globalization & Pynchon?

[calbert at tiac.net]

Doug:

> What does Pynchon have to say about the effects of multinational
> corporations on the human condition? My reading of V., GR, Vineland,
> M&D, tells me he's not a fan of what they do or how they do it,

As much as he abhorrs the abuses of power in any of its 
manifestations, sure.....but no more and no less, probably than loci 
of political and or intellectual/religious power. This is why I was 
fishing for that Foppl cite (it may have been someone else talking in 
such a manner) - it matters little what informs the power, the source 
of that will always change - what matters is that it is there, always 
has been and will always continue. It is a "phenomenon".

I also recently raised Chauncey Wright, not because I am any kind 
of scholar, but because, in flipping through the recent NYRB I was 
taken by, among other observations,

"No real fate or necessity is indeed manifested anywhere in the 
universe, - only phenomenal regularity"....

 but
> I'm feel certain somebody will point out the defects of such an
> assumption.

Please don' lead with your chin - I don't play that....at least any 
more.....unless it is about international economics......
 
> Good to see you posting at length, cfa!

Its that Einstein social dialogue thingy again.....as long as the 
question is "how about them Mets?", I'll be able to contribute....but 
thank you for the kind words......

> In another forum:
> Is a Sweatshop Better Than No Work At All? A look at the complexities
> of global working conditions It's easy to protest sweatshop labor, but
> to actually change global working conditions is a painfully slow and
> frustrating process, as the Gap discovered when it tried to enforce
> better conditions at one of its El Salvador factories.
> http://www.plastic.com/article.pl?sid=01/04/24/1653203

It really ain't cut and dried, is it?


love,
cfa