[lbo-talk] Dustup - final installment

Julio Huato juliohuato at gmail.com
Sat Jul 26 19:36:34 PDT 2008


shag wrote:


> quotes from miles and carrol that support this
> characterization would be helpful. i wrote in
> support of carrol's and miles's views.


>From Miles:


> The social psychological research on this is clear: attitudes
> and consciousness are the effects of (not the causes of!)
> changes in social conditions."

[...]


> All this is predicated on the false assumption that changes in
> attitudes can somehow shape social conditions. Even if people
> have attitude X or have been persuaded to have attitude X,
> social change can only occur through social processes and
> institutions that are independent of any one individual's thoughts
> and behavior.

[...]


> Political activism in the South did not occur because anyone's mind was
> changed; it occurred because like-minded people got together and
> developed effective political strategies.


>From Carrol (the latest I've read):


> in the absence of full-scale clearly defined class-war challenging anyone's
> personal political preferences, including quietism, is mere moralism, itself
> a deflection from politics. "Which side are you on" is only a relevant
> question in times of crisis.

So, that's what I'm talking about.


> yes, i am now exhibiting some hostility
> b/c the mischaracterization of miles's
> position -- RFA.

I don't know what explains the hostility, but I don't think this is it. Your hostility predates this discussion.



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