[ExI] Class Differences Among Black People

[Samantha Atkins]

Olga Bourlin wrote:
> From: "Samantha Atkins" <sjatkins at mac.com>
> To: "ExI chat list" <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 11:12 PM
>
>   
>> On May 27, 2007, at 7:02 PM, Olga Bourlin wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> From: "Lee Corbin" <lcorbin at rawbw.com>
>>> To: "ExI chat list" <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
>>> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 11:41 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [ExI] History of Slavery
>>>       
>
>   
>>> (re Sowell) That's what he's paid to do.
>>>       
>> You are impugning the character of someone of considerable stature
>> based on what?  That he disagrees with your own assessments of some
>> things or breaks your model of what honest caring black people would
>> think and say?   Or is it that he says some things somewhat seemingly
>> similar to what you categorically cannot be said by anyone honest?
>>     
>
> Yes I am. Besides, from where does Sowell's "considerable stature" come? 
> Mainly from white conservatives.  Think about that.
>
> All my opinion, of course (and I've said worse things about both Bush I and 
> II, and even the sainted Thomas Jefferson).  I know things are changing in 
> this country for the worse - faster than I am able to detect, sometimes - 
> but the last time I looked we could still express our opinions?
>   

No one said otherwise.  But if you are to be taken seriously you need to 
give some supporting argument.

>>> He has said a great deal about why he believes many of the things
>>>       
>> tried not only did not help but made the problems worse.
>>     
>
> Essentially, Sowell blames poor people for being poor.  As if poor people 
> don't have enough problems.  A real class act, that Sowell.
>
>   
I don't believe his positions are remotely reducible to this.  However, 
there are cultural aspects that tend to perpetuate many situations, good 
or ill.  It would be good to examine what those might be and how to 
overcome them in whole or part to reduce the ill of poverty and ignorance.


>> That is quite a gross over-simplifying dismissal.  You might want to work 
>> on that.
>>     
>
> I don't see much in our society that inspires me to think otherwise.  Do 
> you?  (If so, please inform me where all this progressive amelioration is 
> taking place ... or where white people are becoming more informed or 
> concerned about anything having to do with blacks in our country.)
>
>   
Over generalization is a general intellectual weakness.  It has little 
to do with anything external.

>
>> No I don't see and you certainly have not shown any such thing.  Your 
>> blanket accusations without even bothering to check the source are quite 
>> disturbing.
>>     
>
> All right, all right.  I tend to exaggerate for the effect sometimes.  But, 
> if you haven't observed - don't know - don't believe - that there haven't 
> been such "prostitutes" working for those who pimp certain attitudes in our 
> country - I would find THAT quite disturbing.
>
>   
Well of course there are intellectual pimps and prostitutes and worse 
out there.  But that doesn't mean a particular person is without more 
evidence.

> While I have not read the book Lee mentioned, I have read Sowell columns (as 
> well as columnist Stanley Crouch, who is more hit-and-miss, but functions in 
> much the same role as Sowell).
>
> So, okay - in the spirit of "Keep your friends close, and your enemies 
> closer," I may have to read the book by Sowell - about "class," no less 
> (well, there's always Dramamine to help ...).  Black Rednecks and White 
> Liberals (2005) by laissezfairebooks, no less.  Damn, but I hate the term 
> "rednecks" - what a classist thing of the esteemed Sowell to say from the 
> get-go.  Yeccccccccch.
>
> But I'll try to read the book, even though the prospect fills me with a kind 
> of dread.  Give me a few weeks.
>   
Excellent.  I have ordered it myself so perhaps we and others can do a 
bit of virtual book club on it. 

- samantha