[Xmca-l] Re: As of 2020, the American Century is Over

[Helena Worthen]

Andy’s paper has basically 4 parts.  One a flyby overview of the history of the US — this is where the majority of criticisms by people I know are showing up because people have different versions of that history. Then the argument that with the US going down as one of the poles of global leadership. My friends and family agree with this and are all, as Americans, offering examples of how they have experienced this. Andy notes that there is an empty spot at the top that hasn’t been taken yet.  Then comes his COVID-19 point, that this is a global moment in which the whole world is participating. Most of the xmca discussion has been about that so far, if I’m not mistaken. And finally a challenge to foresee what we will learn from this experience.

OK, now trying to forsee what we can learn is what I’m doing.  So here is my question, appropriate for this list since we are all interested in education. I found myself writing the following, as part of describing the way a workforce can be intentionally divided into feuding packs of enemies so that we can’t take action in solidarity. We’re referring to “the distortions of human development under capitalism” and say that “we see this in its sharpest form in the for-profit part of the higher education industry. We have to look past the distortion to find the original, human connection….”

One of our readers asks where this concept came from. I don’t remember!! It makes sense, though, doesn’t? Anyone have any idea where it came from? So far I’m saying, 

The concept of “distortions of human development under capitalism” depends on looking at human development as occurring within a social, historical and cultural framework – not just the development of individuals on their own or within a family or even a school, but within a society. Specifically we mean psychological and cognitive disabilities ranging from lack of empathy, envy, despair, alienation and bullying to obesity, eating disorders and stress-related auto-immune illness. 

Thanks — H

   


Helena Worthen
h <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://helenaworthen.wordpress.com/__;!!Mih3wA!UcGlX0bri43EmtmpvW-FJpbJfMb7jPTAosJ6QpYDWeFiy_BNZhBTLSo7yel8MfzvtKpTMQ$ >elenaworthen@gmail.com







> On Apr 27, 2020, at 9:29 AM, Helena Worthen <helenaworthen@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I have been circulating Andy’s paper among close friends and family to generate discussion. What is mostly coming back is confirmation of the general arc, with examples from personal experience, but some disagreement about cause. These are “inside” views — meaning, people who are US citizens talking about us, so these are experiences of the passing of an era and what they look like from inside.  
> 
> About a year ago I realized that, for better or worse, I identify as “an American.” And I don’t mean North American. 
> 
> Chris Appy’s book, American Reckoning, is a pretty good history that takes us from the 1940s up to Obama and tracks the hole we fell into with the Vietnam War. For people of my generation (BA 1965 — and I mention that date rather than when I was born because 1965 connects to the draft, the lottery, the anti-war demonstrations, the asssinations, etc etc) the story told with the Vietnam War in the foreground connects very tightly to lived experience. 
> 
> Helena Worthen
> helenaworthen.wordpress.com <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://helenaworthen.wordpress.com/__;!!Mih3wA!UcGlX0bri43EmtmpvW-FJpbJfMb7jPTAosJ6QpYDWeFiy_BNZhBTLSo7yel8MfzvtKpTMQ$ >
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Apr 22, 2020, at 4:30 AM, Andy Blunden <andyb@marxists.org <mailto:andyb@marxists.org>> wrote:
>> 
>> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ethicalpolitics.org/ablunden/pdfs/American-Century.pdf__;!!Mih3wA!UcGlX0bri43EmtmpvW-FJpbJfMb7jPTAosJ6QpYDWeFiy_BNZhBTLSo7yel8MfyrawV2RQ$  [ethicalpolitics.org] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ethicalpolitics.org/ablunden/pdfs/American-Century.pdf__;!!Mih3wA!RX_kT308fV5J979vU0HnZwn3N_ILxa76WV811I3K7Q1lByCHw_H-2IpA6g71m_ZdQvTjgA$>
>> Andy
>> -- 
>> Andy Blunden
>> Hegel for Social Movements [brill.com] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://brill.com/view/title/54574__;!!Mih3wA!RX_kT308fV5J979vU0HnZwn3N_ILxa76WV811I3K7Q1lByCHw_H-2IpA6g71m_bmjhN_kw$>
>> Home Page [ethicalpolitics.org] <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ethicalpolitics.org/ablunden/index.htm__;!!Mih3wA!RX_kT308fV5J979vU0HnZwn3N_ILxa76WV811I3K7Q1lByCHw_H-2IpA6g71m_aKuyy5Zw$>

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