"Think Different" Re: stereotypes (and orthodoxy)

[kelley]

At 02:54 PM 5/31/01 -0500, Yoshie Furuhashi wrote:
>>From: kelley (kelley at interpactinc.com)
>>Date: Thu May 31 2001 - 13:54:19 EDT
>>
>>  >The OED failed me on "Line." There are nine full columns, and I don't
>>>have the patience to wade through them for illumination. The earliest
>>>use of "line" with which I am acquainted is Lenin's in WITBD, where it
>>>is an explicit image of the _bricklayer's line_: if people are
>>>cooperating on a task they need to coordinate their work. I guess the
>>>original geniuses on this list would only have contempt for the banal
>>>conformity of bricklayers.
>>>
>>>Anyhow, I'd rather be right than be bright.
>>>
>>>Carrol
>>
>>solidarity and working together isn't conformity.
>
>You avoid the word "conformity" because it has acquired an overwhelming 
>negative connotation that overshadows all other meanings that the word 
>once had & may have again.  The OED lists a number of meanings of the verb 
>"to conform":

hee. you might want to direct this at carrol. he was the one calling 
conformity banal. i merely pointed out that describing the coordination of 
work activities as banal conformity was silly since that's not at all what 
goes on and is better described not as banal (boring and commonplace) but 
as solidaristic and working together.  carrol gave it the negative spin in 
the first place!!!

kelley