In my Modern Political Theory class we were discussing how the Marxian/Lockean idea challenges the neo-liberal idea of production. How in the neo-liberal economy housewives are not considered 'productive'. This would be because Marx and Locke say that productivity comes from mixing your labour with the 'land'. The great example being a farmer who digs in the dirt and plants the seeds and then effectively 'owns' the crop when it is harvested because he did all of the work. But what about someone who files and photocopies all day long for their job. How are they mixing their labour with the land? But its still productive? In the same way we can safely assume that a housewife is being productive. So my 'a ha' moment was when we came to the point when it was obvious that it was not a question of how the office worker or the homemaker are productive... but instead its a question of why we attach productivity with value.
Even now, most of us when we meet people will ask them what they 'do'. We are attaching some value to them based on their productivity (based on their job). And its clear there is some form of hierarchy whereby we decide that some professions are more productive than others.
Think of little kids. When they meet each other they never ask what the other one 'does'.
"so... what do you do??"
"uh... lego."
Yet so many times kids will ask each other what their parents do. Somewhat disturbing... Somehow at such a young age we are instilled with the sense of productivity and value.
My friend Emily just says that this left-wing school will make a Communist of me before I'm out of here. I tried to tell her that instead its just teaching me to question the instilled Liberal views of our society.
I will share the other aha moment tomorrow maybe...
posted by Megan @ 3:35 p.m.
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