Date: 10 Mar 97 10:01:03 EST
From: jonathan flanders <72763.2240-AT-CompuServe.COM>
Subject: M-I: List Matters


>>Actually, I am in favour of Adolfo and his allies having their own lists,in
which they can exclude anyone they like. Marxism-International never had the
purpose of keeping together people who don't even want to discuss anything with
each other. My opinions are already a matter of public record, I made  the
original proposal of Marxism-International. I am certain that if people who
don't agree with the charter of marxism-international, and who apparently
insisted on posting to this list for reasons I don't know (perhaps not having a
suitable alternative), have some space where they can have their rules as they
like, all parties would benefit. It would make all  of our lives easier.<<Zeynep
T

  Jon Flanders:

  I would only add the observation that while I agree it would make our lives
easier, and I would favor this solution, the parties concerned would soon tire
of talking to themselves and likely come back to abuse us centrists and
revisionists that confess to not knowing everything. But by all means let them
try it if they want.


>>I include two paragraphs from the charter of Marxism-International below,which
sums up the purpose of this list. I truly believe that the problem of too many
list subscribers having too much free time to spend in front of a computer, and
little else to do, has compounded our problems. It is my personal opinion that
people living in countries in which the on-going revolutionary struggle is
dynamic and alive have different priorities than those that seem to have endless
time to ruminate over questions, often but not always irrelevant, that are not
possible to solve in a mailing list.<<

  I agree. The rail-workers forum I am involved with does not have the problem
of this list. We have little time to waste on flaming. I am amazed that some of
the train crew members working 60+ hours a week can manage to post at all.

>>I also encourage members to choose a suitable list. Marxism-International will
never exclude political currents that consider themselves to be on the side of
the working class. Unfortunately, that means that we'll have subscribers that
annoy and anger other subscribers. If you don't want to be annoyed, please do
leave. <<

  And when you get annoyed, keep in mind that some subscribers live in countries
where mere words can get you locked up.

>>The three post limit is there because it is too expensive to download
 hundreds of messages each day. Unless internet becomes dirt-cheap for us
not living in the imperialist countries, the limit is going to stay.<<

 Without the three post limit I could not stay on this list. I am barely hanging
on as it is. If the list grows I can see a two post limit, even one. In case
anyone hasn't noticed, in the advanced capitalist countries, working families
are hanging on by increasing the time spent at work, namely the two-paycheck
household. The volume of the old M list drove me to distraction.



Jon Flanders, using OzWin 2.12.1



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