[Ads-l] Fw: Thinking class / Cognitive class / Knowledge class

[James Eric Lawson]

I certainly value Dan's 'viewpoint' and opinions, along with whatever he 
has to say, and along with whatever _anybody_ else participating on 
ADS-L has to say.

On 2/10/24 06:26, Dan Goncharoff wrote:
> Most people express viewpoints as viewpoints, not declarative statements.
> 
> On Sat, Feb 10, 2024, 5:31 AM Z S <zrice3714 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> My first sentence was my viewpoint, and I said what I said. You can reserve
>> your opinion for someone who values it.
>>
>> If you can recall my earlier John Henrik Clarke quote, then you already
>> know this will be the last time I address you or read anything with which
>> you respond.
>>
>> Kind regards,
>> Zola S.
>>
>> On Sat, Feb 10, 2024 at 2:46 AM Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> You first sentence is a false assumption. Everything else follows,
>>> incorrectly.
>>>
>>> On Fri, Feb 9, 2024, 3:28 PM Z S <zrice3714 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> "Knowledge worker" implicitly suggests other professions do not involve
>>> the
>>>> utilization of knowledge. The definition is not in question, the term
>> is.
>>>> It's rather inelegant, patronizing (as mentioned earlier here regarding
>>>> such terms), and not at all precise. It sounds like it's derived from a
>>>> time in which the majority worked in factories or fields.
>>>>
>>>> As a side note, Oxford states:
>>>> knowledge worker: a person whose job involves handling or using
>>>> information.
>>>>
>>>> Coincidentally, "Thinking people" occurs in the translation of the
>> recent
>>>> Putin interview.
>>>>
>>>> "This is an obvious fact and *thinking people -* not Philistines, but
>>>> thinking people...analysts, those who are engaged in real politics,
>> just
>>>> *smart
>>>> people* - understand perfectly well that this is a fake."
>>>>
>>>> Best,
>>>> Zola S.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Feb 7, 2024 at 8:36 PM Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> All jobs require some knowledge.
>>>>>
>>>>> Some jobs require only knowledge. Those are done by knowledge
>> workers.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Wed, Feb 7, 2024, 12:18 PM Z S <zrice3714 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm not convinced that the two are parallel. Cognition/thought and
>>>>>> knowledge are basic to all human beings - hence the term *homo
>>>> sapiens*.
>>>>>> Even the farmer has specialized, scientific knowledge...so does the
>>>>> cement
>>>>>> worker (in the case of the documentary). If you put any of us in
>> the
>>>>>> Amazon, we most likely lack the inherited, cumulative body of
>>>>> specialized,
>>>>>> scientific knowledge required to survive more than a year. The
>> tailor
>>>> in
>>>>>> Italy or the home seamstress/pattern drafter possesses a
>> specialized
>>>>>> knowledge of geometry, arithmetic, space, and form (as well as
>>> anatomy)
>>>>>> that allows him or her the ability to create or manipulate 3D
>> objects
>>>> by
>>>>>> using complex calculations and a flat surface. If you put any of us
>>>>>> (without their specialized knowledge) in their place of work, we'd
>>>> likely
>>>>>> come away with a sarong or toga, at best.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On the other hand, many people will easily admit to lacking
>>> creativity
>>>> -
>>>>>> and it has no implications as far as class or intelligence, nor
>> does
>>> it
>>>>>> dehumanize. Some jobs don't demand creativity and try to outright
>>>>> prohibit
>>>>>> it! However, all jobs require knowledge, human thought, or
>>> "cognition".
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Knowledge worker, thinking class, cognitive class, knowledge class
>> -
>>>>>> they're terms that 1) diminish the the skills and knowledge
>> necessary
>>>> for
>>>>>> various professions and economic classes and 2) dehumanize
>>>>> (understatement)
>>>>>> by denying the very existence of knowledge and human thought among
>>>>> specific
>>>>>> classes and professions.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>> Zola S.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Wed, Feb 7, 2024 at 1:33 PM Amy West <medievalist at w-sts.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It calls to mind the parallel construction "creative class".
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ---Amy West
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 2/7/24 12:00 AM, ADS-L automatic digest system wrote:
>>>>>>>> Date:    Tue, 6 Feb 2024 23:24:50 +0100
>>>>>>>> From:    Z S<zrice3714 at GMAIL.COM>
>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: Fw: Thinking class / Cognitive class / Knowledge
>>> class
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Just confirmed a suspicion: in the documentary*Spies of
>>>> Mississippi*,
>>>>>> one
>>>>>>>> of the witnesses states that her uncle, B.L. Bell, referred to
>>> his
>>>>>> class
>>>>>>> as
>>>>>>>> "the thinking class people". (I just went back and scrubbed
>>> through
>>>>> the
>>>>>>>> film to check.)
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> (Timestamp 17:07 to 17:42)
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> https://youtu.be/JX925i-llQk?feature=shared&t=1027
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> These terms sound as antiquated as they are. Interesting - to
>> say
>>>> the
>>>>>>> least
>>>>>>>> - that they're so freely used today by the media.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>>>> Zola S

-- 
James Eric Lawson

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