Base and Superstructure

Alienation, autonomy, and ideology

Page 94 of 133

Adjuncts and COVID-19

Adjuncts aren’t slaves. I mention this only because I’ve heard people draw the analogy. Nevertheless, adjuncts suffer under the class war the wealthy wage against workers. Thea Hunter’s story highlights the human toll of the class war on adjuncts. But COVID-19 brings it out in new ways.

As people get ready for the fall semester, let’s look at adjuncts and COVID-19.

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Do We Get Jobs by Showing We ‘Add Value’?

Anyone looking for a job – especially in the white-collar world – knows the business literature says they should show they ‘add value.’ The underlying reasoning? Companies search for value. They love it. They pay for it. If workers can show they add value, companies will give them a job and pay them big money.

This is a load of baloney. Let’s talk about why.

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The “Better Organizing” Argument For Biden

For a few months, COVID-19 relieved us from a fight we’d have otherwise faced. Which fight? The one where leftists decide whether to vote for this cycle’s bad Democratic candidate. The Democratic Party served us a rotten Joe Biden sandwich. And we can’t put off forever the decision on whether to take a bite. We’ve seen a new argument for voting Biden – the idea that he’ll create ‘better organizing’ conditions for leftists.

Let’s take a look at this one.

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Medicare for All is the Price to Vote for Biden

The closer we move toward the 2020 presidential election, the more heated discussions become over whether to vote for Biden. On one side, there’s ‘vote blue no matter who.’ And on the other side, there’s…something. It’s not entirely clear, which composes part of the problem. As Joe Biden moves closer to accepting the nomination at the Democratic convention, the debate moves toward its height. Or toward its nadir, depending on one’s take on it.

And so, should we – as leftists – vote for Biden? How does one hold Biden accountable in an era where not being Trump is good enough for many Democrats? And if we do vote for Biden, what price should we expect in return? My three answers to these questions: No, One can’t, and Medicare for All, respectively.

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