Re: [Marxism] Re: Re: The Iraqi "Resistance" -- music and dance.

[davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

On 10 Jan 2005 at 17:00, Tom O'Lincoln wrote:

> DOQ:
> >>Instead of being a smart a** about this, tell me where I'm wrong?<<
>
> OK, I thought it was obvious, but I guess not.
>
> As somebody once said, people don?t live by bread alone, they need roses
> too. They starve for culture as well as food. It?s absurd to reduce
> people?s love of music and dance to ?consumerist urges?. They?re an
> important part of life; any regime suppresses them will be hated by its
> subjects and should be hated by us.
>
> I suppose fashion, alcohol and hair styles seem more trivial at first
> glance, but when a regime or a movement dictates these it?s seriously
> messing with people?s heads. It?s all very well for us, from our privileged
> position, to pontificate to Third World people about the evils of
> narcissism -- but it?s up to them to decide, not us.
>

  I wasn't directing my comments
specifically towards music, dance, hair products, or the other aforementioned 
habits
on their own. I was saying that under the ideology of consumerism they become a
narcisism that overrides all other concerns, in particular the well being of 
fellow
(wo)man. I see a  connection with indifference  towards human suffering and
oppression  and rampant  consumerism.

I thought this was obvious, but I guess not.

What makes these practices even more indefensible is that 99% of the "products"
purchased are made by the toil of "Third World" workers (I'm sure many of them
women and children working under in sweat shop conditions).



DOQ





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