Obviously this man was an important anarchist thinker, but I think this is particularly relevant to anarchism right now in a US election year where this conversation will come up ad nauseum.
He stops short of decrying electoralism in general here, but makes the point that the milquetoast emptiness of the US liberals enables a rightward slide. What he says is short and to the point and avoids getting bogged down in wider issues. He acknowledges that “at least they’re not nazis” is an appeal of the liberals, but points out that is the only appeal.
I just think this is a good thing to have if you don’t want to type out this argument every time you see it, to point out that this has been happening for a very long time, and to hear a voice of sanity when every single liberal is yelling at you to stop criticising poor Joe or else we’ll get the fascists again.
His early death was an unbelievable loss.
Debt and The Dawn of Everything are amazing books.
His argument here resonates with me viscerally. I was a milquetoast liberal at the start of the Obama era but progressively got more radical as nothing changed for the better. The Trump years, and especially Biden’s term has turned me into a self identifying anarchist.
I still vote, because I see the Republicans as so much worse the the dems. But I see that as harm mitigation and not actually something they will result in positive change. I focus on helping my community become more resilient.
Yeah, it’s amazing how radicalisation continues apace regardless of who’s in power, because they all obviously suck.
It’s also amazing how the liberals’ strategy of “VOTE!!!” turns into “don’t criticise anything about us or else you’ll get the fascists,” the moment you say that you do vote but you think the liberals suck anyway.
I’m glad to hear you’re working in your community. I am trying to get into that. It’s hard with a disability but it’s becoming more and more apparent to me that with my disability it is also my only viable shot at long term wellbeing.