Re: long message: dialectics and system dynamical approaches

From: Nate Schmolze (nate_schmolze@yahoo.com)
Date: Mon Jun 26 2000 - 05:42:36 PDT


> I'm unsure as to whether the proletarianization of "mental labor" will
have
> the same outcome as the proletarianization of manual labor. I can't see
why
> not. Could it bring renewed vigor to the struggle against the dominance
of
> exchange value in our multiple activity systems? I sure hope so.
>
> Paul H. Dillon

As far as mental labor and proletarianization it seems teachers, nurses, and
now doctors serve as important cases. What was interesting for me with
Watt's is my John Henry book, in which the steam engine replacing human
labor was not only characterized as a physical replacement, but also a
mental one. The steam engine in some sense turned that labor into a
strickly physical process which seems to occur in the case of teachers and
nurses and I suspect more and more doctors.

Other examples may include web site developers, journalists etc. who need to
crank out pages and articles like pieces of machinery. The mental (creative)
process becomes simply a physical mechanical one. So, I would tend to agree
with Paul that it would tend to have a similar fate.

I do hope the thread continues, it seems like there is an abundence of
concrete examples here.
Nate

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