I am a bit amused by some of the comments here. Clearing out the cobwebs of mistaken thinking --- and I honestly think I've engaged with 17 forms (there's more) of such thinking on "the left" in this series --- is essential to moving forward in a positive/revolutionary direction. That was the goal of this series. I am on the editorial board of Refuse Fascism, which was formed right after sicko Trump's election, and I try to volunteer for Rise Up for Abortion Rights (RU4AR), which understands the war on abortion as part of a broader Christian white nationalist/neofascist assault on half of humanity. The communist group I can most personally recommend by far is the Revolutionary Communist Party or revcoms, on whose weekly YouTube show I recently appeared for the third time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjrEHv6Hjn0
Dear readers: I did not mean for the picture Substack has featured to be the featured photo. See the photo at the top of the essay - that's the photo I wanted to go out via email. The picture Substack has featured is meant to be seen only down in the text. Oh well.
well, just something technical. I think it has something to do with pixels/size of photos. I need to talk to somebody at this site about 3 or 4 technical issues.
This essay is another beautiful example of the fact that "The revolutionary reconstitution of society at large" is happening right here on Substack thanks to courageous writers/educators, like you and Chris Hedges especially, who are helping ordinary working-class readers like me "figure out how to birth a socialist revolution" by giving us the language to understand in plain English the Truth that after the basic requirements for survival are maintained, "the necessary task of societal transformation/revolution remains since there's no sustainable healthy and balanced life to be had for the masses in the apocalyptic world that capitalism-imperialism has made." The life-affirming way you and Hedges have articulated this vital point is reflected in one of my favorite passages from the work of Pulitzer Prize winning eco-poet Gary Snyder who wrote in Four Changes, a 1969 broadside distributed freely to those interested, "Since it doesn't seem practical or even desirable to think that direct bloody force will achieve much, it would be best to consider this a continuing 'revolution of consciousness' which will be won not by guns but by seizing the key images, myths, archetypes, eschatologies, and ecstasies so that life won't seem worth living unless one's on the transforming energy's side."
While I agree with much of what Street says, I cannot find a single, CONCRETE suggestion for how to organize/build the necessary revolution. Nor could I find on his website any examples of ACTIONS he has taken to do so. Therefore, I find your "figure out how to birth a socialist revolution" confusing. What have I missed?
Well John, maybe you're focused on the "Forest," so to speak and can't see the "Trees," i.e., missing the abundant examples of mind altering communication Street is broadcasting right now via print and Internet media. Articulating the crucial issues we face in the struggle to save the planet is hard work. That's where great writers and public intellectuals like Paul Street come into the picture, "manning the barricades," if you will, by helping others to see the situation in the light of wisdom informed by evidence-based research. In that important regard, Street has done a lot. With just two books--They Rule: The 1% vs. Democracy and This Happened Here: American Neoliberalism and the Trumping of America, Street has paid his dues in my opinion, and he continues to contribute generously with his informative writing on Substack. The birth of any action in the phenomenal world begins with a seed of enlightenment planted in the mind and Street is a true Johnny Appleseed in performing that essential service on behalf of the Common Good.
Well, what I cannot find is any kind of mass movement of workers who have been motivated by Mr. Street, or anyone else for that matter. Sadly, virtually all of the historical Left shares the Western view that infinite growth is the goal (more equitably distributed), and on a finite planet with finite resources that is impossible. Mother Earth is telling us, in no uncertain terms, that the game is up. It is only a matter of time before the curse of 'civilization' causes the collapse/implosion/explosion of societies across the globe. If ideology is to play a role in our species' survival, perhaps an updating and elaboration of Marx' treatment of 'primitive communism' is called for. Any groups of humans who survive the now inevitable cataclysms will live in some form of tribes, contained in their immediate surroundings, as our ancient, SUCCESSFUL ancestors did, before the successful destruction of hunter-gatherers caused by organized agriculture and animal husbandry, which produced surplus, and thus larger and larger populations, hierarchy, etc.
As far as Marxist/Maoist academicians are concerned, I would direct your attention to Ken Hammond, From New Mexico State University. Given Dr. Hammond's extensive appearances on alternative media, and his equally extensive record of political organizing, Dr. Hammond truly fits the definition of a public intellectual,but one that has flown under the radar, so to speak, and not become as well known as Noam Chomsky. If you are not familiar with Dr. Hammond, there is much out there on the web to familiarize yourself with his work. He makes an excellent interview subject.
I am a bit amused by some of the comments here. Clearing out the cobwebs of mistaken thinking --- and I honestly think I've engaged with 17 forms (there's more) of such thinking on "the left" in this series --- is essential to moving forward in a positive/revolutionary direction. That was the goal of this series. I am on the editorial board of Refuse Fascism, which was formed right after sicko Trump's election, and I try to volunteer for Rise Up for Abortion Rights (RU4AR), which understands the war on abortion as part of a broader Christian white nationalist/neofascist assault on half of humanity. The communist group I can most personally recommend by far is the Revolutionary Communist Party or revcoms, on whose weekly YouTube show I recently appeared for the third time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjrEHv6Hjn0
Dear readers: I did not mean for the picture Substack has featured to be the featured photo. See the photo at the top of the essay - that's the photo I wanted to go out via email. The picture Substack has featured is meant to be seen only down in the text. Oh well.
Must have been a “née-jerk” reaction?
well, just something technical. I think it has something to do with pixels/size of photos. I need to talk to somebody at this site about 3 or 4 technical issues.
This essay is another beautiful example of the fact that "The revolutionary reconstitution of society at large" is happening right here on Substack thanks to courageous writers/educators, like you and Chris Hedges especially, who are helping ordinary working-class readers like me "figure out how to birth a socialist revolution" by giving us the language to understand in plain English the Truth that after the basic requirements for survival are maintained, "the necessary task of societal transformation/revolution remains since there's no sustainable healthy and balanced life to be had for the masses in the apocalyptic world that capitalism-imperialism has made." The life-affirming way you and Hedges have articulated this vital point is reflected in one of my favorite passages from the work of Pulitzer Prize winning eco-poet Gary Snyder who wrote in Four Changes, a 1969 broadside distributed freely to those interested, "Since it doesn't seem practical or even desirable to think that direct bloody force will achieve much, it would be best to consider this a continuing 'revolution of consciousness' which will be won not by guns but by seizing the key images, myths, archetypes, eschatologies, and ecstasies so that life won't seem worth living unless one's on the transforming energy's side."
While I agree with much of what Street says, I cannot find a single, CONCRETE suggestion for how to organize/build the necessary revolution. Nor could I find on his website any examples of ACTIONS he has taken to do so. Therefore, I find your "figure out how to birth a socialist revolution" confusing. What have I missed?
Well John, maybe you're focused on the "Forest," so to speak and can't see the "Trees," i.e., missing the abundant examples of mind altering communication Street is broadcasting right now via print and Internet media. Articulating the crucial issues we face in the struggle to save the planet is hard work. That's where great writers and public intellectuals like Paul Street come into the picture, "manning the barricades," if you will, by helping others to see the situation in the light of wisdom informed by evidence-based research. In that important regard, Street has done a lot. With just two books--They Rule: The 1% vs. Democracy and This Happened Here: American Neoliberalism and the Trumping of America, Street has paid his dues in my opinion, and he continues to contribute generously with his informative writing on Substack. The birth of any action in the phenomenal world begins with a seed of enlightenment planted in the mind and Street is a true Johnny Appleseed in performing that essential service on behalf of the Common Good.
Well, what I cannot find is any kind of mass movement of workers who have been motivated by Mr. Street, or anyone else for that matter. Sadly, virtually all of the historical Left shares the Western view that infinite growth is the goal (more equitably distributed), and on a finite planet with finite resources that is impossible. Mother Earth is telling us, in no uncertain terms, that the game is up. It is only a matter of time before the curse of 'civilization' causes the collapse/implosion/explosion of societies across the globe. If ideology is to play a role in our species' survival, perhaps an updating and elaboration of Marx' treatment of 'primitive communism' is called for. Any groups of humans who survive the now inevitable cataclysms will live in some form of tribes, contained in their immediate surroundings, as our ancient, SUCCESSFUL ancestors did, before the successful destruction of hunter-gatherers caused by organized agriculture and animal husbandry, which produced surplus, and thus larger and larger populations, hierarchy, etc.
John, I agree with your comment and share your impatience; it's time to man the barricades. Viva La Revolution!
As far as Marxist/Maoist academicians are concerned, I would direct your attention to Ken Hammond, From New Mexico State University. Given Dr. Hammond's extensive appearances on alternative media, and his equally extensive record of political organizing, Dr. Hammond truly fits the definition of a public intellectual,but one that has flown under the radar, so to speak, and not become as well known as Noam Chomsky. If you are not familiar with Dr. Hammond, there is much out there on the web to familiarize yourself with his work. He makes an excellent interview subject.
Easy to criticize and to compartmentalize. Also fairly useless while perhaps some fun to read. But solutions are needed. What is to be done?