From: "* Gebhardt, H, Hartwin, Mr" <HG-AT-beattie.uct.ac.za>
Date:          Mon, 28 Aug 1995 15:48:48 SAST-2
Subject:       Re: Patenting Humans? - just asking 


Taking the thermodynamic concept of entropy as metaphor, wouldn't 
that imply that capitalism is set up as a 'closed system', feeding off 
the energy of cultural diversity (in adition to physical, biological 
diversity)? - This would make the patenting of human gene material a 
logical part of the capitalist dynamic. 
Stretching that metaphor, does that mean that capitalism will 
collapse as soon as the colonial/imperial project has succeeded in 
installing in every village in the world Coke vending machines, 
sattelite TVs, Internet PCs, and all the other wonderful inventions 
of the American hot dog stand civilisation? Is this inevitable, just 
as the collapse of the global eco-system under the onslaught of the 
unholy alliance of international capital and a baying mass of hungry 
consumers (and would-be consumers here in the 'Third World') seems 
inevitable?
Is the 'New South Africa' I live in, whose president, "the most 
"respected politician in the world" (quote from countless numbers of 
Packer / o'Riley / Murdoch - owned publications) has just sold out to 
international and local capital, a typical example of this process, 
as it so sadly seems?
Hmmm?

(Hi, I'm 'new', call me HG)

HG
Cape Town

                                ~~ Glad to meet you ~~~~~~~~~
                                ~~ Hope you know my name ~~~~


     --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---

     ------------------