Chytry and Marx

Chytry demonstrates how Marx's theories depended on aesthetics and the liberation of man through creative labor. For Marx, it is in man's nature to be creative, and creating brings him back to "whole humanity."

Chytry wants to supplement the prevailing readings of Marx that do not privilege or work through his aesthetic theories. Many critics have alluded to Marx's explicit discussions of art, but, according to Chytry, the aesthetic forms the undercurrent in much of Marx's theories. So, I'd say that Chytry assumes that we already are familiar with Marx and his ideas, though he does explain them in great detail. Chytry also assumes that his readers are academics, scholars, and sympathetic to his reading; i.e. they're willing to find the aesthetic in Marx as a way to enhance their own readings.

Though we can't really say, in my view, what Marx values and assumes without reading his texts on their own, I can guess that Marx would value labor (but not alienated labor that comes from capitalism), revolution, equality (after all, he's the largest proponent of equal resources!), and collaboration. But Marx also believes in essences -- human nature, nature itself, etc. Perhaps this is where Marx aligns with Plato.

Related to this, I'd like to talk about Marx and Plato together, as I was surprised that Chytry highlighted the connections between the two.

I'd also like to talk about Chytry and Benjamin -- since I know Benjamin builds on Marxism to develop his thinking. It would also be useful to talk about how Chytry and Benjamin develop threads that we've been seeing or talking about so far.