The intellectual origins of America-Bashing

[Otto]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Mackin" <paul.mackin at verizon.net>
To: <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 10:55 PM
Subject: Re: The intellectual origins of America-Bashing


> On Fri, 2003-10-24 at 15:21, Otto wrote:
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Ghetta Life" <ghetta_outta at hotmail.com>
> > To: <KXX4493553 at aol.com>; <ottosell at yahoo.de>; <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> > Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 7:59 PM
> > Subject: Re: The intellectual origins of America-Bashing
> > >
> > > Well Harris was sticking to Marx's "realism" (miseration brought on by
> > > capitalism leading to socialism), so how does this fascism phase work
with
> > > Marx's theory?
> >
> > Sticking to Marx is Harris' neocon flaw.
> >
> > Marx is the 19th century description and analysis of the history of Das
> > Kapital. But history went on, the German example showed that "miseration
> > brought on by capitalism" not necessarily and automatically lead to
> > socialism. In the 20th century fascism was the answer of the
"imperialist
> > bourgeosie" to the "socialist" revolution in Russia. In the 21st century
we
> > have another definition (against totalitarianism of any kind) brought to
us
> > by one of the finest living authors (guess who):
> >
> > "those of fascistic disposition--or merely those among us who remain all
too
> > ready to justify any government action, whether right or wrong"
>
>
> What are you saying, Otto, that the prospect for socialism doesn't even
> have Marx to lean on anymore. Certainly Orwell isn't a pillar of hope.
> Neither the Orwell characterized by Pynchon or the one described by the
> biographers. A fine writer and good man but a bit muddled as a thinker.
>

I've only read 1984, Animal Farm and his BBC-War Commentaries, so I can't
say if he's a "muddled" thinker.

> Socialists need at least the essence--if not the details--of Marx.
> Fascism as some kind of a substitute for the required contradiction in
> capitalism is pretty feeble. Should all the faithful now go out and
> start building fascism. First they would have to decide whether
> universal fascism is required or can it be fascism in one country,
>
>

What's the essence of Marx or of socialism? Contrary to the capitalist
belief that man is just an economical object to exploit or the fascist
belief that man is a beast (like a sheep dog) that needs to be controlled
and kept in a strict hierarchy of order and obedience it is the belief that
man is born free and has unalienable rights. The contemporary world order
still doesn't accept this.

Otto

--------------------------
Karl Marx -- Das Kapital
An essay by Herman Hesse (1932)

..... I also read Capital by Marx, which has appeared in a popular
pocketbook edition costing almost nothing.  It is no longer a dangerous
book, and now no one has any excuse at all for not reading it.  However,
just as before, I have read only scattered passages, and much though I
admire Marx I have to admit that I neither love not share his beliefs and
views.  Even his model and teacher Hegel is someone I do not much love; his
dazzling garrulity does not greatly entertain me, nor does his professorial
assumptions of superior wisdom and learning.  Granted, Marx is more factual
and his critique of capitalism is essentially incontrovertible.  From Hegel
he derived a disgust at the self-revealing and self appreciative spirit of
the Hegel period and unfortunately transferred some of that disgust to
spirit in general.  If he took the spirit and spiritual nature and needs of
men half as seriously as he does the phenomenon of capitalism, we would read
him with greater pleasure and he would have more reliable things to say
about what lies beyond capital and labour.  His insight into the mechanism
of economics is unquestionably gifted with genius and often prophetic; his
philosophy and view of history are narrow and do not go far beyond the level
of the forgotten literature of the Enlightenment of the period between
Darwin and Haeckel.
http://www.geocities.com/doc_gill/marx_hesse.htm