Intellectuals vs. activism

Luke Weiger lweiger at umich.edu
Tue Aug 6 11:10:24 PDT 2002


Offlist (over my limit for the day)

----- Original Message ----- From: "Justin Schwartz" <jkschw at hotmail.com> To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 5:55 AM Subject: Re: Intellectuals vs. activism


> No. I distinguished between Marxists and other kinds of hard leftists. I
am
> the latter myself. Singer takes good positions on lots of things, but his
> approach is indivisualistic and nonstructural. For example, his solution
to
> world hunger is individual charity.

Maybe he is "individualistic and nonstructural." However, your example is a blatant misrepresentation. Singer's argument boils down to this: since massive governmental increases in the level of foreign aid from the first world to the third world aren't forthcoming, we're all obligated to give most of our income to the least well off. I doubt Singer would place a bet on individual charity solving world hunger any time soon, although as Singer points out such an outcome is a theoretical possibility.


> Anyway, he's not in the Princeton phil
> dept,

I didn't know that, although I guess his professorial title should've tipped me off.


>This isn't going to be productive, Luke.

I didn't intend to open an exchange on third parties vs. the Dems. I simply pointed out that, in a very real sense, Nader cost Gore the election. Judging from your response, you didn't really disagree with the claim but rather didn't care for the rhetoric I employed along the way. That's A-OK with me.

-- Luke


> Anyway, he's not in the Princeton phil
> dept, so you are changing the subject.
>
> jks
>
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