[lbo-talk] Carville picks up the "narrative" idea

Wojtek Sokolowski sokol at jhu.edu
Tue Nov 9 12:30:59 PST 2004


Eubulides:
> deconstruction of the terminology of free markets that always asks *are

Anything that starts with that dreadful d- word is a flop, DOA. You need a positive message that affirms humanity with all it experiences, including economic affairs, but also artistic and spiritual pursuits. Fighting with the demons erected by your enemies only will make you look like a demon. The d-word as well as other forms of pomo-babble should be permanently banned from the left political discourse.

You need to offer a positive and optimistic alternative that will tell people who they are, where they are going, and how they should deal with uncertainties and pitfalls of life - instead of telling them what they should avoid. A good place to learn how to do that is Unitarian universalism http://www.uua.org/ but the old Soviet Era stories can be useful as well. A good place to start would be "Toward Marxists Humanism" by Leszek Kolakowski http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005WZGV/qid=1100031686/sr=1 -2/ref=sr_1_2/102-0969222-9184161?v=glance&s=books.

Actually, it would be useful if the folks on this list and elsewhere came up with some ideas of creating this kind of "civic creed," "humanistic eschatology," or progressive "ethical narrative" framing political as well as everyday life issues in terms of liberal / progressive ethics and appealing to the "ordinary people." I understand that such "civic creed" would be hard sell to hard core fundamentalists or hard core individualists, but many folks in the middle can find it sufficiently attractive - just look a the popularity of 'new ageism' in weird corners of this country. Perhaps we can even agree on some kind of proclamation or a statement permanently posted for others to view - if that is not too much to ask.

Wojtek



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