Re: moderation, l*st purpose

["Bryan A. Alexander" <bnalexan@xxxxxxxxx>]

A few notes.  Yes, I got my hard drive back to life - whew! with all text
files intact.  Those two boxes of floppies were the most precious things
in the world, then...

Bryan Alexander                                 Department of English
email: bnalexan@xxxxxxxxx                       University of Michigan
phone: (313) 764-0418                           Ann Arbor, MI  USA    48103
fax: (313) 763-3128                             http://www.umich.edu/~bnalexan

On Tue, 30 Jan 1996 glevy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> > Louis: This has been very much on my mind lately. I am coming around to
> > the opinion that, despite Jon Beasley-Murray's noble intention to combine
> > activism and theory in the same place, there are really two l*sts
> > functioning as one.
>
> Everyone on the l**t knows that there has been an ongoing tension between
> those who favor an activist-orientated l**t and those who do not. I
> strongly believe that this l**t should have a place for the discussion of
> both theory and praxis. Yet, when I (and others) want to discuss theory,
> we are told that we are "academics" ad nauseum. This is the first
> obstacle to be overcome. *Nobody* that I have heard has said that they
> *only* want to discuss theory. When the "activist side" stops trying to
> paint us as "academics" we can begin to make progress.

I must disagree here.  Speaking as one trying to develop in tandem both
the activist and theoretical sides of my life - and trying to demolish
the false opposition between them - I have been able to  aske questions,
get answers, answer questions, ruminate, and above all develop in both
fields.  This hasn't been easy, of course, for a variety of reasons
(knee-jerk attacks on anarchism, for example, or idiotic pseudo-flames
about critical stances), but I've done it.  Many others have as well.
        Furthermore, this opposition reflects much of current practice,
both in its division and ferocity.  We can recognize this, and work to
transcend it.

> > The list that I am interested in discusses Yugoslavia, fascism, etc. Then
> > there is another list that was much more in evidence two years ago that
> > catered to the needs of Marxist scholars like the two Hans from University
> > of Utah.
>
> This l**t has evolved, to be sure. It is made and re-made by its
> participants. Neither "side", ultimately, is going to be "victorious." To
> the extent that we *either* have a "theory-only" or an "activist-only"
> l**t, we all suffer, IMHO.
>
> I believe that the insistence that a "marxism" l**T discuss *both* theory
> and praxis is in the best tradition of Marx and Marxism.

As I said.
>...
> > However, when somebody who is an activist or a trade-unionist first makes
> > their entrance on the list and sees nothing but Juan Inigo battling with
> > Hans Ehrbar over the meaning of ground rent, this can be a little
> > indimidating. Trust me.
>
> In the *entire* time that I have been a member, I do not recall *any*
> period of time when praxis was *not* discussed. I am quite sure that new
> members will see what interests them and participate accordingly *if* we
> can create a "culture" that encourages participation on any threads that
> members are interested in. As for the new "activist or a trade-unionist"
> we have to give these people enough respect to know that they are not
> *only* interested in activism or trade unionism. If they are interested in
> Marxism, they are interested in theory as well.

Speaking as someone who, like many of us, teaches, I know from experience
that the presence of theory - even in the midst of
nontheoretcal-sounding discussions - can intimidate.  This is a dynamic
we need to recognize and deal with.

 >  ...
>  So you have professors who contribute to "Research In Political
> > Economy" deleting all those bothersome messages on the civil war in
> > former Yugoslavia in order to find that one intriguing message on ground
> > rent. Or, you have trade unionists deleting all those bothersome messages
> > on Bhaskar's quadruple dialectistical transmutation of nature in order to
> > check out discussion on the French strikes.
>
> ANOTHER caricature.

Is it?  eems likely to me.
>  ...
> * The Marxism l**t is a place where there is a discussion of all matters
> pertaining to Marxism as it relates to theory and praxis.
> Well-intentioned contributions by anyone are welcome.  Please respect the
> fact that we are here for different reasons and have different
> theoretical and political perspectives. All benefit by an honest attempt
> to address the issues.


Here here.


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