[iDC] "recursive publics"

[Amanda Chapel]

Jodi,

"Blind justice" is THE image. The fact that you find others "more defensible
and appealing," respectfully, is not relevant.

The meaning of metaphor of "blind" justice is objectivity. We are ruled by
law(s) as an objective emperical standard. Congress is the areana for your
politics. The judicial system that metes out "justice" is - or at least is
supposed to be - untouched by "politics".

Again, the nature of political confrontation is to garner a share of
society's pie. That has very little to do with fairness or any objective
standard of merit. That said, by definition it corrupts transactions. In the
end, we subscribe to the objective "fairness" that is a consequence of
"checks and balances."

- Amanda


-----Original Message-----
From: Dean, Jodi [mailto:JDEAN at hws.edu] 
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 12:05 PM
To: Amanda Chapel; idc at mailman.thing.net
Cc: 'Christopher Kelty'
Subject: RE: [iDC] "recursive publics"

Amanda--

Blind justice is one image. But there are others, others that I find more
defensible and appealing. 

As I see a claim to justice is a political claim. It aims to take a fact or
element out of its everydayness and universalize it, to make it visible
as a matter larger than itself, to make it stand for something more, for
something that is of collective concern.

I don't know what the term subjective politics means--maybe something like
self-interest?

I also don't think 'our system is corrupted by politics.' The claim that
something is corrupt, though, is a political claim (one with a particularly
strong history
in republican politics/politics oriented around civic virtue).

I don't know what it means to say that 'the mission of politics... is to
inject favoritism' etc. As I see it, politics is the struggle that occurs
around
the fundamental antagonism around which socialities emerge. Claims regarding
fairness and unfairness are political claims.

Jodi


________________________________________
From: Amanda Chapel [chapel at strumpette.com]
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 9:55 AM
To: Dean, Jodi; idc at mailman.thing.net
Cc: 'Christopher Kelty'
Subject: RE: [iDC] "recursive publics"

Jodi,

Respectfully, no. "Justice" functions (or should) independent of politics.
She's blindfolded for a reason.

That said, subjective politics do regrettably influence our justice system.
But we endeavor to minimize and remove it.

With regard to the marketplace, our system is corrupted by politics. The
mission of politics (and public relations) is to inject favoritism into the
transactional mix so as to influence without actual merit so as to garner an
unfair portion of society's wealth. In a nutshell.

Just a thought.

- Amanda


-----Original Message-----
From: Dean, Jodi [mailto:JDEAN at hws.edu]
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 8:25 AM
To: Christopher Kelty; idc at mailman.thing.net
Subject: Re: [iDC] "recursive publics"


Jodi says:
    Another way to put this: the justice of the market is not the same as
political justice.

Chris replies:

okay, i'll bite, what is the difference?


Jodi:

in a market, the agreement of buyer and seller makes something just; this is
understood as price (under the assumption that markets achieve equilibrium).

there are different versions of political justice. some of these versions
meet up and conflict with price, so:

--justice requires that some things not be sold, that some things have no
price
--justice requires an equal outcome
--justice requires participation in the constitution of the site of exchange
--justice requires basic conditions that come prior to exchange
--justice requires mindfulness of the long term/future generations

with the last one, we get into different kinds of justice
--justice in rectifications
--justice in the distribution of responsibilities and rights
--the characteristics of just laws and procedures

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