[lbo-talk] Jezebel accidentally shows why Bitch Lab ran aground

Dwayne Monroe dwayne.monroe at gmail.com
Wed Mar 12 12:05:18 PDT 2008


Like most stories of this sort, the Spitzer drama is simultaneously noteworthy and stupid.

The (possibly!) noteworthy part involves whatever political maneuvering may have happened behind the curtain. There isn't much to usefully say about that since we're not privy to relevant details. And hell, I probably wouldn't give a rat's ass even if we were because, why should I, really?

And as for the stupid part? Well sir, mam, our heads have been deeply soaking in the media shit-storminess of it all for a few days.

The one thing I *have* been following with interest is the way this has been handled at Gawker outlet Jezebel.com. Jezebel is ostensibly a feminist site, albeit of the theory and sociology light, what-enraging-or-irritating-story-will-attract-the-most-page-hits today variety.

I've been following the Jezzie take because it so closely mirrors (And I mean close, like a nanometer's worth of deviation once you make allowances for differences in levels of out and proud pointy headedness) the kinds of discussions we've had here about prostitution or sex work.

The Jezebel link -

<http://jezebel.com/366791/enough-about-eliot-what-about-the-hookers>

And, for comparison and contrasting, one of our ancient threads, named "Marriage and Prostitution" -

http://tinyurl.com/2ndksy

The Jezzies cover all the major themes:

* I blame the patriarchy

* But maybe it would exist even without patriarchy

* Tracy Quan doesn't know what she's talking about (also known as the 'false consciousness" argument)

* Sex should be special and money makes it double plus un-special

* Men are icky (and rich men, especially so)

* Maybe it's not really worse than any other kind of work under capitalism

* No! It's much worse!

* These women need counseling: both job and psychological

And so on.

Oh, what pitiable creatures we talking monkeys are!

Our clock settingly reliable predictability makes me vomit in horror.

.d.

-- "I somehow doubt that 20 years of amphetamines and failure have changed you."

Dr. Impossible

...................... http://monroelab.net/blog/



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