A Modest Proposal for The Empire

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

>Thomas Seay wrote:
>
>>--- Carrol Cox <cbcox at ilstu.edu> wrote:
>>Doug himself, in
>>>  his original account
>>>  of Negri & Hardt, made _the_ damning criticism:
>>>  their utter vagueness in
>>>  suggesting the practical import of their
>>>  maunderings
>>
>>Carrol,
>>
>>Hardt and Negri examine the present political and
>>ontological landscape in "Empire".
>>
>>It is true that they dont prescribe exact actions to
>>be taken in "Empire".  There is no recipe book for
>>this novel situation...the desires and movements that
>>form as we go forward will determine the various
>>directions that the multitudes take.  I think Hardt
>>and Negri are quite conscious of the fact that they
>>dont have a recipe book...and would have it no other
>>way.
>
>I made that criticism, but I also said the book was richly 
>suggestive for what the praxis-minded should do. For those practical 
>minds who were open to fresh experience, of course.
>
>Doug

Since when have you become an ascetic, though, Doug?  :-0  The image 
of "the future life of communist militancy" in _Empire_ is that of 
"Saint Francis of Assisi":

*****   Consider his work.  To denounce the poverty of the multitude 
he adopted that common condition and discovered there the ontological 
power of a new society.   The communist militant does the same, 
identifying in the common condition of the multitude its enormous 
wealth.   (p. 413)   *****

If that's attractive, why not Dorothy Day & the Catholic Worker?
-- 
Yoshie

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