Literally just go outside and write ACAB on something. Dumpster dive something. Slack off at work. Map your neighborhood's security cameras. Delete your Instagram. Write a political prisoner. Start a garden. Drop acid. Give a homeless lady some hand-warmers. Put "out of service" signs on parking meters. Pick one and do it right now.
These aren't revolutionary acts, these are the calisthenics you do so you'll be in shape for the revolution.
A lot of "adventurist" activities can be useful in a couple of ways. The first is as the impetus for future action. For example, people involved in the Mai '68 uprising characterized the initial barricades as "the actions of a handful of madmen." The actions of these mad men were the catalyst for an uprising that ended up involving labor unions and communist parties. I think in the US BLM is a good example of the same effect.
The second way is as a "Technology of Self" to borrow Mark Fischer's terminology. Something you do not to engage in class struggle, but to break out of capitalist subjectivity, and start to build cultures more conducive to communism. Passivity in the face of the commodification of urban space (parking meters) is an aspect of capitalist subjectivity and fucking with them is a way to break out of that.
😕 😕 😕
uhhh is this an irony? cuz, like, only a couple of those things can be considered anything close to doing politics...
It's the right type of energy, but yeah, we should be a bit more focused than "dumpster dive or something, idk."
One of the big reasons people stick with the type of politics that do so little for them is that other options aren't apparent and/or don't seem feasible. We have to come up with good alternatives that have a real chance at addressing big issues.
"just dropped acid at burning man and i didn't post it to instagram. i'm doing politics"
this post got me in :agony:
so broad as to be liberal tbh. and i don't mean that as an insult.
there's very little class analysis or class struggle involved in these things. some are cool things to do (don't get me wrong), but dropping acid/deleting instagram/dumpster diving/gardening is just individual consumption
with all due respect, i'm just gonna say i disagree and leave it at that
So... instead of:
Get a lawyer
Hit the gym
Delete FacebookIt's:
Take some acid
Graffiti the walls
Delete InstagramUmm...k...
I mean, joining an org can be good.
Doing things like mutual aid, reading groups, union support, and direct action that hopefully is a bit more focused and strategic than just tagging "fuck 12" everywhere.You absolutely should also join an org or at least work on long term projects with other people. These are exercises to get you to think of yourself as an actor rather than consumer, not a replacement for organizing.
Slack off at work
Okay I'm already doing this as much as possible and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get fired in December lol
Let's not fetishize spontaneity please. Read theory, get organized and join an organization.
That sounds like it would just fuck people over. You park, you don't pay because there's a sign, then you get a ticket anyway because the sign was fake. Want to challenge your ticket? That'll be a day off work and you might not win.
Yeah this was my first thought. You could always actually make it out of order, but now your vandalizing government property and are taking a a significantly bigger risk for something that is ultimately pretty petty
https://www.abcf.net/prisoner-info/
Folks like Marius Mason, Jeremy Hamond, Leonard Peltier etc.
I was making a lame joke by literally writing "a political prisoner"
Small scale de-commodification! It reminds you that de-commodifying food is not just possible in the future but right now
Yeah, it's a dopamine slot machine that also spies on you. It's just an easy way to refuse.
Then where do you take your dating apps conversations when they get promising? They see you're a real person, you don't give them your phone number… is this a volcel police moment?
They see you’re a real person, you don’t give them your phone number
Why not give them your phone number? You can always block them if they turn out to be weird, and it's a great way of saying "I'm a real person."
Idk, zoomer shit I guess. Also I mentioned that on Instagram you get a small glimpse of a person's life like what friends they have, what they like to do, if they have a job or go to school, etc.
Instagram is still not real life and all of that.
Hmm, that's a good point. I've met all my partners through activism or weird intentional communities, so I can't speak to that. Get a tindr burnr?
That doesn't solve the "is this a catfish" problem. I guess WhatsApp lets you post stories and make videocalls… but you can't see what type of friends they have (if any, because weirdos on dating apps) and at that point you're still using a Facebook product. I think volcelism wins this one :deeper-sadness:
Slack off at work.
Damn, I've been doing praxis and I didn't even know it.
