File spoon-archives/marxism-thaxis.archive/marxism-thaxis_1997/marxism-thaxis.9712, message 594


From: Russell Pearson <r.pearson-AT-art.derby.ac.uk>
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 12:14:58 +0100
Subject: Re: M-TH: Fly-paper


Louis Proyect:
>
>I believe that we shouldn't take reckless risks. That is why I identify
>with the protest movement that arose after 3-Mile Island and Chernobyl.
>That is the reason that you and Larouche's fascist cult campaign for
>nuclear power.

Stop it Louis! My view on nuclear power is that it is not _inherently_ bad.
I believe that the current implementation of the technology is pretty dire,
if not primitive. Seen more dialectically, I agree with LM in that
disasters such as 3-Mile Island and Chernobyl have become leit motifs for a
a general pessimistic malaise AND I more than sympathise with those
directly affected by these disasters.


>Greedy Capitalists? LM says that the problem is that the capitalist class
>has lost its good old drive, poor dears. ... LM serves the same
>ideological function as the Herb
>Schmertz op-ed pieces in the NY Times over the past few decades: Lies in
>the name of profits.

I'd rather let LM address the specifics directed at them, but for the sake
of clarity and that this is asked of me, here's my tuppence worth:

There are two points here. On the question of the ruling class losing its
drive: maybe, I haven't considered this argument and I'm not appraised of
the full details of its formualtion etc. So, no full comment, but it's an
interesting idea aint it? It smacks of idealism, and yet...

On the green chains and Lies in the name of profits etc. This entails a
misunderstanding. Of course Green discourse has but rarely stopped Capital
in its tracks and when it has, for example Greenpeace's campaign over North
Sea oil rig disposal, their arguments have shown to be both unfounded and
actually of _least benefit_ to the 'environment' ( a very duplicitous term
as Harvey demonstrates).
I see Green ideology as playing a more symptomatic role within Capital. It
can also provide a useful veneer over more dubious practices (as employees
of the Body Shop experience for example) and as an excellent marketing
tool- natural hair dyes, enviromentally friendly packaging etc. Of most
note is Capital playing the Green Card- "we're not doing this because we
have an imperative to make profits, we are doing this because we care for
the environment...". And of course the flip side- "we're not going to
provide you with the resources for electric and clean water because we care
for the environment and not only will you third worlders spoil it, but
there's too many of you anyway..."
Perhaps one of Green ideology's most insiduous gains is to further
privatise politics, by on the one hand stressing the global impact of using
an aerosol, but whilst continually stressing the _individual_ responsibilty
of so doing. Enough for now.

BTW Have you any info on the 'fuel cell' cars being developed by Ford/Merc-
the one's that will run on Hydrogen?



Russ







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