File spoon-archives/marxism-international.archive/marxism-international_1996/96-11-03.020, message 88


Date: Sat, 2 Nov 1996 11:44:20 -0500 (EST)
From: Justin Schwartz <jschwart-AT-freenet.columbus.oh.us>
Subject: Re: Should we let up on the pomos? was Re: M-I: Live at NYU: Sokal vs. Social Text


On Sat, 2 Nov 1996, Gary MacLennan wrote:

> This is a serious point and as such should make us pause.  Temperamentally I
> am inclined to agree with Justin that we should put the bastards to the
> sword. Despite  the radical nature of much of their rhetoric they have
> worked for the establishment. A whole generation of students has been
> disoriented and depoliticized.  

It's not just or mainly their bad politics that's the issue. It's the
quality of their research. With the exception of a small handful of
people, the pomos can't think and can't write. If I were in a university
context where I hada  vote, I would support a smart pomo. Nancy Fraser can
be in my depratment any old day. But the character of their work is more
typified by Andrew Ross, who wouldn't recognize ana rgument if it bit him
on the ass. As Ralph said, talking about Afrocentrism as it happens, what
really matters is what you do, not who you are. The pomos for the most
part talk nonssense for bad purposes.

> But we need to conceptualize the whole affair as Per implies.  Why did the
> Sokal matter get taken up in the mainstream media?  They are certainly not
> our friends.  Are they now taking  out the Pomos?  should we stand back and
> let them?  I am not sure of the answers to these questions.  But in my own
> conspiracy type consciousness I see it  this way.

Let me put it this way: You are on a hiring committee and someone pomo has
applied. She/He/It is a typical pomo, a flutterby,a s you so nicely put
it, pseudo radical rhetoric and no substance. Moreover she/he/it hates
Marxism and you can pretty much guess that s/h/i wouldn't stand by you if
you were underf fire. Now, some right wing clown wants to deep six thae
pplication for the wrong reasons, because he hates the (phony) radicalism
of the argument. What do you do dear, as Maurice Sendak put it? Do you
expend your little amount of credit to get this persoin hired? (Or, it it
is a tenure decision, retained?) 

Of course part of the answer depends on your alternatives. You might
prefer the pomo to some right wing policy ytype. But how much effort to
expend? I would say, not all that much. 

> Yet we should try and keep some of the gains especially those Per refers to.
> 
Well, if the administration tries to abolish women's studies or
African-American studies, etc. we should certainly fight it, although
small thanks we will get from the people in those programs.

--Justin




     --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---



   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005