Status Updates From Why Read Marx Today?

"Once capitalism falters, why is it that it should be replaced with communism? What argument or evidence does Marx have for this claim? Certainly he states it often enough, but repetition, alas, is not argument even if it is often mistaken for it." (p. 109)

"Now, one possible objection to all of this is that Marx is wrong and traditional theology right: there is a God, who created us, and ordered us to worship him. It is a constant source of wonderment to me that intelligent, educated people can bring themselves to believe any of this, but we'll let that pass. We should just note that if traditional theology is right, Marx took a wrong turn at the start." (p. 102-103)

"Single-minded pursuit of the truth is at the centre of all great philosophy. Yet the value of the resulting works does not depend on its having actually achieved this goal"

"Need is natural to human beings, and the human world depends entirely on people taking steps to satisfy each others’ needs. Yet, Marx says, under capitalism the language of needs is debased. It becomes humiliating to ask for something on the basis that you need it; it becomes imploring, or whining."