[lbo-talk] crises kill

[Ben Jackson]

> If things like critical thinking and self-exploration used to be
>  escapes (however partial and/or temporary) from some of the awfulness
>  of life under capital, from exploitation and psychic death, then
>  those escapes have been obstructed because capital is able to use
>  those things to increase exploitation and control. The old saw about
>  keeping people dumb to keep them down is only partly true now;
>  keeping them alert, in-tune, and savvy can work just as well as a
>  method of control. Dotcoms may be dead, but their model is more alive
>  because it's widely dispersed.

Why would you say that capital is able to use critical thinking and
self-exploration to increase exploitation and control?  Why
self-exploration, first of all.

As far as critical thinking goes, I can see the truth of this
statement, but only in a pretty trivial way, in that the ability to
reflect and think critically is a source of power no matter what your
purposes are.  Any ruling class having to deal with changing
circumstances is going to need this.  And any disaffected or unruly
class is going to need this if they want to shake off the exploiters.
Why then is giving kids that ability going to, in the balance, work in
the interests of capital?

How is it that keeping people alert, in-tune, and savvy works as a
method of control?

I keep asking because I've reread the thread so far and you've just
been restating variations of this thesis. I haven't yet seen your
argument for it.

Ben