David Wood wrote:
We can't help what social class we were born into etc. If you then say:
'Sorry, but you're middle classs, therefore you should behave in a way that
perpetuates the system, and if you don't you are a hypocrit' - where
does that leave you?
NOTHING of what I've said implies the argument that David makes. What I'm
asking for is a little more tolerance, self-criticism and attempting to put
oneself in the situation of others before acting. And... if you alienate
the populace through unthought out, destructive mass action, you certainly
will be perpetuating the system, since the authorities will be only too
glad of an excuse to introduce some nice new anti-protest laws.
And...I've still to be told where all this 'radical' protest is leading,
after the capitalist world is brought to its knees.
'What you say would mean that I deliberately
curtial my political life because of someone else's (your) idea of what
academia is, and what an academic should be.'
>From your e-mails, it seems that you have a very strong idea yourself about
what the job of an academic is...i.e. 'enlightenment' of the masses...
'Academia does not have to be part of the system in the way that the IMF or
the WTO are.
No, of course it doesn't, and pray it doesn't entirely go that way. But I
have to say that the vast majority of 'critical' papers I see coming out of
academia are anything to do with presenting realstic alternatives to the
present system.
'Not everyone in a capitalist society (or in academia in a capiatalist
society) is a capaitalist, despite the fact that we may all happen to here
been born here'.
No, but we should all remember that we are all shaped to some extent by the
system, like it or not.
>>Academia is so full of ironies.... but you
>>don't find me laughing.
>
'Ah, the torment! :-)'
Very witty... :-)
>
>'If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution' to
>paraphrase a very wise woman. I'll have fun and change the world, thanks.
>You may think it's 'pissing in the wind', but you still haven't suggested
>anything better...
But then, neither have you..............
>
Best wishes,
Graham
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