Re: [OPE-L] class theory

From: glevy@PRATT.EDU
Date: Mon Oct 29 2007 - 18:08:02 EDT


> Why do you think "no one in their right mind would argue with a
person
> over such a claim"?
>
> Why
should this kind of assertion "close(s) off
discussion"?

Hi Ian:

It's sort of like a
"Do you beat your spouse?" question.  Once you say that
someone's perspective is petit-bougeois then the other person is going
to
either cease conversing with you or throw back something similar
in your face
(e..g. "My perspective isn't petit-bourgeois, yours
is!").  Either way it effectively
closes off the
possibility of meaningful dialogue and just (perhaps
unintentionally)
ratchets up the rhetoric.


> But it would be incredibly naive to think that social theories are

> independent of class interests, and also somewhat censorious to

> suggest that such links should not be mentioned or discussed,
which
> seems to be your wish.


It's not
"somewhat censorious": you weren't told you couldn't make such
connections. I simply highlighted some problems in communication with
doing so.  Go ahead
and knock yourself out.  I doubt very
much, though, if Gary or Ajit or others are going to defend their
perspectives from the charge that it represents the class interests of
the
petit-bourgeoisie.  I'm not making a particularly
profound point here, but I hope that you grasp it.

In
solidarity, Jerry


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