> So this endless repetition is what is boring. As I remember it wasn't a
> comment on alienation, i.e., boring lives. However, the imposition of
> alienation, and endless repetition, with the only source of change being
> our self-activity and much of that being repressed rather then
> instrumentalized within the system as superficial changes, certainly
> the sameness often associated with "boredom" is also reproduced. But it
> wasn't what I was talking about. Basically all this is just an extension
> of the fundamental distinction between dead and living labor, the former
> remains the same, even as it reproduces itself, while the latter can
> change and in changing change the former --at least superficially. Once we
> recognize how this dichotomy also makes sense beyond labor -- in life in
> general under capitalism-- it becomes even more potent.
>
> Harry
<snip, JL>
>
............................................................................
> Snail-mail:
> Harry Cleaver
> Department of Economics
> University of Texas at Austin
> Austin, Texas 78712-1173 USA
>
> Phone Numbers:
> (hm) (512) 442-5036
> (off) (512) 475-8535
> Fax:(512) 471-3510
>
> E-mail:
> hmcleave@eco.utexas.edu
> PGP Public Key:
http://certserver.pgp.com:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=hmcleave
>
> Cleaver homepage:
> http://www.eco.utexas.edu/faculty/Cleaver/index2.html
>
> Chiapas95 homepage:
> http://www.eco.utexas.edu/faculty/Cleaver/chiapas95.html
>
> Accion Zapatista homepage:
> http://www.utexas.edu/students/nave/
>
............................................................................
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu May 02 2002 - 00:00:09 EDT