This is going back a bit, but you know work doesn't end when you get home, there's kids to feed, laundry to wash, bedtime stories etc. But that's the nature of Capitalist reproduction economics for you!
Otto - I think you really make too much of your contribution to this Board. There are genuinely a wide range of opinions here, its just that you have an amazing polarising effect on the people who post - until this recent surge of aggressive right wing Americans showed up I spent half my time taking the piss out of PatelsCornerShop for being a Tory boy (just the same sort of polarisation your blood-frenzied chums in the US miltary are causing in the Islamic world, in fact). Agreed, there aren't many on this Board who are quite as annoying as you are, but to suggest that
you are the diversity here is to totally misunderstand the people here. You come here with your "bomb them all" posts and wonder why people get pissed off. You have no idea of the kind of lively debate and mood that happened before the New Republic or whatever piece of crap it was that unfortunately sent you in our direction. Far from there being "no discussion of Soviet or Chinese foreign policy", there were far too many discussions about Russia! Its you that is obsessed with the USA, not us. Most of us here are from the UK, and most of the discussions are about either UK issues or global ones, its you that keeps initiating anti-American comments, as a response to you and your angry compatriots' diatribes. I never considered Capitalism to be an American export, my anti-Capitalism is global, not national. Although you make out that you have tried "extended and detailed reasoning" but have been "ignored", its the fact that it hasn't been ignored, but responded to with reason and equal detail that has made
you give up such threads.
In terms of your old chestnuts and incorrect assumptions, I'll try and be quick (no promises!):
"Human nature" - this is the most boring and hoary old pile of crap. You can tell me that its human nature that we all compete, till you're blue in the face and I won't be convinced. Likewise I could justify at great length the notion that we could not possibly have evolved this far without co-operation and collective effort, and you would not be interested. Prove it? No-one can - and calling on "human nature" is virtually an indication that you're on your last legs in an argument. The suggestion that Capitalism is part of human nature is the height of stupidity.
"absolute moral and ethical fairness" - we're not dreamers. The majority of the activists I know are some of the most practical and resourceful people around. They need to be to struggle effectively in this world. No one is pretending that we can all live in a pie in the sky. But we would like to live in a better society than this half-arsed mess.
"conservation of resources" - has got nothing to do with human nature, its about survival on this planet. We have big brains and we've reached the top of the food chain by using them. If we don't use them some more, we won't have a future.
"happiness" - There's a good quote from Marx, where he says something like "indulgence and idleness are the real luxury goods". But the fact is that most humans are not striving for happiness, they're struggling to survive. That's Capitalism for ya.
"compromises" ... "perfection" - I'm am not interested in a utopia, that would be an untenable position, a monolith. What we have now is really fucking obviously not even close to perfection, its total shit. 40,000 people a day dying from starvation and disease, is a disaster, not a side-effect. If you go out in the street and ask people if this society is good enough, they'll tell you NO, and they'll all have different reasons why. That's a whole heap of reasons for change.
"violence" ... "if everyone just 'understood' things" - I don't have a problem with the use of violence, as such, and I agree that its part of life (although I am aware that many people don't agree). What I do have a problem with is the ruling class using violence to achieve its many and varied interests. I'm not stupid enough to think that change ever happens without violence somewhere along the line. In terms of everyone "understanding", I think you're thinking about liberals, not Lefties. We know that its not
all about education or propaganda, but its struggle that has brought change in so many ways. Its struggle that will bring change in the future, not educational achievement.
"the things that Lefties admire about America" - That one got me puzzled. What is are these things that Lefties admire about America? A gun under every pillow? The ghettoes, the treatment of the Mexican wetbacks, the racist justice system? The FBI, the cultural imperialism? I don't know what you think it is that we admire, but I can't think of any that relate to your economic system (I certainly admire Barry Bonds' swing, but I don't suppose that was what you meant!).
I think the person that's in for a "rude surprise" is probably you, when you finally find that George Dubya does something you don't agree with, and you realise there's fuck all you can do about it. You weren't asked, no-one got your permission. The only choice you have right now is to agree with Bush or... er, nothing. You suggest we are dreamers because we want a better world, but the fact is that neither of us have the ability to change things right now. The difference is that we're trying and you're sitting back watching Afghani children getting their legs blown off on CNN.
Oh, and that big, red rash? Are you sure it isn't Anthrax?
)
I suspect you think I'm slagging off American people. I'm not and I thought it was pretty clear. Are you perhaps misreading my post?
