Bell Curve globalized?

Wojtek Sokolowski sokol at jhu.edu
Fri May 28 09:49:20 PDT 1999


At 08:40 AM 5/28/99 -0700, Michael Perelman wrote:
>This abstract does not seem too bad, except for the word "genetics,"
>which does not seem to be relevant to the model. The idea of inequality
>causing high birth rates and high birth rates causing poverty is fairly
>well accepted.

Michael, the point is not whether this drivel makes any common sense - for most of the neaoclassical stuff (namely that part that is not patently false) is basically common sense trivia wrapped up in incomprehensible jargon, In fact, without that jargon, this stuff would so trivial, thatit would be laughable.

The point is that this drivel represents what Pierre Bourdieu calls the strategy of inculcation - or spreading the neo-liberal propaganda as self-evident truth (_Acts of Resistance against the Tyranny of the Market_ New York: The New Press, p. 30). The trick is quite simple: repeat the phrase 'free market' and assorted concepts in as many contexts and as many times as possible - so people start viewing it is self evident. NPR's "marketplace" aired daily is a good case in point.

wojtek

Give me your watch, and I will give you the time of the day.



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