Thursday, April 30, 2009

Utopia//Emergency, "Social War" and the 'anarcho' liberal backlash, AKA: why we can't just all get along.



A new compilation zine just released, looks like an interesting synthesis of recent analysis from the RNC, the Greek Riots, the Oakland Rebellion and more....

Check it out here

There is also a backlash brewing against the new 'Social War' trend in the anarchist milieu. A recent (rather pathetic) critique can be read here.

While critique is necessary and should a positive thing for this developing trend, many of the critiques like the aforementioned one, just serve to make the differences between 'us' (pro revolutionaries) and 'them' (liberals masquerading as radicals) clearer. In "Social War Needs Social Skills" the anonymous author uses ridiculous platitudes and ignorant comparisons, attempting to use tired activist rhetoric, to shame those who dare try a new path into falling into line behind their liberal goals for 'true democracy' and the ubiquitous, mythical and fetishized "community".

Obviously there are valid critiques that could be made about this new trend which is still developing here in the US, but bullshit like 'Social War Needs Social Skills' will likely serve to do nothing else besides make it clear that some of us are definitely not on the same page.
What do you think?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was seriously dissapointed becuase when I saw the title of the article I was expecting it to be another article of the same name which should actually have something interesting to say about this newer trend that someone we know is working on, but instead it was the same hope-bloc drivel that does more damage to anarchism than anything any bonnano-reading new yorker could ever do.

al b. said...

What damage have bonnano reading anarchists from NY done to 'anarchism'? If you call multiple occupations, wild street actions, and crazy street dance parties all in the last 6 months, damage then fuck your 'anarchism'! What have you done?

Anonymous said...

someone said they thought the piece was a joke. maybe. i thought it was pretty hilarious...