Law in Contemporary Society

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BullshitAndEgomania 6 - 16 Feb 2010 - Main.RobLaser
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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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 -- AlisonMoe - 09 Feb 2010
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Alison,

I do not think it follows that rejecting external definitions of what is valuable creates solipsism. You can certainly develop internal value judgments that acknowledge the concerns and integrity (not to mention existence) of other people. I think what you call egomania is really just a well developed autonomy that extends to moral choice.

-- RobLaser - 16 Feb 2010

 I had a very different reaction to "Robinson." I wrote the little story below last week after reading it. But I didn't post it until now because I thought it was too egotistical. But now that egotism and talking frenetically about the things you see at your job are a topic, I thought I should post it. It originally contained more about my workers, but I thought I should keep it short. (I can talk about my workers for a very long time if you let me.)

Revision 6r6 - 16 Feb 2010 - 22:33:36 - RobLaser
Revision 5r5 - 15 Feb 2010 - 13:54:19 - JohnSchwab
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