From: Mr. Spears (dspears@toucansurf.net)
Date: Mon Oct 17 2005 - 01:58:41 BST
On 16 Oct 2005, at 11:54, Arlo J. Bensinger wrote:
> Erin,
>
> By "authentic power" you seem to mean greater freedom to act to a
> expanded
> horizon of possibility (a la DQ), not the power to exert force over
> others. Is
> that correct?
>
> I'd agree then, you and I have more authentic power when we have
> greater choice.
> When we can elect politicians that represent our views, not have those
> views
> thrust on us by fractured media outlets as if the only options are A
> or B, and
> that's it. When we can have a dialogue that is not entrapped by a
> dichotomy
> that (1) restricts choices C, D, E... and (2) paints A as Holy and B
> as Evil.
> I'd also add a Big (3), that prevents individuals from critically
> examining A
> or B, and accepting asserted propositions based on "which party they
> originate
> from".
>
> When Pirsig saw all the "junk" being created by SOMist
> production/consumption in
> ZMM, his critical inquiry bestowed on people a greater freedom, or more
> authentic power, in their lives by giving them a way to escape or
> expand the
> restricted dialogue. This dichotomy thrust on us is just more "junk"
> produced
> by the same thought that drove the production and consumption of junk
> in ZMM.
> And just like Pirsig wrote of that time, people are trapped in it,
> many hating
> it, despising it, but unable to do anything but accept and support it
> becasue a
> dialogue that would allow them to challenge it, reject it and
> critically assess
> it is denied to them through the use of fear, xenophobia, distortion
> and
> manipulation.
>
> To this end, yes, I'd say people are disempowered. Or rather, and this
> is a
> Marxist criticism, they are duped into "giving their power away", in
> exchange
> for security against the fear, security against the "enemy" and the
> symbolic
> buy-in they are told will be theirs if they only "root, root, root for
> the A
> team". Some would say people have "sold away their power" for the
> trinkets of
> consumerism, the 300 digital channels they can watch as their labor
> makes Sam
> Walton a very rich man.
>
> Arlo
>
>
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