Comments on: Opportunities http://recordingsurface.blogsome.com/2006/08/11/opportunities/ Scratches, crackles, and interrupted takes Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:44:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Eric http://recordingsurface.blogsome.com/2006/08/11/opportunities/#comment-116 Thu, 24 Aug 2006 21:51:14 +0100 http://recordingsurface.blogsome.com/2006/08/11/opportunities/#comment-116 Yes, and I like it. I've been noticing recently how this sort of thinking gets cashed out in the language of understanding and tolerance: "we" (westerners) must accept "their" (mostly Arabs) decision to elect illiberal, authoritarian governments. Of course this tolerance only gets applied to support for anti-imperialist/anti-American governments and movements, but it's near-comical to see it at play. Yes, and I like it. I’ve been noticing recently how this sort of thinking gets cashed out in the language of understanding and tolerance: “we” (westerners) must accept “their” (mostly Arabs) decision to elect illiberal, authoritarian governments. Of course this tolerance only gets applied to support for anti-imperialist/anti-American governments and movements, but it’s near-comical to see it at play.

]]> by: Nate http://recordingsurface.blogsome.com/2006/08/11/opportunities/#comment-114 Thu, 24 Aug 2006 10:06:04 +0100 http://recordingsurface.blogsome.com/2006/08/11/opportunities/#comment-114 hi Eric, That's fair. How about this: a similar thought goes on (about 'those people') but that it's held more flexibly for folks in the US and more rigidly for Those those people. Does that make sense? take care, Nate hi Eric,
That’s fair. How about this: a similar thought goes on (about ‘those people’) but that it’s held more flexibly for folks in the US and more rigidly for Those those people. Does that make sense?
take care,
Nate

]]> by: Eric http://recordingsurface.blogsome.com/2006/08/11/opportunities/#comment-110 Wed, 16 Aug 2006 07:58:53 +0100 http://recordingsurface.blogsome.com/2006/08/11/opportunities/#comment-110 Thanks, M and N. Nate, yes, I agree about the consciousness thing. But I think consciousness arguments, at least when it comes to domestic populations, really tend toward tweaking the consciousness and prompting the correct action. Not sure that such leftists would assume that westerners completely agree with the aims of the security regime; which is to say, it seems to me they are given the benefit of the doubt and are <em>assumed</em> to disagree on the fundamentals while perhaps occasionally and on some issues agreeing. "Third-worlders" don't get such a benefit. Not sure that makes any sense. Thanks, M and N. Nate, yes, I agree about the consciousness thing. But I think consciousness arguments, at least when it comes to domestic populations, really tend toward tweaking the consciousness and prompting the correct action. Not sure that such leftists would assume that westerners completely agree with the aims of the security regime; which is to say, it seems to me they are given the benefit of the doubt and are assumed to disagree on the fundamentals while perhaps occasionally and on some issues agreeing. “Third-worlders” don’t get such a benefit.

Not sure that makes any sense.

]]> by: Nate http://recordingsurface.blogsome.com/2006/08/11/opportunities/#comment-108 Tue, 15 Aug 2006 08:35:52 +0100 http://recordingsurface.blogsome.com/2006/08/11/opportunities/#comment-108 Eric, I agree with Matt, great post. One quibble, though: "for the anti-imperialist western leftist, the complexity that, for example, allowed 90 percent of Americans to “support” George Bush after 9/11 while largely rejecting his larger agenda is specifically not available to subaltern subjects." I think a lot of folk on the left also deny this complexity re: many people who live in the US too. Hence the need for parachuting into the working class to build their deficient consciousness. take care, Nate Eric,
I agree with Matt, great post. One quibble, though: “for the anti-imperialist western leftist, the complexity that, for example, allowed 90 percent of Americans to “support” George Bush after 9/11 while largely rejecting his larger agenda is specifically not available to subaltern subjects.” I think a lot of folk on the left also deny this complexity re: many people who live in the US too. Hence the need for parachuting into the working class to build their deficient consciousness.
take care,
Nate

]]> by: Matt http://recordingsurface.blogsome.com/2006/08/11/opportunities/#comment-107 Mon, 14 Aug 2006 10:10:54 +0100 http://recordingsurface.blogsome.com/2006/08/11/opportunities/#comment-107 Great post. Great post.

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