Pseudo-populism, the idiotic masses, and gadfly Nationcolumnists

Max B. Sawicky sawicky at epinet.org
Wed Jul 21 00:01:39 PDT 1999



>I hate to break it to
>some folks, but a gift subscription to Extra and a collection of
>Chomsky's works isn't going to turn the working class around. The
>problems are a lot deeper than mere ignorance.

No kidding. Which is why it's important to figure out how ideology works, and to return to one of the founding concerns of this list, Judy B's analysis of the origins of the subject in subjection. All those hardheaded sorts who think that a better empiricism will unleash the masses inner leftists really need to get their heads around this.

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I appreciate the interest in discovering the unknown, since existing practice is clearly wanting, but I'm not convinced I wouldn't learn more by reading history and listening to people with political and organizing experience. I tried to read PLOP and got sidetracked by other business, but my cursory impression was of someone who was into the heavy recombination of completely abstract philosophical, psychological, and literary tracts.

Another clue to the usefulness of PLOP et al. is the manifest lack of connection of the author to any recognizable political agenda. Then there was her weaselly, defensive op-ed. Very unimpressive. I'm keeping an open mind, but I can think of a lot of more useful things to read.

mbs



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