[PEN-L] Re: value, again

[Gerald Levy <glevy@xxxxxxxxx>]

Doug Henwood wrote previously:

> Value categories may be important for examining the inner dynamics of
> capitalist economies,

which led me to note:

> Well ... that's certainly a wishy-washy statement.

and then ask:

> Are they important or are they not? If they are important, how are they
> important? Please be specific.

Doug then responded:

> I really don't know the answer to this, which is why I'm asking the
> question.

To begin with, you didn't ask a question above. Instead, you made a highly
ambiguous assertion.

Look: you can't have it both ways: either value categories are important
or they are not. There are certainly a number of sophisticated Marxists
who reject value theory, BUT they are at least able to state and defend a
theoretical position. Unless you are anti-theory, you should be able to
state and take a position. If it is really true that you "don't know the
answer to this", then you should consider either going back to school
(since you live in NYC, you could apply at the New School) or changing
your occupation (perhaps you might make a decent English Lit instructor).

Jerry