Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 14:27:29 -0700
From: hugh bone <hughbone-AT-worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Das Capital


Mary Murphy&Salstrand wrote:
> 
> the twist that Lyotard gives to language games
> and speech acts is to politicize them and place them under the rubric of
> capitalism.
> >
> > -AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT-
> >
> > I don't understand the last sentence.
> >
> > Could some of our participants explain their own, personal,
> > understanding of "agonistics" and "paralogy" (without reference to other
> > persons).
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Hugh
> >
> > -AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT--AT-
> >
> Maybe it is just me, but I sometimes get the impression that British
> philosophers sit in their English drawing room smoking their pipes,
> sipping their sherry and talking about the christening of the Queen Mary
> as though the solution to all political problems was seen in the
> vanishing of the question.
> 
> What I meant by that sentence it simply that language games and speech
> act cannot be seen in abstractions as purely universal idioms without
> reference to class, race, nation or historical periods (such as
> capitalism). They must be situated in a manner that shows their
> contextual relationship with the social bond, the inscribing socius with
> its codes and rules that tend often to act in a manner that constrains
> us, establishes what speech act are to be permitted, what language games
> are to have meaning in a given culture in a certain place and time.
> 
> As such, these gestures are political.  I believe Lyotard uses them in a
> manner that brings this out.
> 
> I hope this helps and does not confuse the issue too much.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Mary,

Thanks very much.  

Speaking of the English, did you ever hear this:

GBS invited Churchill to see his newest play,
saying: "Come to first night opening and bring a friend,\
if you have a friend"

The reply was:  "Sorry, can't make it first night, but 
will be there second night if there is a second night."

I agree with your reply 100% on first reading, but promise a second 
reading.

Hugh