[lbo-talk] Re: Lbo-talk digest, Vol 1 #2083 - 8 msgs

[joanna bujes]

Miles writes:
'"Independent thought" is a nonsensical term.  (Or at best, political
rhetoric that people use to distinguish their "good"/"independent"
thought from that of their sheeplike opponents.)  --If you engaged in
truly independent thought, no one else could understand you.  Every
meaningful thing you can think of is a complex
sociohistorical accomplishment.  (Newton's comments about seeing so
far because we stand on the shoulders of giants comes to mind.)'

Well, here we agree absolutely. On the other hand, while there may not be "independent thought," there can be independent action (not merely reactive or acting out) and that might be predicated on access to information, upon an understanding of history, culture, etc. 

Joanna