[lbo-talk] Neo-Realism: Chapter 2

Matt lbo4 at beyondzero.net
Wed Feb 6 14:49:02 PST 2008


On Thu, Feb 07, 2008 at 08:51:10AM +1100, Bill Bartlett wrote:
> At 10:35 AM -0500 6/2/08, Matt wrote:
>
> >Ah, I get it. Hate the sin, not the sinner and all that....
> >
> >Less cheekily:
> >
> >The problem I see in the position you describe here is that when you
> >frame it as not being against the sex work or abortion per se, but
> >against the oppression that causes people to choose these things,
> >you've already singled these things out in a way which can only be
> >described as moralistic. The problem is that your position suggests
> >to me that you'll *always* find some "oppression" angle to reinforce
> >what is effectively your distaste for both.
>
> So in other words the problem is not in what I said, but in what you
> think I really think. Wondered why people were getting their knickers
> in a twist.

"So in other words" is a way for you to invent a position for me, instead of critiquing what I actually wrote. Ironically, the position that you invent for me is that I invented one for you.


> >Before sending my reply I finished reading the thread. I see you
> >proved me right by drawing an analogy between sex work and slavery.
> >Nice.
>
> I drew an analogy between all wage work and slavery. And said that
> both were equally bad, rather than equally good. But you didn't see
> that, you only saw what you wanted to see.

You wrote:


>> Here's what they espouse:
>>
>> "We believe that all sex workers have a right to self-determination;
>> to choose how we make a living and what we do with our bodies."
>>
>> They sound like typical freedom-loving Americans, in the noblest
>> traditions of your great nation. I suppose in the old days there were
>> similar noble organisations of chattel slaves, defending their
>> self-evident right to choose for themselves the best way to pick the
>> master's cotton.

But OK, sure, all work is like sex work. Except that sex work has a social stigma that you - right here - are perpetuating.

If your point was just that all wage work is like slavery, and sex work is just like any other kind of wage work, I'm confused why you choose to single it out. Perhaps you can elaborate. Because that seems to be the point of the espoused quote with which you were disagreeing.


> I wonder why you didn't see that? Perhaps people who work for wages
> find it uncomfortable to be likened to prostitutes? Is that why so
> many people are offended? I wonder?

I don't know, since I don't have any mind reading powers. Did anyone say they were offended to have their wage work likened to sex-work?

Matt

-- PGP RSA Key ID: 0x1F6A4471 aim: beyondzero123 PGP DH/DSS Key ID: 0xAFF35DF2 yahoo msg: beyondzero123 http://blogdayafternoon.com

Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.

-Westley



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list