From: detcom-AT-sprynet.com Date: Sun, 10 Nov 1996 12:50:43 -0800 Subject: M-I: Criticism and Self-criticism is Good (was: jokes, language and I think it is true that there has been sexist language on these lists and it really shouldn't be defended. But Lou and Anthony haven't been any worse or more blatant than anyone else. We all need to work everyday on these areas of sexism and racism. We shouldn't get defensive when our comrades try to struggle with us to break with old ideas and ways of doing things. We ought to welcome their criticisms and work to transform ourselves as will all of society under the dictatorship of the proletariat one day. How will we help create a new people and world if we are refusing to change and remold our own thinking and actions? I know that I still have elements of racism and sexism that need to be rooted out and criticized. How could I not have them? We should be cognizant that living in bourgeois society we are bombarded everywhere and everyway possible with reinforcement of sexist and racist attitudes and thinking. We are not even concious of the process, it's been going on since birth and seems natural. We have been trained to be male dominators and racists and homophobes. The shame is to deny this and resist changing. I have the good fortune to be working politically with a bunch of socially concious young women that won't allow me to get away with anything. They will criticize erroneous thinking or actions immediately and most times they are correct. Not resisting or taking offense of such criticizism has enabled me to remold myself with the help of my comrades and has allowed me to become a more concious and better person. Criticism and self-criticism is good. We ought to welcome it and practice it more often. If it seems to hurt badly, that is because we are not accustomed to practicing criticism and self-criticism very much. So when it occurs it seems like an attack. If it were to become commonplace and occur often, it wouldn't seem like that. It is not a negative thing. It is true that some people's criticisms come in the form of an attack, sometimes even self-righteous. I have been guilty of this also and have been quite dogmatic at times. I have been trying to work on how I present a criticism. These words from Lei Feng I am trying to put into practice: Be as mild as spring with your comrades; Be as hot as summer toward your work; Towards individualism be like the autumn wind sweeping away the fallen leaves; and be as ruthless as winter towards the enemy. Jay Miles / Detroit --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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