Dear Michael,
Jefferson Cowie has written a book, Stayin' Alive: The 1970s and the Last Days of the Working Class, that describes the decline of American unions without mentioning de-industrialization. The book has garnered all kinds of awards and recognition. Jeff is, by his own reckoning, and that of others, a left liberal. This is frustrating.
Instead of taking a non-confrontational approach I try to help Jeff understand why, in critical themes in his work, he's wrong. I'm not sure whether I dented his self-confidence but I think, nevertheless, that his mistakes are the kind of mistakes that help us to better understand things. And Jeff is not the only one brainwashed by the assertion that the de-industrialization of America is inevitable or that some kind of normal economy could survive de-industrialization. I mean, honestly, everybody who thinks that should be corrected.
Fortunately, Jeff's a decent guy and, since I'm older than him, I'll pull rank and say -- and it's true -- that our differences were exchanged on a friendly basis.
As always, if you like this podcast please don't hesitate to forward the link.
Best,
g.
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