jondwhite
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
There were SWP and SPEW leafleting and selling papers outside the event in Liverpool. The SWP had a specific meeting titled 'As Russell Brand calls for an uprising – Is a Revolution possible in Britain'.The event itself was interesting enough. One of the last questions posed to Brand was 'What do you think of the Zeitgeist movement'.It was an easy crowd for Brand to play to as most were in agreement with him. As Peter Hitchens has attested to, Brand is not beneath engaging in cruel mocking ad hominems with opponents. from 2012
Quote:[Brand] responded to my point about selfish rich kids with a tirade of personal abuse and the standard all-purpose false accusation of racial prejudice that is the universal sign of a person who has no good argument, and knows he has no good argument. As his voice rose to a whine similar to the sound of an ill-tuned hand-dryer, he railed at me for daring to work for a newspaper he didn’t agree with (and which caught him out in a piece of behaviour which doesn’t exactly redound to his credit). It is amusing to be accused of bigotry by someone who fulfils its characteristics himself.Mr Brand was one of three people that evening who chose to abuse me personally and crudely.Quote:He was also ingratiating, making various protestations of friendliness to me, which I politely but firmly rebuffed because I didn’t think they were genuine, and because I saw no reason to pretend friendliness towards him when I dislike everything he does.Quote:My summary of this exchange. Mr Brand seeks to patronize me, calling me ‘frustrated’, and later asking why I am ‘angry’. There is no doubt that he (having had the opening few minutes of Newsnight devoted to a film about his BBC3 programme (uninterrupted by me or anyone) and then a solo interview with Ms Flanders (also uninterrupted by me or anyone) is repeatedly interrupting me without the presenter making any effort to restrain him. His interruptions are destructive, in that he never waits for an answer to any of his questions but talks over the response, often with another question. And they are of course personally abusive (again unrestrained by the presenter). It becomes necessary for me to point this out, so reducing the time available to make my case.Quote:Oh, and Mr Brand made no attempt to kiss me, though he did stand too close to me and make yet more unconvincing protestations of friendliness, in a TV Centre corridor, after the programme. In the end, after I had had to back away from him, he said (rather more honestly) words to the effect that I was part of a dying breed and he wouldn’t be sorry when we were all gone, and I responded that at least that was his honest opinion.http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2012/08/no-kiss-took-place.html
LBird wrote:ALB, post #48, wrote:Most people will still be naive realists even in socialism…Because I’ve argued both that ‘workers need to understand epistemology’ (which ALB and alanjjohnstone seem to disagree with me), and that ‘Communists are responsible for not explaining to workers, rather than ‘workers are ignoring the socialist case’ (which YMS and jondwhite seem to be saying)
I think this is a misunderstanding, but I am not arguing ‘workers are ignoring the socialist case’ or workers do not accept the socialist party case because they have not heard it. Many workers hear the party case and do not accept it. I am saying I do NOT accept ignorance of the party case as the reason workers do not accept socialism.
ALB wrote:SocialistPunk wrote:The socialists/communists on this site and in the SPGB and WSM are a tiny minority among a minority, and we are drowned out by the mainstream. Every now and then a person looking for an alternative comes in contact with us or some literature, internet site and so on, and may decide to dig deeper. Only then are they in a position to be able to agree or reject.We are of course not the only people proposing world socialism (as a classless, stateless, moneyless world community, whatever the term used) as the alternative to capitalism. I'm thinking of groups like Zeitgeist and its offshoots, some Left Communists and Anarchist-Communists, even though they disagree with us over how to get there. So the position is not that bleak.
Zeitgeist also disagree with democratic control preferring control by 'technical experts'.
SocialistPunk wrote:SocialistPunk wrote:I say a major factor is the workers are underexposed to the socialist case, the case we push can't compete against the mainstream for attention. You seem to say, millions have been exposed and choose capitalism. What's your solution?[edit] YMS, I was hoping you would be able to provide some possible analysis to the reasons why milions of workers have conciously chosen to reject the socialist case?
Yep I don't buy the answer "we don't have socialism because workers haven't heard the socialist party message" either.
Occupied Times of London Issue 26 – October 2014 on the theme of "Apocalypse Now?" is now out (and was just in time for the Anarchist Bookfair)http://theoccupiedtimes.org/?p=13462The preview says (http://theoccupiedtimes.org/?p=13445) it looks at the struggles we face as we head into a rapidly evaporating future. A number of articles explore the many forms, histories and potentials of living and organising at the ends of worlds. To highlight just a few pieces: the centre spread of this issue was produced by libcom.org blogging collective Out of the Woods who have been writing compelling analysis for the past year about the politics and science of climate change. Larry Lohmann has written a piece examining the discursive framework of universal catastrophism presented by ‘apocalypticians’, warning against some of the voices who would sound the alarm of Apocalypse in the interest of political forms that are far from liberatory. Kerem Nisancioglu offers some historical context to the very notion of the ‘End of the World’, arguing that amid the turbulent breakdown of feudalism and the emergence of capitalist modes, many societies across the world based their politics around Apocalypse. Brian Tokar’s piece advocates for decentralised communities of resistance at the sites of environmental destruction as a foundation for the struggle towards climate justice. We were very excited to be able to interview feminist and political theorist Silvia Federici. The author of Caliban and the Witch and Revolution at Point Zero answered questions on reproduction, wages for housework, the nuclear family, elderly care, climate change and much more. There has been a troubling shift of focus away from the aftermath of Israel’s recent military offensive on the population of Gaza. In a spread which attempts to highlight action continuing to offer support to people in Palestine, Sami Çapulcu tells the story of London Palestine Action. A group formed one year ago, LPA aim to offer a more sustained horizontal approach to solidarity, taking action to stifle and oppose the everyday violence of life under Israeli occupation. There has been renewed focus on Palestinian-led calls for a Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions movement. This issue’s infographic offers advice to those wishing to be involved in a successful boycott of Israel. We also have articles written by members of two vital, current groups. Focus E15 recount the story of their campaign so far, following the successful occupation on the Carpenters Estate in Stratford, and an article by Drew Rose from Police Spies Out of Lives looks at recent revelations in undercover policing in the UK and delves into it’s broader historical context. PSOL was set up to support the legal action by eight women deceived into long term intimate relationships with undercover police officers who were infiltrating environmental and social justice campaign groups. Copies of OT26 will be distributed at events and within communities throughout the next two months. You can also find us on the shelves of various outlets across the capital, including Housmans, Black Gull Books, Banner Repeater, 56a,Freedom Bookshop, Cafe Crema and the London Review Bookshop. The full list of stockists can be found on the OT Stockists Map on our website. looks at the struggles we face as we head into a rapidly evaporating future. A number of articles explore the many forms, histories and potentials of living and organising at the ends of worlds.To highlight just a few pieces: the centre spread of this issue was produced by libcom.org blogging collective Out of the Woods who have been writing compelling analysis for the past year about the politics and science of climate change. Larry Lohmann has written a piece examining the discursive framework of universal catastrophism presented by ‘apocalypticians’, warning against some of the voices who would sound the alarm of Apocalypse in the interest of political forms that are far from liberatory. Kerem Nisancioglu offers some historical context to the very notion of the ‘End of the World’, arguing that amid the turbulent breakdown of feudalism and the emergence of capitalist modes, many societies across the world based their politics around Apocalypse. Brian Tokar’s piece advocates for decentralised communities of resistance at the sites of environmental destruction as a foundation for the struggle towards climate justice.We were very excited to be able to interview feminist and political theorist Silvia Federici. The author of Caliban and the Witch and Revolution at Point Zero answered questions on reproduction, wages for housework, the nuclear family, elderly care, climate change and much more.There has been a troubling shift of focus away from the aftermath of Israel’s recent military offensive on the population of Gaza. In a spread which attempts to highlight action continuing to offer support to people in Palestine, Sami Çapulcu tells the story of London Palestine Action. A group formed one year ago, LPA aim to offer a more sustained horizontal approach to solidarity, taking action to stifle and oppose the everyday violence of life under Israeli occupation. There has been renewed focus on Palestinian-led calls for a Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions movement. This issue’s infographic offers advice to those wishing to be involved in a successful boycott of Israel.We also have articles written by members of two vital, current groups. Focus E15 recount the story of their campaign so far, following the successful occupation on the Carpenters Estate in Stratford, and an article by Drew Rose from Police Spies Out of Lives looks at recent revelations in undercover policing in the UK and delves into it’s broader historical context. PSOL was set up to support the legal action by eight women deceived into long term intimate relationships with undercover police officers who were infiltrating environmental and social justice campaign groups.Copies of OT26 will be distributed at events and within communities throughout the next two months. You can also find us on the shelves of various outlets across the capital, including Housmans, Black Gull Books, Banner Repeater, 56a,Freedom Bookshop, Cafe Crema and the London Review Bookshop. The full list of stockists can be found on the OT Stockists Map on our website.- See more at: http://theoccupiedtimes.org/?p=13445#sthash.meMgXzc4.dpuf
Is this a quote or were you there Vin? As for Fortnum and Mason, maybe there was a heavy police presence because around a hundred people occupied the shop only three years ago in 2011.
Anything to divide the working-class. Couldn't they equally take the side of the less-abled against the more-abled, arguing the more-abled should be paid less?
Here's thinking outside of the box"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need"source, Marx in Critique of the Gotha Program 1875http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_each_according_to_his_ability,_to_each_according_to_his_needHere's one from the BolsheviksAccording to Lenin, “He who does not work shall not eat” is a necessary principle under socialism, the preliminary phase of the evolution towards communist society. The phrase appears in his 1917 work, The State and Revolution. Through this slogan Lenin explains that in socialist states only productive individuals could be allowed access to the articles of consumption.
The party used to organise dances going back decades. As for chess clubs, cafe etc, there's no reason why head office volunteers can't run other new social activities itself like the old Clarion Club. Some current branches already organise recreational activities.
