This may not have much to do with Russia at present, but any discussion of Marx is never too far from thinking about Russia of the past. David Harvey, distinguished professor of anthropology at CUNY, has done an amazing service by making his course “Reading Marx’s Capital” available online. Harvey is one of the preeminent Marxist thinkers. His most well known books are The Condition of Postmodernity, The Limits to Capital, A Brief History of Neoliberalism, and The New Imperialism.
The class consists of 13 two hour videos. The first two are available. I present “Class 1, Introduction” below. I will post “Class 2, Chapters 1-2” tomorrow. Subsequent classes will appear as Harvey makes them available.
I will take the non sequitor introduction of a dumb quote by Lenin as an admission of defeat.
And thus are thread superpredators born.
I will take the non sequitor introduction of a dumb quote by Lenin as an admission of defeat.
No, you simply didn’t get it. In the USSR, marxism was considered merely a lesser half of Marxism-Leninism. Thus, Lenin’s quote is an example of a theory explicitly guaranteeing its own truth.
I don’t know much about Marx’s thought, but I think that one of the differences between Darwin and Marx is that Darwin explained much he did not make any specific predictions (except to say that species will keep on changing), while Marx besides explaining also came up with fairly specific predictions. Predictions that turned out to be wrong.
I remember reading somewhere that one point in his life Marx was frantically trying to finish some of his writings because he was afraid that capitalism will collapse before he was done writing about it. That events will overtake his writing. It sort of reminds me of the early Christians who believed that the end of the world was going to happen within their lifetimes. The end of the world did not come, but Christianity found ways to reinterpret their beliefs. The same with Marxism.
“I don’t know much about Marx’s thought, but I think that one of the differences between Darwin and Marx is that Darwin explained much he did not make any specific predictions (except to say that species will keep on changing), while Marx besides explaining also came up with fairly specific predictions. Predictions that turned out to be wrong. ”
Sure; like I said, Marxism’s predictive power is quite poor. Most obviously, the only self-described Marxist revolutions (except the short-lived Hungarian one) took place in the exact locations they weren’t supposed to, and they were peasant revolutions, not working-class ones. Also obviously capitalist development did not result in the destruction of a middle class as Marx predicted it would. I am also still waiting for the rate of profit to fall. On the other hand, capitalist economies do suffer periods of crisis, exactly as Marx did predict (though probably not for the reasons he thought).
“More specifically, Natural Selection has close to zero predictive power.”
Um, this would be wrong. While it can not predict all cases or all species that will succeed, there are specific examples where natural selection has made accurate predictions. The most famous being Darwin’s prediction that the plant Angraecum has long throat in its flowers, a animal with a 30 cm proboscis must also exist to feed on and pollinate it. The hawk moth with the long proboscis was discovered twenty years after his death, which did just that.
However, it is also capable of making more general predictions, such as the use of antibiotics causing strains of “super-bugs”, etc.
It seems I am unable to taunt Sean into some commentary on the Boston Celtics vs. L.A. Lakers NBA championship series, which ended (inevitably) with the Celtics pummeling of the Lakers last night, 131-92.
“The most famous being Darwin’s prediction that the plant Angraecum has long throat in its flowers, a animal with a 30 cm proboscis must also exist to feed on and pollinate it. The hawk moth with the long proboscis was discovered twenty years after his death, which did just that.”
This is not a prediction of the future, but an inference that something else much exist now.
I also don’t think you need Darwinian theory to tell you that if a plant needs to be pollinated to reproduce, and that the plant does in fact reproduce, then something must exist that can pollinate it.
I am also still waiting for the rate of profit to fall.
“Наконец я слышу речь не мальчика, но мужа” Пушкин
Mataiotes mataioteton, eipen ho Ekklasiastes,
mataiotes mataioteton, ta panta mataiotes.
It seems I am unable to taunt Sean into some commentary on the Boston Celtics vs. L.A. Lakers NBA championship series, which ended (inevitably) with the Celtics pummeling of the Lakers last night, 131-92.
Dr. Mr. Shedd,
Since Sean wasn’t on the court to participate in that embarrassing debacle, I suggest you submit all your taunts and cackles to Mr. Bryant and myself.
Dutifully making turnovers,
Ms. Pau Gasol.
P.S. If you happen to talk to KG and Paul Pierce, can you ask them to please return my balls. I believe they stole them from my hotel room before game 2. It’s just no longer funny.
“can you ask them to please return my balls. I believe they stole them from my hotel room before game 2.”
Aren’t they normally attached to your body?
Euro 2008 Group D Russia 2 – Sweden 0!!
For the first time in living memory I can say Russia played brilliantly, especially in the first half. Two brilliant goals as well, the 2nd by Arshavin a beauty. Arshavin’s performance in midfield one of the best of any player this tournament – though Zyrianov on the left had a stormer as well. They attacked and broke very well. Sweden were shockingly bad but thats not Russia’s problem. The Sbornaya now go on to face mighty Holland on saturday nite. Tonite’s result is notable in that it is the first time a Russian team has ever qualified for the second phase of a finals of a major tournament. Russia will probably go home on saturday but at last their fans have something to cheer about!:-)
When will Sweden ever learn? As it once was, so shall it always be.
Ah, too bad I could not see it! Thanks for the news, Ger. Now that it’s obvious that Russia can play well, I hope it develops consistency. Did the absence of Arshavin contribute much to Russia’s lackluster performance against Spain?
Aren’t they normally attached to your body?
Dear Mr. Maximus,
I know that this will be hard for valiant Romans like yourself to understand, but they’re detachable. You see when I played in Europe, I didn’t need them. You don’t need balls to have an inside game there. But in the NBA you need big brass ones the size of PJ Brown’s block head. When I was traded to LA I had them refurbished, buffed, and refitted for the Staples glitz. (Perhaps I shouldn’t have gone to Dirk Nowitzki’s jeweler.) Kobe gave them a good inspection and we were ready to go. Even Jack gave a courtside thumbs up.
Then they were stolen. If anyone knows of their whereabouts, please email imaspanishwimp(at)lakers.com Attn: Ms. Pao Gasol.
No self-respecting Roman athlete would ever be separated from his testicles (barring some whim on the part of His Imperial Mightiness Caligula or an unfortunate turn of events in the Arena, of course)! Alas, the modern world as fallen so far and so ignominiously. Have you know shame?
(Thank God Anne Abblebaum only left her wallet in her hotel room, and not her uterus. Who knows what Putin might have done?)
”Ah, too bad I could not see it! Thanks for the news, Ger. Now that it’s obvious that Russia can play well, I hope it develops consistency. Did the absence of Arshavin contribute much to Russia’s lackluster performance against Spain?”
Ne za shto Kolya:-) The problem is as you say consistency -they can play at a high level and they’ve got to do it every match. It’ll be hard for them against Holland but you never know, its football. I think Arshavin was a big loss in the match v Spain, but only in an attacking context. The goals Russia conceded were basic mistakes and they played like people with no interest. Tonite though they were great and I’m glad for long-suffering Russian fans like yourself. I’d be worried about Holland though – 9 goals scored already -Akinfeev, Kolodin, Ignashevich and Anyukov will be working overtime on saturday evening!:-) But no matter what happens, Russia are back on the European football map again.
”When will Sweden ever learn? As it once was, so shall it always be.”
Actually Sweden knocked Russia out of USA 1994:-) So tonite was sweet revenge. Any rowdiness/parties in Moscow tonite?
It’s 2 AM Ger and I’m going to sleep. If there is rowdiness, I cannot perceive it.
Yessshhh, its about time you that the playersh of Russhhia responded to my coaching methuds. You know, I take them to Red Light Dishtrict of Amershterdaam to get their blood moving, you know, make them try harder on fuutball feld. It didnt work. I took them to Rashputin Club in Moscoo, shtill didnt get their heartsh pumping, or anything else, spoilt bashtards too used to hot Russhhian women. So after Shpain match, what can I do? All is shhite even though I offer them half my 3 million dollar paycheck. So, I get email from Long Island, in United Shtates, telling me to make Double-Headed Eagle bigger on players shhiirts, ant what do you know? They inshpired, beat arhes off Sveeden. Yesshh Mike Averko is a genius.
”It’s 2 AM Ger and I’m going to sleep. If there is rowdiness, I cannot perceive it.”
I guess its late and midweek in mad Moscow. If they win sat nite then there really will be a party.
My wife and mother-outlaw were near apoplexy last night. Great win by Russia – blogged it this morning.
“So, I get email from Long Island, in United Shtates, telling me to make Double-Headed Eagle bigger on players shhiirts, ant what do you know? They inshpired, beat arhes off Sveeden. Yesshh Mike Averko is a genius.”
You know what he really wanted is to emblazon the players’ jerseys with giant pictures of Mike Averko.