Questions to avoid catastrophe (in the UK)

Questions teased from the latest interview with Slavoj Zizek (The man of the moment)

we must talk in a rational and organized way
if not we head for catastrophe

what happens the morning after the revolution?
how will the ordinary people change
we need to imagine and build
the reorganization of everyday life
pragmatically
for all the people

food, clothing, shelter, wifi, power, water,
european accomplishments of
enlightenment and human rights

require a minarchist enforcement of human rights
to talk openly,
or the result is Le Pen and UKIP

we must recognize there is a problem
and perhaps then, respectively, ignore
each other
learn a toleration of distance,
not so far away neighbors
don't have to like them
but acknowledged as human
and different

true respect,
is respect from someone you don't like,
and don't understand

Zionist Anti-Semitism
war on some Jews, Trump administration
the era of paradox

the regression in public speech
we need to be dogmatic about certain things
(e.g "rape is okay because...torture is okay because... etc.)
No!
"i don't have to debate this guy"
he/she's an idiot

tragedy of public decency
The vulgarity of public politics
the point is keep it private
out of decency

private conspiracy theories
now out in public debate,
living in an era of regression,
hollywood dystopias reflect this


to exercise the cliche'
making fun between friends
poking fun at nationalism
builds commeradary

rare, rare but magic moment
of the miracle of communication

must explore the other....
see as the neighbor
remain a neighbor, not you

this line 'we are all the same'
no, we are not the same,
this can cover up racism

thats why need political
solidarity, humanism often
misidentified solely with empathy
we strive for human universality

human rights vs. citizens rights
(a certain community, customs, political code)
but universal human rights
above being citizens bound by
customs, community, politics
with certain (post-citizen) human rights
speech, freedom, so on.

who sets the argument standard?
immobility - mobility
occupy
what happens when 3 million
want to move to
Norway?

integration?
into OUR society, (Vico's conceit of nations)
do they want this? no,
they want their way of life
would you? how to integrate?

we must talk openly about these problems
to avoid and anti immigrant explosion

to what extent does freedom of movement
cover freedom of settlement?
employment? so on?

we must talk in a rational organized way
if not we head for catastophe

A tough question and a poem

To celebrate 100’000 blog views, a blog tough question, and a poem

I started writing this as a response to the question below, taken from an article that whizzed by on social media. Since starting i watched some Slavoj Zizek on youtube, and marveled at his diligent dance around philosophical questions, and then recalled his comments on punching a nazi, a theme of this blog, that i conclude to mean, don’t punch a nazi, please, it lowers any progressive movement and authenticity of the undeniable force for good. By using the oppressors method of violence. Zizek holds his place as public intellectual and comedic philosopher of our times IMHO.

“By definition, the antifa arguments are both radical and controversial. The unanswered question is whether liberals, moderates and others who oppose the radical right can learn something from the antifa activists’ confrontational stance. Or will the violent tactics they advocate only worsen tensions in a divided society and beget more violence?http://www.salon.com/2017/03/10/anti-fascist-radicals-liberals-dont-realize-the-serious-danger-of-the-alt-right/

Yes, the liberals, moderates and others who oppose the radical right can learn something from the antifa activists' confrontational stance, and yes, violence worsens tensions, and begets violence. The unanswered question can be answered with art, i think. Yes, in my humble opinion. Let me try to explain...art to mean and deeper/broader sense of the interconnection between things.

Anarcho-pacifism, to mean a kind of make crazy peace not normal war, love bombs, etc. Disruption comes in many forms. To build, artfully, can can say whatever it is you want to draw attention too by destroying it. Temporarily apply huge artificial cracks, fake smashes, and the illusion of destruction to any target, without actually breaking or damaging anything, permanently. A temporary augmented dystopia.

The world is watching, so put on a jolly good show out there. Who’s watching who? An umbrella, a funny 3D printed steampunk mask, general clowning, moving music, intricate beatbox, singing, tone-science experiments, dancing, and lion shit’s are all fun and games. The heart of the battle, the muddle of the political language of change, the language of class warfare, and the general left leaning humanism associated with it, seem to me, in the balance. To be an undeniable force for good?

What we need right now are artists united in a willingness to step to the front lines and translate this raw humanism into a new language we can all read. And that may make us laugh, or interrupt the tragedy of two valued global divisions. My main critique of the violent far-left type of anarchism is that it does not make me laugh. Or, it makes me laugh and then, later, feel awkward and sticky.

Although, i laughed out loud when i first watched the video of Richard Spencer getting sucker punched, a widely perceived deserved punch, to a neo-nazi. The meme 'punch a nazi" went viral in and a lot was said about by thinkers and provers alike. But, if violence leads to more violence, it must be stopped to go forwards. To be seen as a force for good, without question.

Next in my way, on my way to defending anarcho-pacifism is the obstacle brought to my attention about an incident of sexual harassment at a school. A girl was repeatedly harassed by a boy, snapping her bra, and somewhat ignored by the teacher, so she punched the boy in the nose, twice. Again, my first instinct is justice, and to think - here is an example of necessary force used, nobody has any permanent damage. Right on sister! However, i can't help but think of alternative scenarios here. What if the boy had suddenly died, less justification? What if it was the teacher snapping her bra, and who then got punched, more justified? either way here i am forced to think of an artistic alternative. For example: draw a picture, write a song, make a video, or cast a spell/poem into the heart of the matter. Much of the responsibility in this case was deflected and propagated by the teachers, and the justified response of the parent who leads the story with her narrative.

Thought #1: Slogans on bra straps that read "when is it not okay to punch a pervert? and signs all over every city war memorial that read: "When is it not okay to punch a Nazi? temporary signs and sigils, but please, nothing to physically damage property.

One problem, i have with physical violent retaliation, from experience, is that it depends on a 100 percent certainty you know from where the violence originated. In the moment, split second your senses tell you, roughly from what direction the punch came,  and from who. But you might be mistaken, cause another cycle of violence. I ask you dear reader to think, please think before physically striking anybody. Yet, if it comes down to it, be prepared to feel psychically self-defeated sometime afterwards. The gut instinct in these cases, after long consideration, was wrong. The goal is to stop the wheels, or change them for a new set, and then stop them. Non-violent civil disobedience is a friend of Art and in need of magick. Know thyself, love one another.

To live by example, to express charity, compassion and shared openness to others, perhaps even strangers, and leave no doubt in anybody else's mind that you are a force for good. For peace.

Tolerance, Brevity.

Poem by Steve Fly

tough minded and spirited saft

tender minded pacifists united

up the creek on a raft craft

everyone united artists

intuition counterparty to unique

the removal of

violence from all human relations

refuse to cooperate by it, resist

repeat general strike

'on your bike, take a hike'

psychically self-defeating.

to coerce by beating to reverse

the meaning of solidarity cooperation

mutual aid open thought

taoist targeting total state

either capitalist or socialist

the centralised control block

square solid unmoving

blubber state

wailing to oppose violence

tool of oppression, non-verbal

hatred in action

fascism racism and war-mind

factions other say a little provocation can

go a long way to social upheaval

knee jerk reactions

Music as a weapon

is a weapon in a pig pen

music weapon when a weapon

made of music

weapons weapons weapons

an artists stockpile of fantastic

weapons built to last and built to fight

against the forces of ignorance

of racism, greed, corruption, murder

and genocide

music is a weapon to fight fascism

music is a weapon

stolen from the musicians

sound weapons are used by government

sonic cannons are a thing

but can they sing and do they swing?

punching nazis weeping poeweapen.

punching nazis is not punching judo

it’s punch and judy

and getting all moody

whoever the crew be violence

crude 'G'

don't punch a fascist and don't

punch a nazi

try them trial them shame them

file them rehabilitate don’t hate

who can turn a nazi

better than the English paparazzi?

American Russian

see how the poem took a jab there

a punch in the nuts and guts

a slight lump on the figurehead

i see you reading me

what is this?

punching a Nazi

bop, right on the nose.

oh i do hope the blood doesn't stain

his nice clothes.

Hugo Boss at a toss?

look, here's the brain floss,

an eye for eye for an eye for a ear is wrong.

like a nose for a foot for a hand for a

toe for a tongue

my enemies enemy is your enema.

go suck yourself off in a

16 screen cinema

sinnerman sick of ya' yappin'

and clappin' sappin' and strappin'

floppin' and flappin' 'flippin' and

'strippin' the patience

out of friends

leaving the innocent with

a case of the bends

anger can be handy

but not on the brandy

and not on the candy

early on a sunday

better to run than risk breaking

that spine you so rigidly hold

on your back all the time

relax and don't punch

stretch out now don't hunch, get a healthy lunch

if you breath and

have water all's fine

if you visit the waterfalls finer

take a break don't worry

shut up look up fuck up

let the mindspray mindspray

book up

ideas into chapters

raptures vultures pecking

memory bleeding

seeding painful inner cactus

and barbed wire pasta

string of fishing-hook on toast

the sour shit sandwich

served up

and still i have a smile and a message of

good luck duck

don't do it

like a Gremlin after midnight

it makes them multiply and

justify such a violent psychology

both physical and mental

be gentle be a man, beer man!
awake from ideology

--Steven Pratt.

Amsterdam.

17/03/2017