Date: Thu, 16 Mar 95 0:56 GMT
From: WIDDER-AT-VAX.LSE.AC.UK
Subject: RE: postmodernism


What's really incredible about the vast majority of these critiques of post-
modernism (I say most, but certainly not all, because there are some thoughtful
commentators, and it would be silly to say 'postmodernism' is somehow beyond
critique) treat these 'postmodernists' explicitly as naive, thoughtless idiots.
I mean, they must think Foucault had the mentality of a six-year old to have
stepped into some of the ridiculous and untena positions they impute to him.

Here's a great critique you often hear:  Foucault's problem is that he has a
top-down theory of power.  Yes, this is clearly Foucault's problem, that he
believes all power is domination -- domination inflicted upon 'dead subjects'
by 'headless monarchs'.  Or here's another one:  Foucault kills the subject,
then reduces everything to subjectivity.  Subjectivity without subjects.  Now,
are people going to tell me Foucault's stepped into such an obvious self-
contradiction, or are they going to admit that they're treating him like an
utter idiot for the purpose of critiquing and dismissing him.

Nathan
widder-AT-vax.lse.ac.uk


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