> And a lot of theorists look at activists and say - what are they
> doing? Why? What are their goals? How does this little struggle
> fit into a larger whole? And in my experience, many activists
> don't even think about the questions, much less have an answer.
"Mark" rickling at softhome.net writes:
> Is this worse than limitting one's activism to participating in
> left-wing email lists? FWIW, it seems to me there are many
> outstanding organizers on this list.
I think the anti-intelletualism Doug's targeting is the put-up-or-shut-up variety, the activist equivalent of "My movement, love it or leave it." This has little to do with activism v. intellectualism, which is a false dichotomy, I think.
In the forming of an organization, the crafting of a purpose, and choice of campaigns, demonstrations, etc. EVERY activist group engages in a form intellectual activity, regardless of whether or not they acknowledge this.
They may not outline their assumptions in a manifesto, but those assumptions are inheret in their actions. It's when these assumptions are drawn into open debate that the charge of intellectualism comes into play.
-- Shane
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