• SolidaritySplodarity [they/them]
    ·
    3 years ago

    There is no unified irl anarchist movement. It suffers from the same disorganization as all Western leftism and from so many members having a penchant for navel-gazing/making politics about their personal journey. It also suffers from a lack of clarity, as anyone can call themselves an anarchist while fully supporting capitalism, pushing US State Department propaganda, supporting oppression of the unhoused, etc etc. Obviously anyone can call themselves anything and then act like they were going to anyways, but both online and irl spaces suffer from the normalization of right wing anarchism and liberals that just like the aesthetic. A month ago I canvassed an anarchist who said they were voting Republican and wanted all the homeless people rounded up and out in jail. They had the circle-A symbol everywhere in addition to self-labeling. Couldn't be more different from my irl party anarchist comrades.

    You'll find coherent and based anarchism only you dive into specific tendencies.

    My questions about lifestylists or post-leftists would all be rhetorical and snide, so I'll be as nice as I can: why?

    • Nagarjuna [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      I'm gonna pretend you want a real answer:

      Most of the folks I've met who are post leftists or green anarchists or nihilists are folks who got burnt out doing conventional organizing in the Iraq War and OWS era. Their rhetoric is definitely more inflammatory than what they actually do, which is a lot of activist scale organizing with immediate tangible results (like picketing a wage thief or distributing aquired food and warm weather gear), as well as participation in demonstration and leading by example.

      The big difference is that they don't do party building or union organizing or non profit work, which is what they usually mean by "post left" but they'd certainly participate in anything we'd recognize as a revolution.

      So in short, it's a response to the difficulty of activism akin to someone after a breakup "working on themselves" and hooking up with people instead of looking for a long term thing.

      • SolidaritySplodarity [they/them]
        ·
        3 years ago

        I figured you might list some of the criticisms you have perceived of this group and then list why they are wrong or that you don't mind the issues raised. After all, your post lead with a condescending declaration that we don't know these topics (without actually referring to anything anyone here has said).

        If that wasn't what you had in mind, then what education are you bringing?