I heard about your illness in Brazil and I was cheering for a favorable outcome, like so many others who admire your work and you. Only yesterday I received information from this site and I became aware of the worsening of your health. I add my name to this chain of solidarity that extends to so many people and places. We will continue here inspiring in his work and spreading your ideas in Brazilian sociology.
I hope that this small manifestation (when adding to others) adds some comfort to you and your family in this difficult time.
Dear Erik and Marcia,
I am so sad to hear of your illness Erik. You were both such good friends to my beloved Jerry and to me. I remember you in our garden after a meeting of the “non-bullshit” September group, and our lovely cycling through the Oxfordshire countryside. I still have your photos of those amazing yellow fields...
Much love and solidarity,
Michèle
Dear Erik,
I heard today about your tragic illness. I will cherish the memories of the occasions we spent together, particularly when we were graduate students in Berkeley. I’ve written you at your ssc.wisc.edu address with some reminiscences, Including the Berkeley graduate course you organized (“Commie course”), and the conference in the Sierra foothills (Commie Camp). Particularly memorable, now poignantly so, was your sendoff from Berkeley to Wisconsin: a river float trip for 75 friends and colleagues. I hope these memories will be as comforting to you, as they have been inspiring for me.
Your thoughtful, helpful, and considerate way of being in the world set the standards by which I would judge the essential worthiness of projects that we need to build democratic cultures and advance our understanding of global economic life.
Erik,
I hope I’m as strong and positive as you when my time comes. You’ve always been an inspiration to me, as a scholar, as a political thinker, and as a generous, caring, thoughtful person. You helped set me on my course as a sociologist and I’ll always be grateful for your guidance, usually from afar, but still very meaningful. I’m sorry I put off joining the Politics and Society board for as long as I did. I would have enjoyed deliberating submissions with you. You’ve done a great deal of good in the world. And you’ve lived a joyful life. That’s all any of us can do in our short time here.
Love,
Joel
One of the big joys of joining the P&S boards has been getting to know you. Your curiosity, vulnerability, intellect, and commitment to leaving behind a better world continue to inspire me and will remain with me and so many others. You are very much in my thoughts as you embark on this final stage of your journey, sending you and your family love and peace from Vancouver.
Dear Eric -- It is hard to find words at this moment. Nonetheless, I have to say that in the fifty-plus years I have been a social scientist, I have never known anyone in the profession as thoughtful, honest, and insightful as you, nor anyone who was as widely loved and consistently kind. Your example will be with us all for a long time. Thank you for all you have done and helped others do. Love, Sandy
Erik, I've just written you a private email. You will leave a great hole in my heart and my life with your departure. You, your contributions, your family represent all that is good and even great about humanity. Your intellectual life will live on and on and on and on. Of that I am certain.
Your enormous intellectual effort seems to correspond to your love for your family and friends, admirable.
The remaining task of others, who like me, are grateful to your writings and lessons? To keep your rigorous critical & radical spirit alive.
We will endure.
We never met, but through your writings I found one of the best teachers I ever had. Your contribution to theory of social classes is well known, as well as your combination of political engagement with theoretical rigour. But now I also want to tell you that your honesty and enthusiasm had such a big impact on me, and that will remain. I feel very fortunate to count you among my teachers.
I heard about your illness in Brazil and I was cheering for a favorable outcome, like so many others who admire your work and you. Only yesterday I received information from this site and I became aware of the worsening of your health. I add my name to this chain of solidarity that extends to so many people and places. We will continue here inspiring in his work and spreading your ideas in Brazilian sociology.
I hope that this small manifestation (when adding to others) adds some comfort to you and your family in this difficult time.
José Alcides