Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Welcome to the anews podcast. This is episode 91. This podcast covers anarchist activity, ideas, and conversations from the previous week on anarchistnews.org.
Editorial: on consumerism by Rocinante
TOTW: What is Our Goal with Aragorn! and Ariel
This podcast is the effort of many people. This episode was
- sound edited by Linn O’Mable
- what’s new was written by Jackie and narrated by Chisel and Ariel
- Redacted with SUDS, et al
- Music!
1) Daughters – The Reason They Hate Me
2) Flying Lotus – Computer Face/Pure Being
3) Umberto – Running Blade
4) Lorn – Chhurch
Contact us at podcast@anarchistnews.org
I have some thoughts about your podcast #91 on anarchist groups. In my work with the consensus process I’ve noticed it’s important to have a clear detailed mission statement to make sure you have affinity for the project. When a stalemate occurs its time to committee it out. The committee should have a balance of people in favor and against the idea being argued over. If the committee comes back with accurate information the main group needs to adopt some version of the committee proposal or someone either in the main group or committee does not have affinity and needs to move on. Fortunately or unfortunately knowledge is power. Those with knowledge, tech or otherwise, will tend to have more power in the group as will those with more time and funds. State sponsored corporatism tends to take power away from people making them just a cog in a machine so we find unhealthy ways to gain power.
The ruling class divides and conquers. I’ve run across several people who call themselves anarchists or nihilists who advocate random theft. Using a philosophy to justify bad, flakey behavior relegates it to the realm of organized religion, the sanctimonious and the psychopath. Proscribed, strategic vandalism has its place and should be directed at the elite.
Robin Hood was a yeoman who stole from the rich who supported a despot. The Magna Carta was instituted by the middle class. Marx was talking about the bourgeoisie who aligned themselves with aristocrats who thought someday they would become aristocrats. Proudhon was talking about the accumulation of property. Land reform is basic to any campaign to rid the poor of their shackles. We need to unite against a common enemy.
We need to concentrate on corporatism and militarism. The system is collapsing of its own accord we don’t have to encourage it with hollow victories. It’s important to inform, educate and be there with an alternative example of responsible individuals who don’t need a government telling them how to behave as corporate refugees are further disenfranchised. Empowered, educated people treat each other and the earth with respect. They even tend to lower their birthrate so we don’t have to kill off 90% of the earth’s population to have a clean environment.
I’ve had anarchists tell me that the localization movement is just prolonging the inevitable collapse of a corrupt system. It’s a step in the right direction. It’s not the tool that’s the problem its how you use it. A distinction must be made between corporatism and small scale capitalism. There is no Garden of Eden. We consume just walking around. Native Peoples understood the true value of the earth. That life is sacred or priceless. They consumed with respect, but they still consumed. Those that hunted and gathered more for the tribe got a larger share of the take. No one in the tribe starved but everyone had to contribute something. A gifting economy will emerge when everyone realizes there is plenty to go around.