----- Original Message ----- From: "Nathan Newman" <nathan at newman.org>
>
> Capitalists do not have functions; they are the functions. They
do not form
> collectivities; they are the collectivity that wields power by
definition.
>
> Are capitalists a "group"? Not in the sense of having a social
idenitity
> outside their functions, which is where Jews and blacks and gays
and other
> identity groups differ. To the extent that you define a
"capitalist" as
> those wielding economic power over others through control of
capital in
> society, they are an identifiable group whose characteristics
are identical
> with their identity. All capitalists control capital; all those
who control
> capital are capitalists. Thus a group identified.
>
> Jews may have a pervasive presence in Hollywood, but not all
those in
> Hollywood are Jews, and not all Jews are in Hollywood.
>
> Very different
>
> Nathan
================
Ok. So when goups enact/perform functions and roles that are significantly constitutive of their identity and others critique them in those roles and are rebuked for it because those who are criticized muddle the distinction between role/function/identity to deflect criticism, how do we mitigate or 'short circuit' the potential for exacerbated misunderstandings? For instance, are atheists who criticize the theological philosophical beliefs-practices of Jews anti-semitic? How should they go about deflecting the charge of bigotry and anti-semitism? What about Christians who criticize those beliefs? And what about Jews who criticize Hindu and Muslim beliefs? At what point do we determine that criticism of the acts and beliefs that are constitutive of group identity -and the roles and functions they enable- becomes morally unjustified and inexcusable? I know we're dealing with contestable boundaries, to say the least, but I fear for the worst in this century if we don't get some sort of handle on these issues given the current level of bellicosity on the planet. Ecumenism has failed and the last thing we want is the 'clash of civilizations' theory to become a self-fulfilling dynamic.
Ian