At around 13/6/06 3:33 pm, Louis Proyect wrote:
>> Wouldn't you say that the right and the mainstream probably use quite
>> similar "conspiracy theory" arguments to dismiss left critiques of
>> capitalism, imperialism, etc.
>
> You certainly hear this to some extent but you really don't find that many
> objections to Karl Marx or the Monthly Review, etc. in terms of thinking in
> terms of conspiracies. It is mostly based on being antiquated, irrelevant,
> etc.
>
I think the dismissal as antiquated or irrelevant is the kinder version
of such criticism. The real ugly stuff (quite prevalent you may agree)
is either the name-calling "pinko commie" etc that dismisses the
position based on a bogeyman, or "conspiracy theory" like dismissals of
this sort: Yeah, right, markets are derailed by subtle pricing signals
that the few big players send each other (note that I might be saying
nonsense here, but I hope you get the point). Yeah right, white
privilege is still a big impediment for black success! Come on, my
neighbour is black and he drives a Lexus.
I am sure that the US Iran-Contra connection was initially dismissed as
a conspiracy theory?
--ravi
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