Law in Contemporary Society

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BullshitAndEgomania 4 - 11 Feb 2010 - Main.AlisonMoe
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 In class, I asked what “freedom” looks like. I am still concerned about the implications of the freedom advertised in this course. Particularly, I am worried that this “freedom” merely replaces one scheme of ego-gratification for another.

If we reject all external sources of meaning as bullshit (and we may have good reason to do so), and refuse to care at all what anyone thinks, then this is freedom, on Professor Moglen’s view. The validity and attractiveness of this position are best addressed elsewhere, but the application and consequences of this view are my concern here. This kind of freedom replaces external means of self-validation for internal means of self-validation; this is potentially problematic. If the source of our values and self worth is exclusively internal, this creates a troubling solipsistic perspective through which one engineers whatever reality is most satisfying to the ego. Which is to say, rejecting the law school/corporate rat-race “bullshit” does not free you from ego needs- it’s just a cleverer way of feeling superior. I think Robinson is a very clear example of how this devolves into egomania-- or, at the very least, insufferable self-aggrandizement.

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 So I agree that we need to close our ears to all the bullshit humming around us. But the internal bullshit might be useful. Because I have yet to meet a television writer praying for the opportunity to change careers.

-- AerinMiller - 09 Feb 2010

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Revision 4r4 - 11 Feb 2010 - 15:37:26 - AlisonMoe
Revision 3r3 - 09 Feb 2010 - 22:45:59 - AerinMiller
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