SLSL Racial Differences

[MalignD at aol.com]

bahiaquasimodo:

<<It may turn out that racial differences (disagreements)  are not as basic 
as questions of money and power, but have served (advanced)  a useful 
(sarcasm here)   purpose, often in the interest of those (the criminally 
insane leaders of the free world and those that keep them in money and 
power--big business, local politics, media) who deplore (bemoan) them most, 
in keeping us divided and  relatively poor and powerless. (p.12)>>

Your take is interesting, as worthy as any (certainly as mine), but it seems 
to hang upon some questionable readings:  

One, that Pynchon is being sarcastic with the word "useful"; read it 
otherwise and one is forced in very different directions.  

Two, that those who deplore racial differences seek both to reduce and 
maintain those differences.  This makes the word "deplore," pretty 
meaningless in context.  

Three, your definition of "those who deplore it most," includes, federal, 
state, local governments; big business; the media; the "criminally insane 
leaders of the free world (I assume this includes European leaders); in 
short, a group so large that almost anything you might say about it is at 
least partially true.  

Four, even allowing this broad array, is this group really those who deplore 
racial differences "most"?  More, you think, than the racially 
disenfranchised themselves?