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Sofia Jeppsson's avatar

"Surplus people" are also useful for capitalism in that they can serve as cautionary tales. If you don't work hard enough you might end up like one of THEM! Of course, the surplus must live shitty lives to fulfil this function.

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Josh Richardson's avatar

I have many problems with this book, but I like it very much.

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Awais Aftab's avatar

I feel similarly! It’s a book that’s hard to forget

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Josh Richardson's avatar

In some ways, I think it’s not radical enough.

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Awais Aftab's avatar

Oh, I’m intrigued. What do you have in mind?

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Josh Richardson's avatar

I don’t have a clear and ready answer for that. But, I do have a one word response that I think best encapsulates what I think would strengthen and radicalize it further: hope.

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Josh Richardson's avatar

I think the view in Health Communism parallels the more conservative, and despairing arguments of Phillip Rieff’s Triumph of the Therapeutic, and reproduced by Alasdair MacIntyre in After Virtue.

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