Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 17:59:57 +0300 (EET DST)
From: J Laari <jlaari-AT-cc.jyu.fi>
Subject: Re: MARX...


Ralph,

thanks for thoughtful response.

" While we're talking, let's compare the stuff I've been writing
lately to the frivolous flapdoodle you cited from Zizek and others
recently. "

I don't think it all was just "frivolous flapdoodle" (though Zizek
passage surely was flapdoodle: my point was to compare that interview
with the others). I have in mind above all Honneth's affirmation that
in post-critical theory of Habermas (and several others of his
generation of German thinkers) the universalising tendency did went a
bit too far. World around them was changing but they didn't paid
attention for what was going on.

In a case Habermas, I think it's undertandable. I've (without being a
fan of his) usually took him to be one who got very shocked liberal in
his student days, when he realised that his teachers are talking same
stories as they did in nazi period. Taken that kind of 'substantial'
experience it's understandable, in my opinion, that he put his efforts
into trying to clarify basic things/questions for himself in order to
not repeat the errors of former generation. That lead him into
abstract universalism but despite of it he have had something quite
important to say to leftists.

By the way, in your post there was something that reminded me of
Marx's 1844 manuscripts. Well, I had to take a look at them. And yes,
there is the dimension related to individuality.


" How do you boil down your wide-ranging erudition to something that
actually applies to life as you live it and observe it around you?  No
matter how esoteric and remote the material is that I present, no
matter how abstruse the ideas I'm presenting, I always make it a point
to be as direct, forceful, and to the point as I can. "

First of all, I think you have usually done it very well. What comes
to this 'boiling down' thing I think you made a good point - despite
the fact that there are some cultural differences in a sense that in
English speaking world there is a general tendency to make as simple
and clear as possible statements, and in some other cultures it's not
so valued. It matters also whether you are speaking publicly or for
some special 'professional' group. Yet, and despite of all that, your
point is ok.

Yours, Grog, son of Og



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