[extropy-chat] Re: A view of what politics is

[Dirk Bruere]

On 10/16/05, Rafal Smigrodzki <rafal.smigrodzki at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On 10/16/05, Jack Parkinson < isthatyoujack at icqmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > On 10/15/05, Jack Parkinson <isthatyoujack at icqmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > >>> I posted this before - I still think the best definition of politics
> >
> > is: The
> > >>> relationships between groups! At any level - from office factions to
> > >>>negotiations between superpowers. Politics is only incidentally
> > social
> > >>> decision making. It is wholly about interacting communities.
> >
> > >> ### Is buying T-shirts from China a form of politics?
> > >>No! Unless you are doing this as an expression of group values
> > >>concerning Chinese group values...
> > >### Now it is getting more complicated - so politics is not merely
> > >"relationships between >groups" but rather "relationships between
> > groups
> > >expressing group values". And what >are "group values"? It's getting
> > >positively baroque.
> >
> > We are discussing the meaning of politics - not the meaning of groups. A
> > group has some points of congruence and some disconnectedness. Politics
> > is
> > how these opposing points develop.
>
>
> ### You wrote that not all relationships between groups are politics (thus
> contradicting your initial definition), and specifically you wrote that
> buying T-shirts from China is not politics unless it "expresses group
> values". Since you introduced this additional qualification to your
> definition, you need to explain it.
>
>
An act that has political ramifications is political, no matter what
opinions others hold.
The very fact that *I* think it's political makes it political.

Dirk
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