"Your politics are boring as fuck."
This is the famous proclaimation from a group known as Crimethinc. I've heard of Crimethinc for some time, although had never really looked into the group or their "politics". Now that they are releasing a new book, I figure I might as well comment on this...eh, organization? What the hell can you even classify Crimethinc as?
According to Crimethinc's FAQ, the group was started in the 90s, which correlates well with the rise of Post Left anarchism in some circles. Thus far, their new book, "Expect Resistance", will be their third book to date. As to what exactly Crimethinc actually IS, well, that's a little difficult. Their explanation of what Crimethinc and its goals in their FAQ is so tortured it whoever wrote it should be charged under the Geneva Conventions. Basically, though, Crimethinc is a decentralized body dedicated to what they call the pursuit of a freer and more joyous world. How is this accomplished, you ask? Amongst other ways, by being poor, unemployed, shoplifting, dumpster diving, spray painting shit, etc. etc. You get the point. It's lifestyle anarchism, in a nutshell. Of course, trying to live "off the grid" isn't very productive, in my opinion. If you really want to do some damage to capitalism, it's going to take a lot more than feel good hippy nonsense like scrounging for bread scraps in the bottom of a dumpster and feeding off the scraps of capitalism and consumerism. It's Escapism, pure and simple, just like the hippy movement of the 60s was. Although hippies were iconic of the 60s, overall their numbers were pretty insignificant and small, and didn't really accomplish anything of value. Why? Because real change is going to come at a much bigger level than a dirty commune or squatted building. Their desire to distance themselves from established "Red anarchist" groups is a little strange as well. Hell, even Anarcho Capitalism has roots in Left Anarchism (Murray Rothbard was a fan of Goldman and Tucker, agorism, etc.)
Their critique of themselves is incredibly annoying as well. Many times they pretty much openly admit that the whole thing is merely a feel good organization. They try to be mysterious and vague about the organization and its aims whenever possible. Just take a look at the description for their latest book:
"Our third book is an exploration of the complex relationship between ideals and reality; a field manual for a field on which all manuals are useless.."
WTF?!
I don't know why anyone would claim allegiance to this group.
6 comments:
On the whole it doesn't appear as though street theatre does a lot for the common good of man. However, in reality, they are taking back the streets, they are living outside what the traditional bourgeoisie consider acceptable, and they are breaking down psychological barriers by engaging in 'illicit' activities. I like to compare it to a gateway drug, where the low level street theatre will eventually lead to bigger and better resistance.
Recommend you read expect resistance before passing them off as merely, 'lifestyle' anarchists. It has a great deal of information that has helped me dispel this type of opinion myself. At one point, I despised crimethinc and what I felt was a disservice to "real radicals". How foolish I was. Keep an open mind and an open heart.
with love,
Andrew
This is an absurd misrepresentation of many of the different projects that come out under the CrimethInc. name, and the author either knows this or isn't informed.
All right, guys, I accept your criticism.
My question now is this: what are Crimethinc's goals, and, more importantly, how do they intend to accomplish these goals?
For example, syndicalism proposes that organized labor will eventually be the catalyst for revolutionary change. Agorism proposes that we should "starve" the state while funding "the market" as a catalyst for revolutionary change.
In other words, what's Crimethinc's "game plan"? Every movement needs an objective, and just as importantly a means to reach said objective. This is the biggest problem I see with the group.
Have you read any issues of the CrimethInc. journal Rolling Thunder? From articles in that magazine, I'd abstract this basic summary of the methodology proposed throughout their material:
Without denigrating workplace organizing, they emphasize the building up of social networks and gift economies outside the workplace, so as to nurture a culture of resistance. One could look at Italy in the 1970s for examples of this on a large scale. It has drawbacks, like any strategy, but it makes sense for people in the US, where the economy is increasingly service-oriented rather than production-oriented and there is a sizable body of working class and lower middle class people facing totally meaningless lives.
That's the really short version. I think if you want a real answer, you just have to do the reading yourself. It's also important to emphasize that they're not talking about this as a strategy for everyone, but rather as an approach useful to certain people, so they can find their way to the right side of the barricades in the class struggle.
hey, guess what? your politics are fucking boring!
Post a Comment