"activism"

[Alex LoCascio]

On Thu, 3 Dec 1998 12:28:44 -0500 Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com>
writes:

>And a lot of the "activists" I've come across are proudly, deeply
>anti-intellectual - a perfect mirror image of those intellectuals who
are
>proudly, deeply anti-activist (e.g. Jameson's denunciation of Bob Fitch
for
>being an "activist"). An opposition that leads to the impoverishment of
>both.

In the conclusion to his postmodernism book, Jameson  described DRUM and
the League of Revolutionary Black Workers as "the single most significant
political experience of the 1960s."  That could be construed as an
endorsement of activism, but I guess not.  Wonder what Jameson's problem
is.

Personally, I think the anti-intellectual activists are far more
obnoxious than the anti-activist intellectuals.  The phrase "armchair
Marxist" really irks me.  Those of us who don't live near any centers of
struggle have no choice but to become armchair Marxists.  If there were
real, worthwhile activism 'round these parts, I'd be the first at the
barricades.  But it's just not so.

Let's tear down this whole bogus activist/intellectual dichotomy and
concentrate on becoming Gramsci's "organic intellectuals."

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]