sure, people retreat to banalities because, while they have objections to what someone says and they like to blow off some steam about it, they rarely have the time to devote to a full exchange. So, people retreat to banalties. On another list, when people wanted to end the word war, they'd post and share a recipe from which was born the DC Stuff Cookbook. Personally, I think that would do us much better, but the idea is the same: it's a kind of phatic speech that maintains solidarity through the ritual without purpose.
That's life on this list these days. It used to be different, exchanges were lengthier and lasted for quite some time, interesting debates from which you could learn. *shrug*
It's a shame to bow out because JOanna's post, which started this discussion, was also superb.
At 05:37 PM 2/16/2012, lbo83235 wrote:
>On Feb 16, 2012, at 11:22 PM, Carrol Cox wrote:
>
> > This rehearsal of banalities which no one would disagree with is
> > illustrative of the impossibility of conversation (as opposed to point
> > scoffing) on lb-talk.
>
>Having spent the day with a couple of Sri Lankan activists living under
>the very real threat of abduction and torture when they return home on
>Monday, and a couple of DRC activists who had to sneak to our meeting
>under threat of politicised arrest and rendition by Kabila's goons, I
>could hardly agree more. I'm embarrassed that I've devoted an entire email
>folder to this shit, and waded through it for as long as I have.
>
>Oh, except "this" is not-not-not Amerikkka, right Woj? And, yes, Doug,
>your failure to respond to Tahir's challenge didn't go unnoticed. It's all
>quite telling. And not in a good way. "They hate us for our freedom."
>Yeah, right. Silliness and vanity.
>
>Ignorance, stupidity, posturing, distraction, defensiveness and / or
>vanity all round. I call bullshit on it all. Carrol's a cranky old
>son-of-a-bitch, but he knows a helluva lot, and he's almost always right,
>and the rest of you are just too insecure to deal with the ruthless,
>insightful shit he dishes up pretty much daily. Effing kak. (Tahir can
>translate that if needed.)
>
>For the record, I sent DC an apology off-list several weeks ago. He either
>didn't see it or chose not to respond. No problem either way; the apology
>stands. I'm sorry for your loss.
>
>Anybody who's serious about organising / mobilising, feel free to contact
>me off-list.
>
>___________________________________
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