[Marxism] FW: OUL Presents Pelz on the Commodification of Everyday Life and Popular

["Mark Lause" <MLause@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Open University of the Left Presents:

Bill Pelz on the Commodification of Everyday Life and Popular 
Culture

Dr. William A. Pelz, author, veteran activist, not to mention 
unrepentant Marxist, will explore the ways in which literally 
everything has become a commodity - a thing to be bought and 
sold. We used to shop out of necessity. Now it's America's 
favorite sport and our legal addiction of choice. Why must dollars 
burn a hole through our collective pocket ... and how can we 
resist our own commodification in a marketplace world?

Pelz is professor of history at Elgin Community College and 
international secretary of the Chicago Socialist Party. Prof. Pelz 
has a longstanding relationship with OUL, and we are happy to 
welcome him back to the lectern. His presentation will shed light 
on one of the building blocks of Marxist theory, showing how 
capitalism affects us even at the deepest levels of our being.

WHEN & WHERE:
Saturday, August 12, 2 PM at In These Times, 2040 N. 
Milwaukee (2nd floor), Chicago, near the CTA Blue Line's 
Western-Armitage stop. 

FOR MORE INFO:
Call (847) 677-5474 if you have a question or would like to lead 
an OUL session. Please forward this announcement to anyone 
you think may be interested in attending the program. For more 
information about OUL, or to join the OUL Yahoo group, go to 
www.yahoo.com, click on "groups," type "oulchicago" into the 
search field and click the search button. Click on "oulchicago" to 
see recent news and announcements or to join the group.

ABOUT THE OUL:
The Open University of the Left (OUL) is an independent, 
non-sectarian, free-speech forum formed in 1987 to organize 
presentations, discussion groups and film showings about 
politics, current events, literature, philosophy, history and social 
theory. 

UPCOMING OUL PROGRAMS:
Thursday, Aug. 24, 7 PM: A showing of the documentary "The 
Revolution will Not Be Televised," an on-the-spot look at the 
failed coup against Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, 
followed by a discussion led by Venezuelan Deputy Consul 
Omar Sierra.

Thursday, Aug. 31, 7 PM: Activist/independent scholar Eric 
Shuster, editor of the new journal Strikeonline.org, discusses the 
coming crisis in "Dollar Daze: Who Benefits from the Bush 
Economy?"

Thursday, Sept. 7, 7 PM: Jorge Mujica, Secretary-General of the 
Illinois chapter of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), looks 
at the recent contested election in Mexico and the ongoing 
struggle for democracy. 

Thursday, Sept. 21, 7 PM: Scott Marshall, lifelong trade unionist, 
vice chair of the Communist Party USA and chair of its national 
labor commission, explores "Labor in the Era of Capitalist 
Globalization." 

(Please note that upcoming OUL events are subject to change, 
and new events may be scheduled as opportunities arise. We'll 
let you know about changes, cancellations, etc. through frequent 
updates via our Yahoo group list.)











Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/oulchicago/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    oulchicago-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/


________________________________________________
YOU MUST clip all extraneous text before replying to a message.
Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism