File spoon-archives/marxism-general.archive/marxism-general_1998/marxism-general.9801, message 114


Date: Wed, 14 Jan 1998 18:26:36 -0500
From: "Workers' Voice (Detroit)" <workersvoice-AT-EarthLink.NET>
Subject: Re: M-G: Changes at M-G impending


I've been reading this exchange in an attempt to figure out what exactly is
going on.  Not all is as it appears.

It was grossly dishonest for Mr. Ehrbar to present the changes to M-G as a
discussion item.  The fact is that these proposals will be going through,
no matter what we think.

But why are the Silver Spoons shoving this down our throat now?  I think
that the real intent of the change is exposed in Mr. Ehrbar's latest post.

He writes:
> 
> The list which I hope M-G will transform itself into will be a slower
> and at the same time more open, diverse, and accessible version of
> marxism-international (M-I) or marxism-thaxis.  Some of you said: we
> already have a list with a three-post limit in M-I, why do we need
> another one with a one-post limit?  My answer: M-I not only has a
> three-post limit but is also moderated by content, both explicitly by
> the moderators expelling certain list members, and implicitly by the
> moderators not intervening when members of M-I try to silence, drive
> off, or intimidate other list members.  In M-G, as I intend to
> moderate it, purges will not happen, and invectives of the form: "you
> sleazy nose-picking privilege-grabbing intellectual, go back to
> marxism-thaxis where you belong," will be followed up by a polite
> disclaimer from the moderator that, although such invectives are not
> outlawed on this list, they should not taken to represent list
> consensus; such outbursts often convey considerably more information
> about the author of these invectives than about their target.
> 

In other words, the "sleazy nose-picking privilege-grabbing intellectuals"
(although I cannot confirm the part abour nose-picking) who run the Silver
Spoons are a little tired of those mischievious little Reds in
Marxism-Space, their sharp language and the slaughter of the sacred cows. 
"We must find a way to drive them out!  We must send them back to the Stone
Age!"

Now comes Mr. Ehrbar, Lord Protector of Marxism-Introduction -- whose
imposed list-undergroundism would make Lutte Ouvrière blush.  He's fearful
that some of the Tenderfoots on M-Int might actually drift over into the
rest of the M-Space.  And, as Lord Protector, he cannot allow the sensitive
little petty-bourgeois students to have their rad-lib sensibilities
besmerched by the "Big Bad Bolsheviki" on M-G.

So, something must be done to stop them.  Their answer:  To "shut us up and
shut us down" as the saying goes.  "Let's limit the number of posts they're
allowed, thus cutting off debate.  After all, we've got so many people who
read this list.  There's no way that someone can adequately respond to all
the posts of a thread in *one message*."  "No, no, I've got a better one! 
Let's apply 'positive pressure' on them to stop being so politically
sharp.  Every time they politically attack someone in a sharp tone, let's
be High And Mighty and post a 'disclaimer'.  If it doesn't stop the
'hardened' Red, it'll certainly make the newer posters snap to attention
and fall in line."

Mr. Ehrbar may object to this hypothesis.  He can bluster all he wants.
Even if the form is only speculation, the content is still the same:  the
Silver Spoons want to destroy political discussion.  They may rationalize
it as "keeping the lunatics in line" or as "a tactical retreat".  Well in
fact the "tactic" is a tic-tac ... for the benefit of the Silver Spoons
intellectuals.

For the petty-bourgeois intellectuals who falsely pose as "progressives" or
"Marxists", political debate is anathema to their desire to be the next
Great Leader.  At the first sign of opposition and dissent, these
"democrats" show their bureaucratic teeth.  The gnashing of these teeth
take on different sounds at different times.  Mr. Ehrbar's new gnash is
that "marxism is a minority", therefore political debate over Marxist
politics should be squelched and a happy face should be painted (or, in
some cases, tattooed) on every member of the list.  Dixit Magister Ehrbar,
the appearance of a "happy family of Marxism" is more important than
slugging it out over political principle.

Even more revealing is Mr. Ehrbar's "self-criticism".  As I said above,
intellectuals hate genuine debate.  And what was Professor Ehrbar's
solution to political debate?  Expell them!  Throw them !-AT-#$%^ disruptive
Reds out on their ears!

But now he needs our sympathy.  Unless the "Big Bad Bolsheviki" stick with
M-G-M [Moderated], there's no Greater Kingdom for our Lord Protector. 
He'll have to be content with simply ruling M-Int.

But of course he'll never say this openly, but this is what he means.  In
spite of all the rhetoric, Mr. Ehrbar has a hard time making all his
arguments explicit.  The intellectual doublethink in his post is
reminiscent of the old joke "I'm from the IRS [or insert appropriate
national tax-collecting agency here], and I'm here to help you."  For all
of his "committment" to an unmoderated list, he's going to go ahead and
implement the new rules.  No muss, no fuss!  And if you don't like it, then
get the hell out (or, as Mr. Ehrbar says it, "come up with an alternative
provider for a completely unmoderated list")!

                        *          *          *

Perhaps it's time to call Mr. Ehrbar's bluff.  I would propose that we take
our Lord Protector up on his offer.  I think we should leave the
Marxism-Space to the Silver Spoon fakirs and organize our own list.

Everyone genuinely interested in open, honest political debate should come
forward and state their unconditional opposition to the Silver Spoons' plan
to destroy political debate, and, if they agree, their support for a new
Marxism list -- sans the Silver Spoons!

Forward!
Martin


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