This sounds too "structural-functionalist" for me. (Not that my generation that studied sociology had to slog through Talcott Parsons. I'll take my Parsons through the wickedly funny translation of C.W. Mills in, "The Sociological Imagination, " and, "The Coming Crisis of Western Sociology, " by Alvin Gouldner. BTW, Gouldner piece, "Stalinism as a Form of Internal Colonialism, " (relying on memory of title) might interest y'all aut-op-syians. http://www.google.com/search?q=Stalinism+Internal+Colonialism+Gouldner+
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/telospress/contents34.html Plus this, a revision (?) of a chapter of _Social Amnesia_ by Russell Jacoby. Russell Jacoby: The Politics of Objectivity: Notes on the U.S. Left Michael Pugliese
----- Original Message ----- From: "cwright" <cwright at 21stcentury.net> To: <aut-op-sy at lists.village.virginia.edu> Sent: Friday, July 13, 2001 4:48 PM Subject: Re: Fw:Homophobia and Capitalism (was:Fw:Re: AUT: Re:gay-bashing Serb na tionalists)
This misses an important point. Homosexuality poses a threat to the family, which happens to be the site of the reproduction of labor power. Without more people reproducing, capital has fewer workers, less labor market pressure, fewer soldiers, etc. Homosexuality is an affront to the bourgeois family, something that will continue to be the case as long as reproduction of labor power has to take the form of giving birth.
Cheers, Chris ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Pugliese" <debsian at pacbell.net> To: <aut-op-sy at lists.village.virginia.edu> Sent: Friday, July 13, 2001 12:10 PM Subject: Fw:Homophobia and Capitalism (was:Fw:Re: AUT: Re:gay-bashing Serb na tionalists)
> http://nuance.dhs.org/lbo-talk/current/index.html
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 10:17:48 -0400
> From: Archer.Todd at ic.gc.ca
> Subject: Homophobia and Capitalism (was:Fw:Re: AUT: Re:gay-bashing Serb
> nationalists)
>
> Mike's friend Good Soldier Svejk said:
>
> >but must admit to
> >considerable caution, because I cannot really comprehend "homophobia"
(foul
> >word - stigmatises the mad) as an intrinsic part of capitalism.
>
> Maybe it has something to do with a structural recognition and acceptance
of
> "popular homophobic culture" in order to foster harmony within the system
so
> it can keep on making money with no slow-downs due to outbreaks of
anti-gay
> unrest. Much like the Armed Forces desire to keep a "tight ship" so the
end
> job gets done that much more quickly and efficiently, capitalist
enterprises
> seek to maintain a similar discipline to facilitate money-making for the
> owner. Any disruption, such as that caused by anti-gay agitation, slows
> down the whole works. It's just much easier to "smooth things over" by
> getting rid of then replacing the minority who "caused" the disturbance,
> than "wasting" more time and money questioning and firing even more
people.
>
> In the really long-term view (i.e. centuries) in "Western" countries,
things
> have been getting better for LGBTs (same goes for the proles), and
societies
> have been getting more "open", so the capitalist doesn't have to worry
quite
> so much about "anti-gay slowdowns" and so can feel comfortable not
worrying
> about employees sexual backgrounds.
>
> How that sound for a quick-and-dirty hypothesis, Mike? Let your friend
see
> it.
>
> Todd
>
> ------------------------------
>
>
>
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>
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