Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/30

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Country of origin
From: Guy Bennett <guybnt@idt.net>
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 14:39:59 -0800

it is interesting, though perhaps not coincidental, that the 'country of
origin' issue with respect to leica cameras ultimately devolved into a
discussion of racial superiority. also revealing is the fact that alan
hull's post, which unselfconsciously made the connection explicit, contains
some of the favorite arguments (particularly its appeal to cultural
supremacy and its evocation of ethnic purity) used by despots ranging from
hitler to milosovic to justify policies promoting everything from the
invasion of "inferior" nations to genocide. to quote nietzsche, who for
some reason didn't get mentioned along with beethoven, schiller et al: "can
one believe that things of this sort are still believed in?" - apparently
so. but why is this not all that surprising?

guy



> Erwin Puts wrote about Portuguese workers.
>> assume that these men mand women would be inferior to the mythical
>German quality workers. And if fact: IT IS NOT TRUE!!!!!!
>> Portuguese quality is as good, if not better than German quality.
>-------------------------
>Don't be ridiculous Erwin.  Mythical?  Is it mythical that the German
>army, using German built weapons and machinery, far superior to
>anything else in Europe, sliced through the Dutch, British, and French
>armies like a hot knife through butter not so long ago.  Is it mythical
>that Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, are among the most sought after autos in
>the world?  That the reputation of Linhof, Leica, Rollei, Contax, are a
>myth?  Then of course expanding the comparison we have Schiller and
>Goethe, Beethoven and Wagner, Von Bruan and Einstein.  The list is
>almost endless.  When I buy Leica I buy a piece of THAT action.  I am
>not interested in paying a premium price for a  precision tool made by
>a population who go to work on a donkey.  That sounds like an insult to
>the Portuguese but it is not meant to be.  They have fine qualities but
>being superior engineers to the Germans is very definitely not one of
>them.
>
>It has also been said that because the Portuguese workers are trained
>by Germans, the product they make is indistinguishable from the genuine
>article.  That is a piece of politically correct BS.  To illustrate the
>fallacy of this argument select eleven fit men at random.  Tell them
>that they are about to become the worlds best soccer team.  Send them
>away to Brazil for intensive training for many years.  Then play them
>against any professional soccer team.  They will lose because there is
>such a thing as natural born ability which no amount of training can
>surpass.  Natural ability works at all levels, interlectual as well as
>manual dexterity.  Its genetic.
>
>If a country wants to win a gold medal at the high jump it must enter
>one man who can jump ten feet.  To enter ten men who can jump one foot
>each doesn't work.
>
>BTW. I fully understand the argument that CoO does not affect the final
>photograph.  But my point is that I am not buying photographs when I
>buy a Leica.  I am buying a camera.
>
>With all respect.
>Alan