Tag: activism
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Activists caught in the Filter Bubble
How personalization helps activists find each other while losing society Also published at Alternet. Eli Pariser’s new book The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding from You is a must-read for pretty much anyone who uses the Internet. Eli breaks down troubling trends emerging in the World Wide Web that threaten not only individual…
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Activism vs. organizing | reflections on Gramsci pt.2
In his essay Voluntarism and Social Masses, Antonio Gramsci argues that “the actions and organizations of ‘volunteers’ must be distinguished from the actions and organisations of homogeneous social blocs, and judged by different criteria.” He defines these “volunteers” as “those who have detached themselves from the mass by arbitrary individual initiative…” His language of volunteers…
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“World update: Strikes force Lady Gaga to postpone shows” (Wow, France… pt. 2: parroting)
originally published on November 1, 2010 In my post last week (Wow, France… Why can’t we do that here?!??), I asked, as the title suggests, what prevents the kind of broad, committed, collective action that we’re seeing in France from happening here in the United States. This is especially perplexing, given that their strike is…
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Wow, France… Why can’t we do that here?!?? (pt. 1: inoculation)
originally published on October 21, 2010 Do you ever look at newspaper articles about worker and student strikes in countries like France or Greece or Argentina-you know, the kind of activity that shuts down the whole country-and think to yourself, “Holy shit, that’s what I’m talkin’ about! Those people know how to protest!?” Well, I…
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Interview: Jose Vasquez on Antiwar Organizing & IVAW
originally published on September 30, 2010 Listen to the full interview with Jose Vasquez: http://www.google.com/reader/ui/3523697345-audio-player.swf?audioUrl=http://beyondthechoir.org/interviews/01_Jose_Vasquez.mp3 Jose Vasquez shares his journey from Army Staff Sergeant to Conscientious Objector to Executive Director of Iraq Veterans Against the War – and offers some reflections on organizing with veterans and GIs in today’s antiwar movement. To find out more…
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Is politics your home, or your car?
When I’m in my home, I want to be comfortable. I don’t want to live with people who make me feel ill at ease, or whose values I don’t share. I don’t want conflict. I take great care in making my “house into a home.” I hang things on the walls that reflect my personality,…
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“Would you like to come to the protest?” (What prevents radicals from acting strategically?)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fp8PNap2bo&w=480&h=385] And here’s the three-part essay: What Prevents Radicals from Acting Strategically? Ritual & Engagement Encapsulation The Story of the Righteous Few
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What Prevents Radicals from Acting Strategically? (part 3 of 3)
Reposted. Part Three of a three-part article from 2006, written in collaboration with Madeline Gardner. Read Part One here and Part Two here first. Many of us, when we become disillusioned with the dominant culture, we develop an inclination to separate ourselves from it. When we begin to become aware of racism, sexism, capitalism and…
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What Prevents Radicals from Acting Strategically? (part 2 of 3)
Reposted. Part Two of a three-part article from 2006, written in collaboration with Madeline Gardner. Read Part One first. And then here’s Part Three. Encapsulation While in Argentina in 2004 I interviewed Maba and Valde, a sister and brother from one of the Movements of Unemployed Workers1 groups, MTD Solano. Interviewing them separately, I asked…
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What Prevents Radicals from Acting Strategically? (part 1 of 3)
This article made the rounds on Z net and a bunch of Indymedia sites back in 2006. I wrote it in collaboration with Madeline Gardner. I’m reposting here in three parts, with no edits. Here’s Part Two. And here’s Part Three. And here’s the video. Ritual & Engagement It’s August and I’m back in San…
Jonathan Matthew Smucker 