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

[Otto]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Terrance" <lycidas2 at earthlink.net>
Cc: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2003 6:46 PM
Subject: Re: NOT P&N I don't believe in class distinctions anymore...
>
>
> Otto wrote:
> >
> > 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.
>
> Why are you the only union member? Don't the other drivers want to be
> able to tell the boss "whatever"  and get away with it? Union membership
> in Germany is quite unique and complicated and very different than in
> the USA or Brazil. However, those old Marxian ideas and the names that
> go along with them are quite useful when we want to understand some of
> economic forces in the world that are shaping the role unions are
> playing in various nation states. The term "Working Class"  is term that
> makes perfect sense to me because the people in it are the workers and
> they must work for a living.
>

My boss used to be almost like a caricature of a capitalist before his
apoplectic stroke last summer, a big and fat kind of man, always smoking an
expensive cigar, got a big house (a former pub in a small village close to
my hometown), drives the biggest Mercedes Benz you can imagine, got a
Mercedes-SUV 'cause he's a hunter, his wife drives a Mercedes A-class, his
daughter an E-class, his son an slightly older 190 Benz and so on and on.
Ten years ago he drove an old cab. But he's really busy, doing more
advertisment and got a lot of capitalist friends, has been drinking with
them, went dining in their restaurants, so they dial our number if they need
a cab. So we got always new cars and we make more money than drivers from
other firms but he allows no disagreement. And we let him talk, just say yes
and ok and keep on cheating him. But although he knows that many of us are
cheating him, delivering not all of the money we're making with the cabs
he's silent about that as long as the people don't get too greedy. But it's
at the expense of the moral I think, so try to I make my money without
cheating him (if it's not inevitable), being friendly to my customers, and
many ask for me when they are ordering a cab because I don't cheat them and
always try to take the shortest way.

>
> Moreover, my point was about jargon and what has become the habit of so
> many  intellectuals to say something in plain words. Imagine if some
> jackass came onto my deck or your shop talking like Foucault or some
> other French blabbleing book? Why we'd toss his ass out like a non-union
> rat in a new york minute. Now, if wants to know why we call that jig
> over there a "pony" we can't tell him cause no one knows. But that's
> what we call it.
>
> And, the idea that one can go to Watts or become Down and Out in flea
> bag motel Newark and naked light bulb London is kinda ridiculous. Don't
> you think?

These days are over for good, there's nothing romantic in that for me. I
never liked Henry Miller. But what I've learned about binaries is true, it's
easy to deconstruct a capitalist's words when he talks about our common
interests. My boss hates me for that but he can't get rid of me and most of
all, I'm making good money for him.

But you are right again. When I think of those 60's and 70's communists over
here trying to tell the workers about the right and appropriate necessities
of the working class, that's really been ridiculous. The PDS (former DKP) in
my hometown is really laughable, all they are trying to achieve right now is
that there will be a "Karl-Marx-Strasse," what has been rejected by the
other fractions at the city council. It goes without saying that they were
quite busy in all those recent anti-US demonstrations, but most of the
anti-war demonstrators were quite unpolitical, just against the war.

If I'd call a worker a proletarian these days he would kick he shit out of
me. No class conscience anymore. The unions only care for those who have
work, but not for the unemployed. Right now there's a strike going on in the
East German metal industries because they don't have the 35-hours week. I'm
in my cab for 48 hours a week, and if there's no business I get no pay, just
sit around and read my books.

Otto