I think that this post deserves further comment.
Brad DeLong wrote:
> >At 07:33 PM 09/11/2000 -0700, you wrote:
> >>But the idea that it is no business of the rest of us what
> >>dictators do to their own people *is* positively, totally, utterly,
> >>completely nutso.
> >
> >This kind of dogmatic style is a total turn-off, simply a way of
> >shutting off any further discussion...
Jim did not deny that we should try to understand and communicate about
what happens in other places. He seemed to be responding to Brad's
"dogmatic style."
>
> In my experience, people who jump to the level of
> meta-discussion--urge that others be filtered, urge that others be
> excluded, talk about issues of discursive process, condemn others for
> style--do so primarily in an attempt to *avoid* a substantive
> discussion.
Jim's call to filter was wrong, but it was not because you wanted a
substantive discussion. As Doug said, you have a lot to offer the list,
but sometimes you get on your high horse and seem to behave rather
dogmatically.
>
>
> Please don't remain at what I see as the sterile and pointless level
> of meta-discourse.
>
> Please return to the level of substantive discussion: Your claim that
> Argentina's internal arrangements are no business of any
> non-Argentine is truly remarkable and extraordinary.
Jim did not say that, did he. Are you lumping Jim and Nestor together.
Nestor is away and cannot respond right now.
> Defend your
> belief: tell us why you think dictators have a valid hunting license
> to turn their countries into free-fire zones for their amusement,
> with no one else having the right to say "boo."
I don't think that anybody advocates dictatorship here, although the US
may well be called a class dictatorship. How can you hope to have a real
democracy where a small group controls the means of communication? Being
rich, this US ruling class has the luxury of providing a better life for
70-80% of the population than most countries do, but what the US offers
hardly seems like a democracy. Vote for BushGore!
--
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929
Tel. 530-898-5321
E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
