That's okay. I've been a primarily-lurking member (what a turn of phrase that is) of this list for---wow, when I think about it! --- a few years now. I know who Wojtek Sokolowski is, at least as far as he reveals himself on this list. Sometimes I disagree with what he comes up with, and more often with how he expresses it...but I always like to read what he has to say. He's very interesting. I just responded to him as he says he responds to posts below: I didnt agree with what he said so I told him so and why.
Mr (or is it Dr?) Sokolowski, or is it okay to call you Wojtek? I'm being serious. At 04:36 PM 11/30/05, you wrote:
>Is someone wants to identify him- or her-self as, say, an angry white man,
>and angry black man, a lesbian avenger, a professional cocksucker, an
>American patriot, a Jew for Jesus, a gangsta, a fudgepacker for Packers, a
>Christian for 20 years to life - or any of those ready-made labels supplied
>by the cultural commodity industry - that is his or her business. But if
>that someone is constantly rubbing that label into other people's faces,
>that becomes annoying after a while, and people will simply get pissed and
>swat the annoying pest like a fly.
Well, yeah, if someone's being obnoxious about something it bugs me too. What I really want to say is adopting different identities is something people consciously do all the time, and it's often a benign and helpful practice for negotiating life, and that it's a way of finding inclusion, a shorthand signal that can convey a lot about a person for the good. You just stated catagorically that it's about shocking others and drawing attention and commercial commodification and that's it. Being a "rebel"? Sure it *can* be that. Have you read "The Conquest Of Cool"? That's exactly what Frank tracks thru this society, making "identity", or maybe more precisely "rebellion" and "noncomformity" something you can buy and put on and take off when you choose. The way our society so nurtures your inner narcissist because it can be great for business. But that's not all claiming an identity is about, not even in the USA. Not yet!
Maria