Re: [xmca] PoTAYto and PoTAHto

Sounds very much like the Tao, Michael.

                                                                                                                                 
                      Wolff-Michael
                      Roth To: Steve Gabosch <stevegabosch@me.com>
                      <mroth@uvic.ca> cc: "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity" <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
                      Sent by: Subject: Re: [xmca] PoTAYto and PoTAHto
                      xmca-bounces@web
                      er.ucsd.edu
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                 
                      10/14/2008 09:22
                      AM
                      Please respond
                      to "eXtended
                      Mind, Culture,
                      Activity"
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                 

Steve,
it is not just that we strive but that we are part of worldly and
world-generating events that we have no control over; but this is
only the effect of the radical passivity that characterizes our
experience----even if David does not want to admit to it. In the very
process of writing these words, I am absolutely active writing the
sentence to become what it will be and absolutely passive with
respect to the language I realize in writing, for it is a language
that has come to me from the other, which I use for the other, and
which therefore returns to the other (pace Derrida). With respect to
the functioning of the language, the meaning that straddles the
writer of these lines with the Other more generally, and many other
things are totally out of my control while they are within. We cannot
think agency, the fact of writing, without also attending to the
radically passive elements that come with language, with
understanding, etc.
"I . . . I . . . I" there is an ideology that I can do all, that if I
want I can lift the earth, become a creator of myself . . .. It is an
ideology (in the positive sense of the word) that is especially
characteristic of the US (where any hint of assisting the collective
is stamped and branded as "socialism")
Michael

On 14-Oct-08, at 6:13 AM, Steve Gabosch wrote:

The solution in my mind is that we need to strive to be collective in
our approach - while individually we sway, in groups we stand a
better chance against the winds and storms that buffet us in all
directions. One of course needs to choose the right group that
corresponds to their core sense of the world, and the right group for
one's group to work within, perhaps ultimately entailing numerous
nested groups, (not all of our choice) and then changing groups as
needed (when possible), but even within such complex situations, we
still need to rely on others to help us guide ourselves. This means
needing to cultivate a strong sense of cooperation and teamwork that
is mixed with straightforward (while hopefully tactful) criticism,
with the goal of mutual growth and empowerment. (That sounds a bit
starry-eyed, I admit, but what the hell - cynicism is too easy).

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Received on Tue Oct 14 07:31 PDT 2008