BLOG: What two groups of people does Marx see struggling for dominance in his world? Which group does he predict will win? Why does he think so?
Marxist (or anti-Marxist?) music: “Millworker” song by James Taylor (Course Pack).
BLOG: Taylor’s song is about a textile mill laborer during the American Industrial Revolution (early 20th century). Taylor quotes almost exactly from Marx. Identify the line in the song and reference it to Marx. Include a picture of a textile millworker.
Modern economic philosophy (Do you think?): “Mercedes Benz” Janis Joplin (1943-1970) (Course Pack).
BLOG: Note the opening (spoken) line in Joplin’s song. Is this song intended to be serious in any way? If so, how? What does Joplin mean by “social and political import?” Is this song satire? Explain. Include a picture of Janis Joplin and a Mercedes Benz.
Karl Marx, the creator of Marxism, talked about two different groups in his "Manifesto of the Communist Party." The Prolitarians, the first that Marx mentions, are the working class citizens who are being oppressed by the Bourgeois. The Bourgeois, the second group Marx mentions, are in control of the majority wealth and power or more formally known as the upper class. The Prolitarians strike to take over the Bourgeois by initiating class wars and will eventually hit a breaking point in which they can no longer stand working for the Bourgeois as they take all of the benefits. While trying to take over their own lives and futures, will be lucky with wins if they organize. Wins will be easy, with organization, since there are far more working class citizens than there are upperclassmen.
Textile mill
In the Millworker by James Taylor, Taylor has references to the Bourgeois and Proletarians. These references, although not a verbatim copy, were: "He becomes an appendage of the machine" from Marx's text and "to let this manufacturer use my body for a tool" from the Taylor lyrics. These lines both suggest that the workers cease to become human in the Bourgeois' eyes and are literally being viewed as part of the machine. Workers should have no feeling, and no emotions. Once the employer sees that the workers are on the same par as machines, they they feel no remorse in mistreating them. Nor can they, as workers are just machines and have nothing to them.
Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz, a satire all in its own right, has a light feel to it and yet is very serious. Joplin's goal is to caution and warn us that we should not always want what everybody else wants or even have a desire for everybody to be on the same level. Teenagers, like the girl here, wants things that their friends have or at least in teh same social class as their friends. For example, the teenager is begging for a Mercedes so that she can be close to the people who drive Porches, as the two cars are both in the same family. She is asking for things she believes will put her on par with the rest of high society. The reference to 'social and political import' is referring to ideologies coming in to the United States from elsewhere. Places like Europe, with Marxism, and the East have their own ways of looking at things that are completely different from American views.
Textile mill
In the Millworker by James Taylor, Taylor has references to the Bourgeois and Proletarians. These references, although not a verbatim copy, were: "He becomes an appendage of the machine" from Marx's text and "to let this manufacturer use my body for a tool" from the Taylor lyrics. These lines both suggest that the workers cease to become human in the Bourgeois' eyes and are literally being viewed as part of the machine. Workers should have no feeling, and no emotions. Once the employer sees that the workers are on the same par as machines, they they feel no remorse in mistreating them. Nor can they, as workers are just machines and have nothing to them.
Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz, a satire all in its own right, has a light feel to it and yet is very serious. Joplin's goal is to caution and warn us that we should not always want what everybody else wants or even have a desire for everybody to be on the same level. Teenagers, like the girl here, wants things that their friends have or at least in teh same social class as their friends. For example, the teenager is begging for a Mercedes so that she can be close to the people who drive Porches, as the two cars are both in the same family. She is asking for things she believes will put her on par with the rest of high society. The reference to 'social and political import' is referring to ideologies coming in to the United States from elsewhere. Places like Europe, with Marxism, and the East have their own ways of looking at things that are completely different from American views.
Nice job. 15 points
ReplyDelete