>I'm convinced that free-time, which is built on
>overcoming the necessities associated with drudge
>work--can provide the space to expand the intellect.
Yes, me too. I am simply more optimistic about our ability to expand free-time. In fact I want it all. You think that work is incompatible with free time, I know that isn't true. ******************************************************
When I do drudge work like the dishes or sweeping or taking out the garbage, I don't think of it as being what I'd want to do with that time. It is what I need to do though.
>*******
>Socialism might only be the next step
>in the career of humanity, rather than the end of
>history.
>*********
>
>Agreed. I reckon that the only way history will end
>is if humans let capitalism go on until the race
>self-destructs.
It is the imminent threat. Perhaps not the only one we might face.
>We can capture a lot of free-time from eliminating
>work which we do now to make other people wealthy or
>to keep their inefficient system running.
Yes, my point exactly. I would hope to eliminate the all that useless work entailed in forcing people to work. **********
Then you'll have to wave that old "making work their highest want" wand and hope it *works*. ;D
*******
> The way I
>see it, anyone who is able to make a contribution to
>the still existing, socially necessary work, should
do
>so or go off by themselves and make their own way in
>the world. Part of what makes socialims attractive
to
>me is throwing the parasitic ruling class and their
>useless wage-slave drivers off my back.
Do you want to become your own slave-driver, or do you want to be free? ************* I want to be free. ;P
********* Obviously the former is impossible, yet it is what you seem to be suggesting.
***************
Necessity is *intimately* bound to freedom. Socially necessary work, then play.
*************
>Agreed. Grassroots democracy is the opposite of
>bureaucratic rule from above. Co:ordinators
>welcome--bureaucrats can go hang themselves from the
>guts of the last capitalists as far as I'm concerned.
Don't be too hard on the bureaucrats. They are only doing their job. *******
A bureaucrat is appointed by a non-elected authority. A co:ordinator is elected to fulfill the mandate of the electors. In a grassroots democracy, there can be no bureaucracy.
*********** You'll still need them in your conception of socialism anyhow, someone will have to determine who is fit to work and who qualifies for exemption. **********
A necessary piece of social labour to be done, to be sure. With the social product in the hands of the producers, the power to decide such matters remains with the rank and file. Political power, as such, ceases to exist and with it, the State.
*********
>I'll drink to that--at the Brass Monkey. We can
>invite Grant and have ourselves a commie rant-fest
>well into the wee hours.
I should warn you, I can't hold my drink. ***********
Perhaps you should consider smoking then. ;D
***********
>My retort, somewhat drunken I suspect, would be:
"What
>the hell kind of
>society is it you are suggesting, that someone like
>Marx should be
>expected to do his *real* work in his spare time for
>fuck's sake?"
>*************
>
>How about working two hours on the reference desk at
>the University of Western Australia each week. The
>rest is his 'spare' or free-time to do with as he
>pleases.
Notre Dame in Freemantle, for his sins. ;-) Its surely a tempting offer, but freedom isn't negotiable.
*************
Absolut Freiheit ist Sinnlos, eben ins Fremantle.... But you're right, the continued commodification of human relations is not something which I would want to continue to negotiate.
Cheers!
Mike B)
(another Cooper's Sparkling Ale for me myte here.)
--__--__--
===== ***************************************************************** "--why do you slack your fighting-fury now? It's hard for me, strong as I am, single-handed to breach the wall and cut a path to the ships--come, shoulder-to-shoulder! The more we've got, the better the work will go!"
One of Sarpedon's speeches in THE ILIAD--The Trojans storm the rampart http://profiles.yahoo.com/swillsqueal
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