left conservatism

[Wojtek Sokolowski]

At 11:45 AM 6/21/98 -0400, Doug Henwood wrote:
>Jim heartfield wrote:
>
>>Racial and sexual oppression are indeed premissed upon relations of
>>production. However, identity politics does not find its foundation upon
>>those divisions, but on the consumption of the surplus. I don't see the
>>Women's studies courses related in any way but the most tangential to
>>the oppression of women. On the contrary, their preoccupation with the
>>symbols of oppression arises from their concern with the cultural life
>>of unproductive consumption, as opposed to the world of production.
>
>Any evidence for this? Or is this something it just feels good to assert?

I'd suggest that the reception of the ideas developed by middle class
intellectuals  by the working class women could serve as an indicator of
the focus on symbols of oppression.

 It is a well known fact that people who struggle to make ends meet have
little patience for psychotherapy. Thus, inasmuch as  ideas are permeated
with middle class preoccupation with the psyche and symbols of
psychological suffering, they would fall on deaf ears of those for whom
such symbolism is alien.  

Regards,

Wojtek