Pynchon's Luddite politics

[Eric D. Dixon]

Doug Millison wrote:
>I confess I fail to see in this essay, in Vineland, or in GR, the 
>defense of corporate interests that rj seems to be arguing for.

The forms technology and corporate interests that Pynchon seems to fear
specifically are those that are sponsored by or co-opted by government --
which would be consistent with a libertarian reading.  Pynchon is probably
not a libertarian, but his concern with abuse of technology by corporations
can only be a real concern when government is involved, because "government
stays ahead by virtue of its monopoly on force," as you put it.  With a
separation of economy and state, neither governments nor corporations have
the power to manipulate or exploit citizens/consumers in ways that can't be
easily counteracted.  Pynchon's politics may be clear, but his (probable)
politics aren't the only type of politics consistent with addressing his
concerns.

Eric D. Dixon

"There is nothing less interesting than a fact
unilliminated by a theory." -- Steven E. Landsburg