Near the xmca thread that Phil C. refers to in January 2002 is another
thread that began with "Joke, joke, Warning a joke." This thread sparked
a sharp discussion of some of the issues about dominating discourse that
Phillip W. and Judy brought up recently. (Go to the xmca telecommunication
archives, Jan 2001, click on "thread" to get to these threads.)
The lengthy internet-style joke that initiated that wide-ranging discussion
satirized stereotyped discourse habits of women (in contemporary USA). It
drew some pointed fire from xmca'ers who did not appreciate seeing this
kind of joking about women on xmca. The question of what kinds of jokes
are appropriate and should be allowed was raised and
discussed. Particularly relevant to recent comments about ignoring posts
were comments that addressed the problem of the dominance of the discourse
style - and the actual group - of straight white males on xmca.
I am listening very closely to these discussions on several levels. On
one, finding new and creative ways for people to openly and freely discuss
ideas connected to human emancipation (for me a constant sub-theme in most
writing on xmca) is essential to me. In no way do I want one style of
discourse to stifle other styles and forms that voices take - in general,
or here on xmca. It takes many, many different voices to move humanity
forward - including many new voices with new messages and new ways of
talking that are just now being heard in history. I place this principle
very high on my list of priorities.
On another level, I am very much wanting to participate in this community
as a friend and good citizen, and have no problem sharing the limited
resources, which I have been perhaps over-enthusiastically helping myself
to from time to time. Marxology-intense questions, which have been on my
mind in recent months, are but one of hundreds of lines of inquiry of
interest to the xmca folks, and I sense that there is need to also breathe
in other directions, too.
On level of the specific discourse form and style, ultimately, each of us
is an odd bird, borrowing from everywhere we have uniquely been to create
our unique ways of speaking and doing. The trick is to keep borrowing and
incorporating new ways and new ideas, and sometimes mending patchy cultural
repertoires we may not have been fully conscious of before to engage in new
kinds of dialogues and multilogues with new kinds of people. For that,
xmca has been invaluable for me, and I continue to listen and learn intently.
Best,
~ Steve
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