The role of the > existential sensibility in one's overall world view and trajectory is > vital to understand, as well as the appropriation of the > metaphysical/epistemological baggage to support one's projects. > > The modern period, which of course witnesses the scientific revolution, > the Enlightenment, the rebellion against feudal authority, clericalism, > and metaphysics, and the emergence of the bourgeoisie, also sees the > emergence of the individual as a self-conscious entity.
^^^^^^^ CB: Not surprising. "The" individual gets "irritated" or alienated out by capitalist estrangement .( See Marx's "Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844" on this alienation or estrangement process) Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844. Karl Marx Estranged Labour http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/labour.htm In estranging from man (1) nature, and (2) himself, his own active functions, his life activity, estranged labor estranges the species from man. It changes for him the life of the species into a means of individual life. First it estranges the life of the species and individual life, and secondly it makes individual life in its abstract form the purpose of the life of the species, likewise in its abstract and estranged form ^^^^ CB: Estrangement produces the modern self-interested individual type among masses, not just in the ruling class, the bourgeoisie. Thus, in trying to raise working class class consciousness, Marxism has relied, paradoxically , majorly on appeal to material self-interest of individuals as a _class_ . It is difficult to avoid this riddle given the generalization of pursuit of self-interest among the masses of workers by the estrangement process. The mythical American "right" of pursuit of happiness reflects this. Economics' rational man reflects this. I think this issue underlies a lot of what Ted Winslow on LBO-Talk essays constantly. The rational or selfish or self-interested individual who is only in elite classes down through other modes of production in history becomes general among masses , among the wretched of the earth, with capitalist estrangement. In a sense, it makes masses of workers petit bourgeois in their ideology. This is in the sense that the bourgeoisie ,of course, have an unabashed ideology of selfishness, material self interestedness, personal and individual greed. Justification , rationalization of rich people's greed is the first cause of the purveyance and mass supply of various abstract Individualisms or "individual primacy" or "individual determinist" theories etc among the intelligentsia (organic intellectuals) of bourgeois society ( Existentialism, Libertarianism, Reaganism, Tea Partying, positivism, economic rational man, Economic Robinsinades, Christian infinite individual Soul, Monotheism, Freudianism, Hollywood personality cults, (Individual) Survival television shows, etc.). The mass demand for these forms of consciousness, the mass consumption is generated by the Estranged Labour process _______________________________________________ Marxism-Thaxis mailing list Marxism-Thaxis@lists.econ.utah.edu To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism-thaxis
