The Revolution: Part 2

[HisDivineShadow]

Making fun of someone kinda depends on you having the moral, intellectual, or rhetorical high ground from which to sling taunts. Unless you're in middle school and it's all just about petulant bravado.

Which I suspect Phant is.

[Phantomgrift]

Nah.
If you have the moral, intellectual or rhetorical high ground, then you have enough not to make fun of someone in the first place.
And it's not about petulant bravado either. I have nothing to prove to anyone, especially here.

Like I keep trying to point out to people, here and elsewhere, I use the internet for amusement. Ergo, if I'm bored- Internet.

Maybe that makes me a luddite, but I'm willing to take that.

[Despanan]

[Zengus]

I have had occasion to deal with the NYPD numerous times. I've been stopped and searched more than once (explaining why you have a 14 inch knife to a police officer is never fun, even if it's just for fileting large fish!), called them to report violent crimes and request ambulances, and even been cuffed and arrested (which was very confusing because I was never charged with anything or ordered to appear in court, I was basically just thrown in a holding cell for six hours and then released, so I guess I was never technically arrested- that is a whole other topic, though). I have found that in the overwhelming majority of those experiences, they did not appear to have my best interests at heart or display any strong desire to help a citizen out. Dealing with them is like having the attention of a particularly disturbing vagrant fixed on you, like being under the gaze of a predator. If they are talking to you, you know it is generally because they are looking for any reason to ruin your day.

There have been some rare exceptions to this trend, but it is pretty obvious to me that there are huge problems with the way the NYPD conducts business, particularly in how they view the people they are supposed to be protecting. I hope something comes of this trial.

[Phantomgrift]

Actually Desperent, I'm not very big on technology.
I have the basics. Kitchen appliances, a computer, etc. But I've yet to get a smart-phone, an iPad or any similar device.
Off the top of my head, I can't think of any piece of technology in my household that isn't at least ten years or older.

My ideal dream would be to live completely off the grid, preferably somewhere in Alaska or a similar location. But that requires revenue and other such items before it can be turned into reality.

I mean, you claim to be an anarcho-socialist, but at this moment, you still engage daily in activities that are decidedly capitalist. Unless I'm mistaken and your shabby plays are being sent from some shared commune somewhere instead of downtown New York?

And dear Despie, have you yet to come up with anything more creative than an endless version of "Ur Dum Phantom!"
I mean, you can believe it with all your heart and soul, but that's not going to make it come true... Well, save for the little happy place you keep in your mind. There you can imaginate me to be whatever you want to be.

Like right now! I'm imaginating you as a plate of southern-fried steak!

[HisDivineShadow]

Hmm I should probably mention that I'm now in Boston doing my masters. Any of you guys wanna hang out sometime if you ever head to Mass?

BTW here's a surprisingly well-written article for us socialist hippies: http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-things-ri ... op-saying/

[Despanan]

Boston? Shit you're a short bus ride from NYC.

I rarely have the time/money to leave the city - but if I find myself in that neck of the woods I'll totally look you up. If you find yourself in NYC give me a ring.

As for what Christina said - I always find it silly that reactionaries seem to think they have a point by pointing out Anarchists who participate in society are somehow "Capitalists" by doing so.

Anarchism has it's roots in the labor movement. Durruti was a mechanic. Who sold his laborious as a mechanic. Was he suddenly a capitalist because he did that? No. Trading was around well before capitalism - as was the exchange of money for goods and services. It will be around well after capitalism is dead as well.

Tolstoy was a novelist. Tolstoy sold his novels. Does that make him suddenly not an Anarchist? How about Koprotkin? He was a freaking PRINCE and he founded Anarcho-Communism. Nestor Makhno was a peasant who herded sheep. When he and his army of Ukrainian Peasants were beating the crap out of the American and British backed White Army with machine guns mounted on chariots would he have suddenly gone: "Shit guys - turns out we're capitalists because we sold sheep. Everybody go home!"

The demand that an Anarchist commit social or (considering that capitalism uses starvation to enforce participation) actual suicide is a STUPID and disingenuous argument employed only by those people possessing one or both of those qualities.

[dexeron]

Exactly. Nitpicky bullshit is the last recourse of people without an actual argument to present.

[dexeron]

Oh Kaferbil.


HAY DESP, in one of the LJ political communities I frequent, somebody started talking about Occupy.

I thought of you while reading the posts by known conservatrolls over there talking about "OCCUPY CRIMINALS!" and the usual Breitbartian spiel.

[HisDivineShadow]

How long of a bus ride are we talking about here? I just started spring break.

Also, check your messages. I'm sending you a thingy.