[lbo-talk] RE: consumer goods

Michael Dawson -PSU mdawson at pdx.edu
Mon Feb 9 09:24:53 PST 2004



>I couldn't care less about consumer goods.
>
> Joanna

Well, that puts you in the world's smallest minority.

It's also bad politics. The left should be calling for better mundane products, not none. If we'd spent half the money we've spent on cars on providing rail, bicycle, and foot infrastructure, our transportation system would be unimaginably great. If people didn't have to work so much to pay for capitalist waste (e.g., private cars) and overhead (marketing and private oligopolistic pricing), they'd have more time to enjoy better food and ideas. If public media/arts were aggressively competitive and well-funded, "The Apprentice" probably wouldn't exist, and George Bush would not be anywhere near the White House.

Meanwhile, I love my CD player, DVDs, etc. Why throw out the baby with the bathwater? I was in East Berlin in 1987, and we couldn't find a restaurant that was open. That's bullshit. The commisars built themselves Dacha and invested in AK-47s. They were fucked up on most other things. Washing machines you have to tend to avoid overflows? Please!



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