>You know, girlfriend, I am too post-humanist Marxist to set store by Self,
>much less Self Reflection!
>------------------
>
>if so, then you are in no position to suggest to eric that he is a product
>of his times for doing so is suggesting that he needs to be self-reflective
>of at least that. and, indeed, you cannot expect this conversation to take
>place, for doing so is an impossibility on such a view.
1. That X is a product of his times is a general statement, which applies to all, including you & me (& Hobbes & Eric). To understand this, one must study history, as opposed to focusing one's attention to something like Self. So, it's a call for studies of history (including the present), not a call for introspection.
2. Criticism must come from others. Your blind spots are invisible from your own viewpoint; when you are standing, you can't see your own soles. Criticism is a collective enterprise, not an individualist one. You probably wouldn't accept criticism from people who don't care about you one way or another; so, it has to come from trustworthy comrades whom you respect & whose respect you'd like to have. So, comradeship (i.e., working together for the same political goal) has to come first, and then criticism second, I think. Of course, you can criticize your enemies, but that's a different kind of criticism; you wouldn't criticize Il Duce to change his behavior -- you seek to demolish him.
>it's generally not helpful to berate people for
>not being among the enlightenederati
It depends. Sometimes, politeness gets in the way of communication; sometimes it doesn't (I myself prefer polite posters to rude ones, not that I myself am polite). Sometimes, you need to _feel_ that other people get angry with you in order to really understand that what you said is sexist, etc.; sometimes, you only need a gentle reminder or patient explanation. Online, I personally like impersonal approach (e.g., criticizing published writers, instead of talking with people, hence my somehow infamous preference for quotations).
>I nominate you yoshie for the fun task!!!
That would be inefficient in the wide world of the internet. A reasonable thing to do might be to draw up a list of likely lists and assign each one to a volunteer if folks are willing. Collective, not individual, work is the watchword on the left. Now, what are the lists where women & people of color hang around? Maybe Charles can volunteer to send the subscription info of LBO, PEN-L, etc. to the BRC list. I'll take e-grad (lots of women, not necessarily leftist, though -- besides, it's been dead for a while -- maybe after the spring break folks may come back). Max can take femecon, though he says it's only sporadically alive. Carrol can do m-fem (itself often dead, though, as you know). You can post info on your list & website. What else?
Yoshie