Liberal politics – even those promoting the most liberal constitutions – conceive of humanity on an atomistic model (as egos concerned with Lockean individual rights), rather than a model which embraces the sociality of our species-life.
Marx
4 posts
Our selections come from Volume 1 of Marx’s 1867 Capital, trans. Ben Fowkes (Penguin, 1976), 280, 381.[oohcol][oohead]Marx: the Appearance is an Eden of Freedom…[/oohead][commentary]For a biographical introduction to Marx, visit this page.[/commentary] from Part II: The Transformation of Money in Capital, Chapter 6, “The Buying and Selling of Labour-Power” [shadowbox]The Eden of nature and rights…[/shadowbox]The sphere of circulation or commodity exchange, within whose boundaries the sale and purchase of labour-power goes on, is in fact a very Eden of the innate rights of man. It is the exclusive realm of Freedom, Equality, Property and Bentham. Freedom, because both buyer and […]
Marx wrote The Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts between April and August 1844.[oohcol] [commentary] [clear] Karl Marx (5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883), one of the very founders of the social sciences, argued that attention-grabbing historical changes are at bottom not explained by convincing politicians with bright notions like “equality for all,” or by military strategists, or by rising and falling social movements, artistic trends, or favorite TV shows. All these operate under the sway, or even in the service, of economic processes: talk of “economic freedom” is closer to the heart of history, as are wars for resources, and […]
[oohcol] by Brendan Lalor, 2000 How much can you really know about yourself if you never go at it, one-on-one? — Tyler Durden Fight Club (1999, FOX), Chuck Palahniuk’s book-turned-film, is about the struggle to overcome alienation, most profoundly, alienation from oneself. In the film, this is most obviously played out in the life of the unnamed protagonist and narrator (played by Edward Norton and called ‘Jack’ in the script), and his alter-ego, Tyler Durden (played by Brad Pitt). Jack is an insomniac, numbed by his formulaic job. His strategy for finding fulfillment consists of a two-pronged lived lie: he […]