I have this to say, It seems to me that our current debate between Lynne
Cheney's views and Foucault4s theory are fruitful to a certain degree.
Between Cheney, Nussbaum, the Nation and Butler we as Foucaultian or
intellectuals of some sort naturally withdrawn into our own click, our
faction of leftist-intellecutal force. But the debate between the "post
structuralist left" represented by Foucault and the Nation is maybe
important for a minute or too, but in the larger scope world political
events it is beside the point, since the "left" as a whole with all of its
factions composes an extreme minority with almost no influence over the
events of our day. And it seems to me to keep defining ourselves "against"
this or that is a typical gesture of group identification and
construction,
which in the end produces yet another "sub culture" pushing for it
particular view as opposed to 100 of others while missing the bigger
challenges faces our era and generation.
therefore I ask the question what about us "pspseudo-intellectuals" -just
in for the hype- possessing no the academic skills to be professionals
within the context of the university as a highly competitive capitalist
"knowledge institutions". Where does our reading and education
influence our daily life as citizens with our larger society? We all have
the tendency to identify with the opinions and positions put forward by Butler
and Spivak as alternative to the Nation and god forbid Cheney or
NutTree, but when I stop to think about what we really have for "real
intellectual community" in Tuebingen or at Berkeley I can't exactly say
that I am very happy. I mean sure I can go to lectures, buy books, sit in
cafes trying to spark up some theory discussion here and there which
often result in failure. I don't know do you guys see what I am getting
at.
Maybe what I am trying to say is this, that theory needs to be taken out
of the university context. What about our own projects? Why are their not
more artist colonies? why can't we situate our reading in a context
outside of our professional academic career aspirations? Why are there so
few reading groups advocating "postmodern vertigo"? its easy for Marxists to
complain about anarchists or post modernists to complain about modernists
and and, but in the end we are responsible for our " theory subculture" to
see that it more than just the idealization of a few big names on some
unversities some where. Maybe I would be more interest in a discussion of
our situation as "hum drum theory people" just getting by working odds
jobs here and there, or at least entertaining the question how are we
going to integrate our theory back round into a non academic corporate
work environment? In my circles I have seen allot of really motivated and
energetic people just . . stop talking theory, or reading, kinda loosing
their critical perspective on things, and I think it is part due of the fact
that when one is finished with school at there is not the community there
to drive you to it and maybe a whole host of other reasons.
with kind regards
Jeremiah
Cheney's views and Foucault4s theory are fruitful to a certain degree.
Between Cheney, Nussbaum, the Nation and Butler we as Foucaultian or
intellectuals of some sort naturally withdrawn into our own click, our
faction of leftist-intellecutal force. But the debate between the "post
structuralist left" represented by Foucault and the Nation is maybe
important for a minute or too, but in the larger scope world political
events it is beside the point, since the "left" as a whole with all of its
factions composes an extreme minority with almost no influence over the
events of our day. And it seems to me to keep defining ourselves "against"
this or that is a typical gesture of group identification and
construction,
which in the end produces yet another "sub culture" pushing for it
particular view as opposed to 100 of others while missing the bigger
challenges faces our era and generation.
therefore I ask the question what about us "pspseudo-intellectuals" -just
in for the hype- possessing no the academic skills to be professionals
within the context of the university as a highly competitive capitalist
"knowledge institutions". Where does our reading and education
influence our daily life as citizens with our larger society? We all have
the tendency to identify with the opinions and positions put forward by Butler
and Spivak as alternative to the Nation and god forbid Cheney or
NutTree, but when I stop to think about what we really have for "real
intellectual community" in Tuebingen or at Berkeley I can't exactly say
that I am very happy. I mean sure I can go to lectures, buy books, sit in
cafes trying to spark up some theory discussion here and there which
often result in failure. I don't know do you guys see what I am getting
at.
Maybe what I am trying to say is this, that theory needs to be taken out
of the university context. What about our own projects? Why are their not
more artist colonies? why can't we situate our reading in a context
outside of our professional academic career aspirations? Why are there so
few reading groups advocating "postmodern vertigo"? its easy for Marxists to
complain about anarchists or post modernists to complain about modernists
and and, but in the end we are responsible for our " theory subculture" to
see that it more than just the idealization of a few big names on some
unversities some where. Maybe I would be more interest in a discussion of
our situation as "hum drum theory people" just getting by working odds
jobs here and there, or at least entertaining the question how are we
going to integrate our theory back round into a non academic corporate
work environment? In my circles I have seen allot of really motivated and
energetic people just . . stop talking theory, or reading, kinda loosing
their critical perspective on things, and I think it is part due of the fact
that when one is finished with school at there is not the community there
to drive you to it and maybe a whole host of other reasons.
with kind regards
Jeremiah