Imputing motive (Re: [lbo-talk] rethinking marxism

Angelus Novus fuerdenkommunismus at yahoo.com
Thu Sep 28 13:35:21 PDT 2006


--- Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:


> Imputing motive or intention again, are you? I
> thought you frowned on
> that sort of thing.

Unfortunately, that is quite common on this list, and Carrol is not the only one who does it.

I wish I had a comprehensive theory as to why this is so prevalent on the left. When I lurk on right-conservative and far-right boards, I am always impressed by the patience and understanding shared between those who disagree on various points. When someone does not share the hegemonic opinion, the assumption is that they are confused or insufficiently informed, not that they are a bad person with bad motives or possibly a troll.

If I had to venture a guess, I would assume it has something to do with the objective weakness and societal irrelevance of the left. The feeling of weakness and irrelevance is then transformed into an intense hatred for others who are closest to "us." Maybe one has to feel one has to blame others on "our" side for "our" weakness.

If you read the split documents from various Antifa groups in Germany in the last few years, you get a real sense of this. The other side is inhibiting our political activity with their abstract critique, the other side has not fully understood this or that idea because of this or that character flaw, etc.

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