Re: Re(2): Re(2): A sign forms a structural centre which determines the whole

From: Nate Schmolze (vygotsky@home.com)
Date: Sat Jan 13 2001 - 21:11:04 PST


I have found this thread interesting. Just some questions I have been
thinking about.

Kinship and money relations. I guess I would be with M in that I question
the usefulness of such a separation. Bourdeiu and his stuff on gifts -
seeing the exchange as separate events rather than a market exchange comes
to mind. I think this could be extended from "housewives" which he
discusses to other spheres such as teacher, social workers and others that
deal with the more "personal" as countered to "impersonal" aspects of human
activity.

I am also wondering what seeing the kinship (personal) and money
(impersonal) relations more interrelated might offer. It seems to me that
in a system based on capital (the only system I've ever known) that the old
saying if you can't count, measure, calculate, exchange it (it) doesn't
count has a strong truth to it. Yet, at the same time counting, measuring
(can we say standards) creates an impersonal relationship.

Here if were taking about the church, family, schools, teachers, or our
exploitable taste for volunteerism there is an abundance of labor (social
labor) that is seen as needing to be free or very close to it. It is above
monetary value in which the rewards come from a child's smile, warm
feeling, or a seat near a throne in some after life.

Nate



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