File spoon-archives/marxism-thaxis.archive/marxism-thaxis_1998/marxism-thaxis.9803, message 1040


From: Gary Dale <Gary.Dale-AT-ee.ed.ac.uk>
Date: Sun, 29 Mar 1998 16:31:10 +0100 (BST)
Subject: M-TH: Re: Rev Jones




dh>But the purpose of PR is to distort debate, turn it into a fight between
dh>perfect reason (i.e., your client's position) and perfect unreason (i.e.,
dh>the position held by the client's opponent). I suppose we can talk about
dh>the Unabomber as a social and political phenomenon, or even as a
dh>repellently psychotic version of Kirkpatrick Sale, but he's not really all
dh>that relevant to a serious discussion of science or environmentalism.
dh>What's next? Lorena Bobbitt as feminist?


Well actually I think there is a point that environmental assumptions
are perfect unreason - by virtue of being anti-human.  As I
said,  I don't expect the aim of the article is as described
(I guess I'll have to read it when it comes on-line).
I agree the focus should be on the dangers in the (radical) centre
and mainstream - e.g. J.H.'s article on the Real World Coalition.
What's interesting is that for a long time environmentalists
*were* regarded as marginal cranks, but those ideas are much
more in the mainstream.  Environmnetal moralism also provides
a ready-made excuse for attacking working class living
standards by greater consumer taxes (rather than direct
taxation).  OK taxes aren't a 'class issue', but it's perverse
the way they can be turned into a good thing.  After NuLabour's
budget hit 30 million drivers with greater fuel taxes, polls
showed people saying they would be worse off but that was
best for the nation: i.e. self-sacrifice for a higher moral
(environmental) purpose is a new axis of politics.


I'm sure priorities come into it somewhere, but communists
are also supposed to have a view on everything - I guess
that means Princess Di and the Spice Girls included.  I wouldn't
have seen any problem with, say, articles on European terrorist
groups like Action Direct.


Gary D.



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

   

Driftline Main Page

 

Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005