From: bobstopper-AT-australispro.com.au
Subject: Re: Fw: Fw: abstract concepts as tools of authority
Date: Wed, 2 Oct 2002 09:50:14 +0800 (WST)


> > One does not happen without the other.  That's my
> > point.  We can posit an abstraction without content
> > such as:  If the ruling class stopped ruling, then we
> > wouldn't be ruled by them.  Fact is, that they will
> > never do this of their own.  They need to be convinced
> > and the only thing that will convince them is power
> > and the most efficient and least violent form of power
> > for us, the wage-slaves is to organize ourselves as a
> > class and say to the bosses--"Who needs you?"

G'day Mike. I'm not sure you're getting what I'm saying or
not. I suspect you are but this above is pretty much in
line with what I was talking about. Overcoming class
distinction comes about through refusing to be part of
a class (or ignoring the distinction - perhaps not as
clear a way to put it) - ie saying "stuff the ruling class
AND the working class. I won't submit to being either. I
won't be ruled by the ruling class (be of the working
class) and I refuse to rule anyone else". Then what remains
is convincing others to join in to make the movement more
powerful. And thus class consciousness can lead to people
ignoring class - or, put more succintly, actively refusing
to participate in class distinction - and thus undermining
it rather than trying to somehow overpower it by adding
fuel to the fire (such as when people attempt to fight
racism with racist solutions or sexism with sexist solutions)

Of course I understand your point about not being able to
just cut oneself off from the distinction abruptly since their
are punishments for such actions, however I do think this is
where the solution lies and not with any kind of class war
which leads to little more than segregation. It's just one
of those "it won't happen overnight" things.