Doug Henwood wrote:
> William S. Lear wrote:
>
> >>No they don't but I think you're underestimating the preference of the
> >>privileged to insulate themselves as much as possible from a problem rather
> >>than facing it head on. From the first, the response to AIDS has been to
> >>ignore its threat to "normal" (i.e., affluent white suburbanites) people,
> >>and stigmatize it as a disease of queers, junkies, and racial minorities.
> >>Unless lots of people in Scarsdale and Topeka start falling ill, the
> >>"normal" people will continue to believe this and act accordingly. I'm
> >>sorry to repeat myself on this to the point of boredom, but most
> >>intellectuals overestimate the power of reason in politics.
> >
> >I'm not sure I follow. You say the "privileged" would rather
> >"insulate themselves" from the AIDS problem "rather than facing it
> >head on". I agree. Why bother with a disease you think only affects
> >"others", particularly when you are privileged ("affluent white
> >suburbanites") and can live a life of isolated ease?
>
> There's a question of whether they can successfully insulate themselves
> from microbes. They may think so, but pathogens are devious, persistent
> little buggers.
>
> >However, I don't
> >see how your last sentence follows from this. First, how does it
> >follow, and second, what exactly do you mean? Who exactly are you
> >referring to and could you give us an example?
>
> It's very hard to persuade affluent Americans that the problems of the poor
> can be their problems too someday, or that ecological crisis could have any
> bearing on them. No doubt many, even most, people who drive SUVs consider
> themselves environmentalists of some sort. You can present all kinds of
> reasoned stats on rising surface temperatures and climatic instability, or
> on the risks of infection of "normal" populations, and they won't believe
> you. And if any of the threats become too real, it's likely they'll opt for
> containment (incarceration, quarantine) or private sector solutions
> (private schools, air filters, bottled water) over more humane approaches.
>
> Maybe it's just that I saw Blade Runner the other night.
Blade Runner! Galactic! The flame that burns twice as bright lasts half as long.
The original or the directors cut? I think the directors cut makes the fact that
Harrison Ford was an android more transparent.I don't think the dystopia of
Bladerunner is that fanciful. It contains a lot of great lines..its not easy to
meet your maker...
Its too bad she won't live...but then again, who does?
Sam Pawlett
>
>
> Doug
