Αφιερωμενο εξαιρετικα στον κ. Μπαμπασακη...Exchange with New York Times' Steven Erlanger for Castoriadis / Paris '68 ( May 2, 2008 )Erlanger, senior editor - correspondent for The New York Times.Click Here: Check out "Barricades of May ’68 Still Divide the French - New York Times" http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/world/europe/30france.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=sloginSubj: Why ignore Castoriadis May-June ''68 contribution Steven ? Date: Friday, May 2, 2008 11:17:33 AMFrom: To: Dear Steven,Similarly with the Times, May 25th, 1998: A4 article on the May '68 revolt , your April 30th, 2008: A6 article focuses on Daniel Cohn-Bendit and Andre Glucksmann, ignoring the pivotal role C. Castoriadis played at the time.First of all, both Cohn-Bendit and Glucksmann openly plagiarized Castoriadis [ the difference between "Danny" with Glucksmann is that the former was more honest and admitted it during the very days of the revolt - with texts his brother gave him written by Castoriadis - while the latter most likely because he was involved with book writing ( "The Cook and the Man-Eater" ?), was outed by Paul Berman thirty years later ( 1996: 281 ) ].Castoriadis was a militant anti-Stalinist since WWII ( Stalinists tried to kill him in Athens and that is why he left Greece for Paris in the mid-40s ), openly anti-Marxist since 1963. He also influenced the avant-gard of the revolt, the Situationists ( Economist - May 2, 1998 & NY Times - Sept 18, 2007: B8 ) since Guy Debord was for some time a member of the SouB group ( Castoriadis contribution on Debord's thought equals that of Lefebvre, one biographer acknowledged in the mid-nineties).In addition - as Julian Bourg's new book on the subject describes - Castoriadis together with his comrades at SouB, Claude Lefort and Edgar Morin, wrote "La Breche," one of the two most celebrated commentaries on the revolt ( 2007:29 ). The other by Raymont Aron.So, you have Andre Glucksmann, one of the main inspirators of "gauchisme" ! you have Cohn-Bendit who -as he said - avoided the communist trap only because of Castoriadis, but also Jean-Paul Sartre who famously said " You cannot discuss what Stalin is doing, since he alone has the information that explains his motives ," and - at the same time - making fun of Castoriadis for being an anti-Marxist, making the Times’ page easily and repeatedly ( the latest article on J-P Sartre, March 16, 2005 : B3 ) while Castoriadis not only is NEVER mentioned in the paper but when he died, Dec 26, 1997, he didn't even make the Obituaries page. Calling a female staffer at the Times Obit department the following day, Dec 27th, 1997, she told me with a touch of blase arrogance " Oh, yes ,yes , yes , David Ames Curtis called me too...sorry...maybe in Le Monde, sorry..." Why Steven ? Why ignore Castoriadis contributions on May/June 68 student revolt in Paris ? Is it because of the jokes against Goldstein in Orwell's"1984" ? Why the Times ignore Castoriadis, sir ?Thank you and all the best for your new position in Paris. Nico Nicolaides - CaliforniaErlanger respondsDear Mr Nicolaides,I'd like to try to respond -- i wasn't writing ahistory of May 68, but trying to describe the fetishism surrounding itnow. And i can hardly interview someone, however important orinspirational, who has been dead for 10 years. Obviously there should have been an obituary, but I was a correspondent in Moscow at thetime. In any case, I appreciate your good wishes, and my desire wasnot to insult anyone's contribution or memory. Nor do I know everything!!All best to you,Steven ErlangerMine : Erlanger argues on fetichism using Castoriadis death as a reason for the Times not to write something about him but they have published in 2005 article on J-P-Sartre and his influence while the man has been dead for thirty whole years....Below is Cornelius Castoriadis American translator the Paris-based David Ames Curtis Dear Nico Nicolaides:Thanks for sharing your e-mail to Erlanger with me. I agree that the piece was fairly superficial. It was quite an exaggeration, in particular, to treat Glucksmann as a major player in 1968. It was also interesting to see my name mentioned. I send you the copy of the response from the obituary journalist at the NYT.I don't think we've been introduced before. Did you find my e-address from the Cornelius Castoriadis/Agora International Website, which includes news and information about CC and Socialisme ou Barbarie, as well as bibliographies of writings by and about CC in seventeen languages, including English, French, and Greek? And how did you develop an interest in CC and his work? I'd be interested to know more about you, as it is always a pleasure to encounter new people interested in CC.A few bibliographical questions, too. Could you give me the full Berman reference regarding Glucksmann and Castoriadis? Also, do either "Economist - May 2, 1998" or "NY Times - Sept 18, 2007: B8" mention CC and/or S. ou B. Finally, please provide me with the reference for the Debord biographer who discusses CC.Without objection on your part, we'll be glad to add your name to the list of 1050+ individuals and organizations who receive our regular Cornelius Castoriadis/Agora International Website electronic update announcements. It seems that you and Erlanger are on a first-name basis. You are welcome to let him know about the CC/AI Website. We'd be glad to include him, too, if he makes the request.Sincerely,David Ames Curtishttp://www.agorainternational.org
