NOT P&N I don't believe in class distinctions anymore...

[Otto]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Terrance" <lycidas2 at earthlink.net>
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2003 4:42 PM
Subject: Re: NOT P&N I don't believe in class distinctions anymore...


> > I swing a hammer. What we do is work for a
>   > living. We are working class.
>
> Otto says,
>
> "I don't believe in these class distinctions anymore. That's 19th
> century.
> Hitler has been elected by all "classes" of Germans."
>

I think I've told you before that I'm the only union member among
approximately 70 drivers, but not because I believe in the marxian
nomenclature but because if gives me the freedom to say whatever I want to
my boss; he cannot fire me without loosing 10000 euros.

>
> And who elected Lula in Brazil? A classless society?
>

I really don't have that much information about the Brazilian election or of
the Brazilian society in general, but I think "socialist" means a different
thing today that it meant before 1933.

>
>
>
> Today is an important day in Labor history and in German history.
>

Correct, but the 1953 riots against the government of the DDR were done by
the supposed leading "class" of the "Arbeiter- und Bauernstaat" -- which
makes it clear to me that names are only names. Socialism has been
discredited by a one-party rule only using that name.

Bert Brecht "Die Lösung":

Nach dem Aufstand des 17. Juni /
Ließ der Sekretär des Schriftstellerverbandes/
In der Stalinallee Flugblätter verteilen,/
Auf denen zu lesen war, daß das Volk/
Das Vertrauen der Regierung verscherzt habe/
Und es nur durch verdoppelte Arbeit/
Zurückerobern könne. Wäre es da/
Nicht einfacher, die Regierung/
Löste das Volk auf und/
Wählte ein anderes?/
http://www.radiobremen.de/nordwestradio/17juni.html
(some live recordings on this website)

and here too:
http://www.17juni53.de/

>
> Ah, Orwell never understood the worker. Only a worker can.
>

Not so sure about that, but maybe you're right.

Otto