[lbo-talk] Spanish promiscuity or German erectile dysfunction?

[// ravi]

On May 4, 2012, at 7:34 AM, Wojtek S wrote:
> Ravi: " I am becoming a big boy and trying to learn (from Michael P,
> Joanna, others) the attitude so well captured in Michael Y’s message."
> 
> [WS:]  This is very unfortunate because the "big boy attitude" is
> thinly disguised macho bravado and i thought you were above it.  I
> think intense machismo is what underlies the "serious debate on the
> left" that Michael Y describes.  I do not mean to be dismissive of
> people whom he personally knew, but they were the product of their
> times, so to speak.  Graeber (funny, I quote him a lot lately)  writes
> about this in his "Direct Action" - he stipulates that the
> macho-authoritarian style of  the "old school" left is the "main
> thing" that alienates the anarchist/direct action folk.  I would like
> to add that I got the same message many years ago from my ex who was a
> feminist working as union organizer - the casual gratuitous machismo
> of the union/left wing folk was what driving her crazy.  I've seen
> that myself too - one of the most "memorable" experiences was
> observing at a party how a certain union activist treated his wife -
> as a personal servant - while authoritatively discussing the "union
> business" with other males in the room.

I think we may be speaking of different “big boys”. My reference to my own attempt at growing up is about the use of and response to what I perceive as brash or unfriendly style, both of which Michael Y addresses. In particular, what I meant by the above was that I am trying to learn an attitude described by Michael Y:


> So, without sounding like Rodney King, maybe we should try to remember the remarkable things about people on this list and others. I feel totally inadequate when I see that some make references to music, literature, history, Marx, economics, language, about which I know little. So many smart people, all around the world. Surely nuggets of insight and knowledge are worth the occasional hurt feelings or irritation, which given that this is a email list after all can't possibly do us much harm. Of course, if you never learn anything from a person who gets under your skin, then just tune them out.  

	—ravi