I think Michael's point is that what you see as important the majority of humanity may see as frivolous.
I mean, really. "I can't go swimming (in the desert)! I can't name my kid Hiddzubb-ulla-Nyarthathotop-Yog-Sothoth! Oh noes! The dire oppression! I must revolt!"
Middle class concerns indeed.
--- On Sat, 6/20/09, Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:
> From: Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com>
> Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Hamid Dabashi on Iran
> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
> Date: Saturday, June 20, 2009, 9:12 PM
>
> On Jun 20, 2009, at 8:16 PM, Michael Smith wrote:
>
> > But suppose you've come from a family where nobody has
> ever swum, or
> > named a kid anything unusual. Suppose the music you
> like is the music
> > you've been hearing since you were born. And paying
> bribes is seen
> > in the same light as we see paying taxes -- a
> nuisance, but part of
> > life.
> >
> > This describes most of humanity, doesn't it? We're the
> exceptions.
>
> And there's nothing to be valued in our state of
> exception?
>
> Let's see. Most of us who are socialists or radicals think
> that being poor sucks - that it makes for material misery
> and constricted personal development. Yet, on the other
> hand, we feel guilty about our privilege, and often envy the
> "authenticity" of the poor. So why do we care about
> transforming anything?
>
> Doug
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