Hello Carol. I agree about your first point. The problem is that post
modernism can be caught up in a circular thinking I.e nothing is perfect as
it should be, type of think. I.e philosophy of ideas= purist thinking.
Therefore it becomes a militant theoretical force against the forces that
resist and oppose oppression on the ground. That is why critical modernism
has warned from earlier time the possible connection between post modernism
with the most conservative thinking. At one point we have to sit down and
agree that we have to do something about the world. This step of political
philosophy generate contradictions. Post modernists are able to predict them
and some enter into an anticipatory remorse mode. There is nothing wrong
with explaining the challenges ahead but post modernist philosophy needs to
situate itself in a historical-political context and yes compromise. 'Live
with it' in this context means, accept that yes we have to compromise for
the advancement of a cause.
2.- Spurious. Maybe not you, but some postmodernists get every emotional
about critical modernism and prioritise their work against them rather than
the medical model and the normalising forces of capitalism.
3.- 'Pm breaks down the binaries inherent'. I think this is a wishful
thinking. One may be able to realise the forces of the episteme (which is
without question a merit of postmodernism) but never being able to escape
from it. Not linguistically not in practice. That is the reason that one has
to compromise with critical modernism.
4.- Categorisation. We live in a world where language,- written, visual,
oral-, uses categories as the human brain simplify -synthesise reality.
There is no escape to it. It is not enough to realise the binary loop we get
into with every step of resistance other people do, but do something about
it. In a similar token, critical modernism needs to understand that perhaps
the world is much more wide and estrange (there is not truth), and that
'western freedom' cannot be imposed. Critical modernism need to compromise
too.
The bottom-line is that we have plenty of examples in history about
injustice, but very few examples in which the lucky ones have realised that
they cannot treat other human beings as if they were not part of 'their'
world. Than is why cm and pm need a truce.
Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol Hamilton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 7:51 PM
Subject: Re: Social vs. impairment models
> >Hi Andy re
>
>
> >Good point. I gather it is difficult to accept that any act of individual
> >resistance and social movement also build up a new and possible more
> >perfected form of social exclusion. But that is life and we have to live
> >with it
>
> However the challenge of postmdernism is the suggestion that just
> 'living with it' does not alter the circumstances of those who are
> excluded, nor does it encourage (all of) us to be mindful of the
> potentially oppressive aspect any idea or behaviour brings with it.
>
> >. The problem is how prioritise our time in this world and to be
> >tolerant. Radical postmodernist try to create a utopian theoretical model
> >with a perfect utopian language, reminding everyone how imperfect they
all
> >are and how imperfect and spurious their plight is.
>
> well, perhaps imperfect, but I would not go as far as spurious myself.
>
>
> >Critical modernists are
> >more practical without being less critical.
>
> For my money, it is postmodernism that is the practical tool, and is
> , to me, a useable methodology that attempts to interrogate therefore
> break down the binaries inherent in western thinking that encourages
> us to prioritise one category to the detriment of another eg
> man/woman, white/black etc. Critical modernism leaves the divisive
> and oppressive nature of categorisation as a mindset unexamined. Eg
>
>
> > I.e therefore 'postmodernist
> >are a bunch of fascists wearing sheep skin'. these two fronts need a
> >epistemological truce.
>
> cheers Carol
>
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