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

ravi gadfly at exitleft.org
Thu Sep 28 17:54:10 PDT 2006


At around 28/9/06 4:35 pm, Angelus Novus wrote:
>
> 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.
>

Heh! A question from me about the capabilities of the 9/11 hijackers was converted into a thread about the racist motivation of such questioning!


> 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.

At the cost of playing the very psycho-analysis game, I think this may well be part of the reason for the internal viciousness. Perhaps the right is right about us ... we are a bunch of whiny cowards. An easier (to reconcile) explanation that I have offered in the past is that the new left has a very different notion of solidarity, if at all. They are similar to the right in their faith in the individual (flesh or mind).

--ravi

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