[lbo-talk] Parecon Discussion...

[John Thornton]

How does parecon propose to avoid the creation of a coordinator class? 
Deciding on balanced job complexes within a given workspace or on a 
specific project is certainly possible but who decides who works where? As 
an artist I have not been able to discern through reading your books 
whether I would be allowed to continue being an artist under parecon. If an 
individual wants to be a musician and has very little talent or ability but 
insists he is to be a musician anyway who decides yes or no on remunerating 
him for his "bad" music? I do not see any way to avoid the creation of a 
class of coordinators that decides such things. This question obviously 
goes beyond artists too. What if I decide I wish to be a surgeon but have 
far below average eye to hand coordination and would be a crappy surgeon. 
Whose job is it to tell me I suck as a surgeon and I NEED to find another 
job? Deciding who gets to be an artist by a democratic vote is hardly an 
answer. Great art is not created by consensus. Is everyone in my town 
supposed to vote on whether I get to be an artist? Do only pre-approved 
artists get to vote on who is to be admitted into what would amount to a 
guild? If a majority vote were necessary to be allowed to be remunerated as 
an artists then most art would be reproductions of the Last Supper and 
paintings of angels. I'm not certain the dry cleaner up the street should 
be allowed to have any role in deciding on whether or not I can be a 
painter or a surgeon.
John Thornton