Re: Goodbye and Thanks for All the Fish (Was RE: Anarchists and Leninists)

[David Walters <dwalters@xxxxxxx>]

Actually these are healthy organizations. They represent what the Militant
once wrote about them as "militant materialists" in as much a non- or a-
political way as possible.

The motive for some of these anti-magic organizations comes from
professional magicians who see such bunk as a swindle of a legitimate art
form.

CSICIOP is helpful in they break down the religious nonsense about miracles
and other hokus pokus (as opposed to legitimate hokus pokus of the
magicians, our allies :). I better stop now and take my medicine. ..

David Walters

> Well, it's not everyday you see someone whine about
> how unfair it is that people don't like it when
> they're unpleasant. Usually people outgrow that
> attitude by age 10.
>
> Incidentally, she did mention something that intrigued
> me - CSCICOP (Committee for the Scientific
> Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal). One of the
> central bodies, along with Michael Shermer's Skeptic
> Society, of the American skeptic movement.
>
> I myself have been involved with the skeptics'
> movement for several years, and I'm frequently
> disturbed by how leftist/progressive people are drawn
> towards questionable alternative medicine practices,
> "psychics," etc. Personally, I regard it like I do
> religion - something capitalists use to focus
> "anti-establishment"-oriented youth towards something
> that really is not hostile to capitalism. As an
> example, frequently alternative medicine users will
> rant and rave against the pharmaceutical industry, and
> they do have some valid points, but as often as not
> the same pharmaceutical companies are producing their
> "alternative" products.
>
> My question is, why haven't Marxists done more to work
> with the skeptics' movements (in the US and
> internationall)?
>
> Adam
> (bracing for a flaming)
>
>
> =====
> Adam Levenstein                          cleon42@xxxxxxxxx
> ICQ: 17125158
>
> And now, for something completely different.
>
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