David Mandl on 26 Feb 2001 08:32:24 -0000


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[Nettime-bold] Re: <nettime> In Defence of Cultural Studies aka Debord and nostalgia


On Sun, 25 Feb 2001, McKenzie Wark wrote:

> I'm sure Keith Sandborn is not intentionally asserting a racist
> view of the world, but what else are we to make of this:
>
> "Certainly the 3rd world power elite would like
> development and if they can become rich and stash the money in Swiss
> bank accounts they hardly trouble over fouling the nest of their
> fellow countrymen and women, or anyone else, which ultimately
> includes the 1st world as well."

I don't see the racism here.  Most "Third World" leaders are corrupt
thieves who not only don't have the interests of their "subjects" at
heart, but are often trained, educated, and even installed by "First
World" elites.  Much as I hate to say it, many of them are even more
corrupt and violent than their Western counterparts, simply because
they can be.  What does this have to do with racism?  Does criticizing
Stalin and Marie Antoinette make me a Russophobe and a Francophobe?

> It doesn't seem to be possible in this framework to listen to voices
> from the developing world and take them seriously. What you can hear
> if you listen is a desire shared by elites and ordinary people
> alike. A desire to experience growth in jobs, income, economic
> power. [...]

I don't think there are too many desires shared by ordinary people and
elites in the developing world.  And to tell you the truth, I think
the main desire for a lot of these ordinary people is simply for some
food.

   --Dave.

--
Dave Mandl
dmandl@panix.com
davem@wfmu.org
http://www.wfmu.org/~davem


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