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"Portland State University is offering a number of controversial courses this semester, the likes of which include “Revolutionary Marxism: Theory and Practice,“ and ”Art Within Activism”..."
"The course’s instructors, Grant Booth and Wael Elasady, are both admitted socialists. They define the course’s goals as:
1. Students will learn the fundamentals of Marxist theory
2. Students will apply a Marxist analysis to current events
3. Students will apply Marxist theory to local political and community organizing
Moreover, students will seemingly be required to forge a “community connection” with a local community/political organization from a specified list. Some of the “approved” organizations include: Occupy PSU, Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights, Occupy Portland, Portland Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions Coalition (BDS), Jobs with Justice, and the May Day Coalition."
What is the issue, besides Marxism is a word that makes Americans go crazy?
The fact that it doesn't work, has never worked, and its only real result is to oppress and destroy nations... but people keep trying it anyway?
Perhaps they should rename the course "A Study in National Suicide"... and then examine it all they want. At least they would be giving a more rounded and accurate description.
BTW, when is Portland State going to offer courses in "Flat Earth geography"?
...since they seem interested in subjects that appear true to the uncritical eye but cannot stand up to reality?
The school also offers many, many courses in capitalism (they have an undergraduate business major and a graduate business school) with classes that encourage or require "community connections" with "approved" organizations as a practical component of the coursework.
Capitalism actually teaches a person how to produce, start a business, support oneself, etc.
Marxism teaches community organizing, protesting, and white collar thuggery. Doesn't help the country at all.
We need productive people not a bunch of rabble rousers.
The fact that it doesn't work, has never worked, and its only real result is to oppress and destroy nations... but people keep trying it anyway?
Perhaps they should rename the course "A Study in National Suicide"... and then examine it all they want. At least they would be giving a more rounded and accurate description.
BTW, when is Portland State going to offer courses in "Flat Earth geography"?
...since they seem interested in subjects that appear true to the uncritical eye but cannot stand up to reality?
What relevance does flat earth geography have to today's society? The word "Marxism" is constantly invoked in our political discourse. I think it's a good thing for people to know what it is.
And let them make their own judgment of whether they agree with it or not.
Sigh. I love how the reactionary right absolutely refuses to acknowledge that it is more important to learn about those who you disagree with than to suppress any knowledge of it.
Looks like the lefties like usual failed to read the link............
"Moreover, students will seemingly be required to forge a “community connection” with a local community/political organization from a specified list. Some of the “approved” organizations include: Occupy PSU, Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights, Occupy Portland, Portland Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions Coalition (BDS), Jobs with Justice, and the May Day Coalition."
Basically you protest to get your grade. Yippee. I wonder if you get extra credit if you rape or murder someone at one of the occupy protests? Or maybe OD on heroin?? Live the dream hippies.
Marx wrote his theories in observance the newly industrialized Britain. Children were working 16 hour days and people were dying at 40. Das Kapital is a rather grim accounting of this fact.
His condemnation of a purely capitalist society was dead on the mark for what he saw with his own eyes.
That said I find his purely labor model of value to be flawed. He generally ignores completely the time value of capital and risk as a consequence. At times he seems to understand it, but always returns to labor surplus as the measure of all value. While this can certainly be true especially from a certain POS, its not universally true because scarcity may appear from anywhere even as human lower cost labor is inherently scarce. I also think his now less famous contemporary Henry George was not only less overly pedantic, but fundamentally more insightful in expanding Ricardo's theory of rent as being at the top of the food chain rather than capital. What Henry George did not foresee was how fiat currency would usurp even the landed gentry. We now see finance at the top of the food chain, and at the bottom of the productive output.
The Average citizen of the US is remarkable for being idiotic and ignorant the moment his name in invoked. What they view as Marxist ought to be more properly labeled Trotskyite.
Sigh. I love how the reactionary right absolutely refuses to acknowledge that it is more important to learn about those who you disagree with than to suppress any knowledge of it.
Sigh...I love how some refuse to read the links or refuse to acknowledge the devil in the details; i.e., how this course involves ACTIVISM - not simply learning about MARXISM.
"This course is designed to introduce students to the basic concepts of Marxist thought with an emphasis on the practical applications of Marxist Theory in local political struggle."
Last edited by doctrain; 04-11-2012 at 10:03 AM..
Reason: link added
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