Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2001 16:56:07 +0000
From: "steve.devos" <steve.devos-AT-krokodile.com>
Subject: Re: [Fwd: re:  Ethics as a figure of nihalism]


Hugh

Good points and of course you are correct - in that only in the ongoing 
lived experience of being in a locality can you claim detailed knowledge 
and understanding of a place... But with the caveat that the 
rest-of-the-world knows more about the USA/American imaginary than a US 
subject can know about the rest-of-the-world simply because of the 
levels of documentation, media and lived experience that we have of the 
place. It is probably true that the representation of the USA is both 
more utopian and also more dystopian than the reality of the place - but 
the standard spectacle/image of the average american can be recognised 
as true.

I am using the phrase 'specular' as a direct reference to both the work 
of Guy Debord 'The society of the spectacle' and 'Comments on the 
society of the spectacle' but also  as a reference to N&H's use the of 
the term in Empire. '...the glue that holds together the hybrid 
constitution is what Guy Debord called the specatcle, an integrated and 
diffuse apparatus of images and ideas that produces and regulates public 
discourse and opinion...' (P321 empire).  The logic contained here is 
that communities and NGOs are substantive elements of the ideological 
and repressive apparatus that help maintain the global and state apparatus.

I like your definition of a 'real' community but living in the UK 
surronded by reactionary and racist communities which will all meet the 
criteria listed below, how can this be accepted?

As a side question-
Have any NGOs openly criticised the USA states operations in Afghanistan?
Have any communities openly criticised the USA states operations in 
Afghanistan?

regards
steve

hbone wrote:

> Steve,
>
>  
>
> Specular?? This doesn't seem to match your words about community.
>
>  
>
> Main Entry: spec·u·lar <cid:part1.04010203.01020403-AT-netscape.com> 
> <javascript:popWin%28%27/cgi-bin/audio.pl?specul01.wav=specular%27%29>
> Pronunciation: 'spe-ky&-l&r
> Function: adjective
> Etymology: Latin specularis of a mirror, from speculumDate: 1661
> : of, relating to, or having the qualities of a mirror.
>
>  
>
> You may know as little about community in America as I know about 
> community in the U.K, and are unlikely to find it in business travel..
>
>  
>
> I think of community as experience with family and neighbor families, 
> the small town or
>
> village, and in the neighborhoods that make comprise the large cities. 
> Don't expect to find it in the Airport, a hotel, in Times Square, a 
> shopping mall at Walmart or Home Depot.
>
>  
>
> There was an excellent reference on the Internet giving names 
> addresess, including e-mail addresses for three quarters of a million 
> non-profit organizations.  I was surprised to find about 30 
> organizations in my small-town postal zone and about the same number 
> in the small California town where my daughter lives.
>
>  
>
> Non-profit organizations must file with the Internal Revenue Service 
> to avoid paying taxes on funds they raise through their community 
> activities.  Admittedly many of the non-profits are set up by 
> financial institutions to help wealthy persons avoid taxes, One 
> percent of taxpayers averages more than $1 million a year income, so 
> it's only logical for our politicians to reduce their taxes to 
> assure campaign funds and free plane rides etc. not to mention the 
> really lucrative deals that sometimes earn politicians a prison term.
>
>  
>
> But the Internet system had problems, was shut down, after which, 
> private companies appeared with offers to sell the information.
>
>  
>
> Real communities exist in church congregations, schools, clubs for 
> children's sports  and other children's activties, womens groups, 
> racial groups, civic groups who are concerned about schools, parks, 
> playgrounds, environmental activist, political activists of Republican 
> and Democratic parties, a dozen or so third parties etc.
>
>  
>
> Most of the above are found in the largest cities. 
>
>  
>
> I imaging something similar exists in the U.K.
>
>  
>
> As you and others have pointed out, Globalization, including export of 
> factories downsizing, outsourcing, and use of temporaries has had a 
> devasting effect on communities  in the workplace.  Still, they survive.
>
>  
>
> regards,
>
> Hugh