Re: <nettime> the language of tactical media (parecon)

[Benjamin Geer <ben@beroul.uklinux.net>]

On Tuesday 09 July 2002 8:14 pm, N Jett wrote:
> >On Tuesday 09 July 2002 1:53 am, "N Jett" wrote:
> > This is a misreading of parecon.  You wouldn't get paid more for the
> > trash, and glamour isn't a consideration.
>
> If it is then it is a misreading that Albert encourages. When I saw him
> speak he specifically said that the glamour of a job is a consideration in
> who gets assigned what tasks as part of their job complex. It is a factor
> in the balancing so that glamorous jobs are "fairly" distributed. Perhaps
> I and everyone I spoke with afterwards completely misunderstood him, but
> it seemed pretty clear at the time.

The way it's explained in his book _Moving Forward_ is that certain jobs are 
inherently more interesting and empowering than others.  This is no doubt why 
they're more glamorous.  The particular problem parecon is trying to solve, 
through balanced job complexes, is that workplaces cannot be democratic if 
some people are numbed and exhausted by jobs that never exercise their 
intellectual faculties, and others spend all their time having interesting 
problem-solving discussions.  Therefore everyone should do a fair share of 
non-empowering tasks as well as the empowering ones.

About getting paid more for doing certain things: the idea (at least in 
_Moving Forward_) is that remuneration should be partly dependent on effort 
and sacrifice.  Everyone who works would, by default, receive the same 
remuneration for their labour, but people who wanted to make an extra effort 
or sacrifice could get somewhat more.  This is a very different consideration 
from glamour.

> > > The whole "committees to decide absolutely everything"
> > > concept
> >
> >This is a gross misrepresentation of parecon.
>
> Again, Albert specifically said this in public that the authority to make
> all economic decisions is vested in the Soviet... err... committees.

"All economic decisions" doesn't mean the same thing as "absolutely 
everything".

Ben


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