From: Rakesh Bhandari (bhandari@BERKELEY.EDU)
Date: Sun Nov 26 2006 - 12:32:56 EST
>Jerry, I agree with everything you say below. The >accusation of racism and sexism is so much below the >belt that it is simply disgusting! So disgusting that you can't say why I am wrong to point to the sexist, biological, philosophical and grave political problems in describing non human animal behavior as rape. Actually Ajit, you seem to nothing of the actual debate. Many people and many Marxists think the dominant sociobiological program, now called evolutionary psychology, is inherently sexist and conservative. My position is not disgusting, idiosyncratic, or anti intellectual. Indeed it's the one that prevailed in the US academy after the debate around the Thorhill and Palmer book. Have you even heard of Anne Fausto Sterling? Also please read the Helmreich piece (anthro MIT) I sent, you'll see that you don't know what you are talking about. But that's not unusual. You also seem to be unaware of the grave problems of saying that non human animals are capable of the kind of linguistically based cooperation, lingustically based rule following, social change, artistic imagination and metaphysical distinctions by which so called primitive communism or "savagery" is reproduced. Or even the very disturbing implication that what happens in human primitive communist society is in some way closer to non human animal society than what happens in feudal or bourgeois society. This is simply racist evolutionary metaphysics--it's what 20th century anthropology has done away with. Or didn't you know that? All that reading of Althusser, and you didn't notice the name Levi Strauss? I wil reiterate that Jerry's reasserting nineteenth century ideas about primitive communism or savagery is the very definition of racism. My usage of the term is precise. In fact it would have been paternalistic and falsely polite not to describe Jerry's claim as racist. For that is exactly what it is. I do not throw the term around. If you think what I am saying is disgusting (again so disgusting that you can't make contact with what I am saying), I encourage you to survey just a few cultural anthropologists when you're back at your university. You have no argument--just bluster. Was bringing all this latest scholarship into play bringing the standards of the list down (Marks, Godelier, etc)? Wow, how informed was the discussion before I participated. Or perhaps you are so ignorant you don't know the scholarly importance of the people on whom I draw. This is of course most probable. And that you have taken Jerry's side will now make most people on this list take my arguments more seriously. So thank you. Rakesh > >In my opinion, this list has several problems: one is >its quality of debate. For a closed invited list of >political economists (mainly Marxists) its performance >has been poor. It has an array of well known >intellectuals as subscribers but most of them never >participate. I don't know why, but in their absence >Rakesh Bhandaries of the world take over. For many >years I have followed the policy of ignoring him but >everytime I write on anything I could be rest assured >that Rakesh Bhandari would be the first person to >respond. He simply harasses you, which discourages you >to participate (most of us are not full time internet >players--this is the only internet list I'm on, and >have decided to minimise my participation on it as >well). In my opinion, if you cannot find some ways of >bringing more serious minded people to contribute more >on the list and Rakesh Bhandari is allowed to harass >other list members and now accuse them of racism and >sexism etc. Then I think the list is doomed. My best, >ajit sinha > >--- ope-admin@RICARDO.ECN.WFU.EDU wrote: > >> > Well all this is so appropriate in the week that >> Michael "Kramer" >> > Richards outed himself. >> >> Folks: >> >> * Is there ANYONE on the list OTHER than Rakesh who >> believes that the >> above, and similar statements which were recently >> expressed, are not > > examples of personal abuse? >> >> * Is there ANYONE else on the list OTHER than Rakesh >> who believes that >> I have said _anything_ racist on this list? >> >> * Is there ANYONE on this list on this list OTHER >> than Rakesh who >> believes that I have in any way suggested _anything_ >> which is sexist on >> this list? >> >> * Is there ANYONE on the list who OTHER than Rakesh >> who does not see >> that his most recent posts are a form of harassment? >> >> * Is there ANYONE on the list OTHER than Rakesh who >> does not agree >> that harassment of a listmember is personally >> abusive and hence a >> flame? >> >> In solidarity, Jerry >> > > > > > >____________________________________________________________________________________ >Do you Yahoo!? >Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta. >http://new.mail.yahoo.com
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