The Joy of Alex Comfort: A Review of Eric Laursen’s Polymath

The Joy of Alex Comfort:  A Review of Eric Laursen’s Polymath

by Wayne Price

Original title: The Joy of Alex Comfort: A Review of Eric Laursen’s Polymath; the Life and Professions of Dr. Alex Comfort Author of The Joy of Sex.

Alex Comfort (1920—2000) is best remembered as the author of the bestselling The Joy of Sex. Not as many recall him as an anarchist and pacifist, who was also a significant poet and novelist, a medical doctor, an authority on mollusks, a founding figure in gerontology (the study of aging) as well as sexology, and a writer on humanistic views of religion.

Indonesia: Help Imprisoned Anarchist Writer Continue His Research

From Firefund

My name is Bima. I served time for possession of 15 kilograms of marijuana. I was active in the student movement and organizing the occupation with the homeless, as well as organizing anti-authoritarian prisoners in the formation of unions, while campaigning for the decriminalization of drugs. Since 2022 I have been on the list of the International Week of Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners, which is updated annually and can be accessed here.

Nicolas Trifon, Editor of "Iztok," has Died

From Union Communiste Libertaire
October 15, 2023

This Romanian anarchist, who had taken refuge in France, edited Iztok, a "libertarian review of Eastern Europe" from 1979 to 1991. Appreciated for his caustic erudition, he continued to write regularly for Le Courrier des Balkans.

Existence # 2/2023

From Anarchistická federace
October 17, 2023

In the autumn issue of the anarchist review Existence we decided to devote ourselves to a seemingly mundane topic – food. However, when we will take a closer look at food, we will find out that it has a huge range of dimensions. It’is surprising that it’s not more reflected in anarchist theory. We take food for granted a bit too much, but for many people in the world, even in the Western world, it isn’t. Therefore, food is viewed from many perspectives throughout the Existence.

What's New with Anarchy Planet IRC/Matrix

IRC the world!

Almost five years ago we resurrected the Anarchy Planet IRC in an attempt to create a new space for anarchist chat. Anarchy Planet IRC has been around in various iterations on and off since 2005ish or so. We're still around, only now we also have Matrix, a modern federated chat with lots of bells and whistles and GUIs for those who prefer those kinds of things. The two are bridged together--There are IRC-only channels and Matrix-only channels, and there are channels where the two are intertwined; you can join IRC and chat with Matrix users and vice versa.

Russian Activist Found in Moscow Jail After Disappearing in Kyrgyzstan

Russian Activist Found in Moscow Jail After Disappearing in Kyrgyzstan

From The Moscow Times

Russian left-wing activist and anarchist Lev Skoryakin has been found inside a Moscow detention center weeks after going missing in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan, the Memorial human rights group said Friday.

Strategizing for Palestinian Solidarity

From CrimethInc

Expanding the Toolkit

In the following text, a Jewish collective that has participated in the struggle to Stop Cop City explains why they are committed to solidarity with Palestinians and what it will take to halt the assault of the Israeli military on Gaza

Salish Sea Intifada

From Puget Sound Anarchists

Notes On Expanding the Struggle for the Liberation of the Palestinian People

The western world finds itself in shock at a colonial superpower being caught off guard by a spectacular attack – settlers and western spectators fanatically call for blood because of the implicit threat, we could be next.

On Gaza: “Now Is Not the Time,” “Moral Equivalency,” and “Liberalism”

From Center for a Stateless Society by Kevin Carson October 26th, 2023

So I come neither to praise liberalism nor to bury it. Rather, I call on anarchism, and on the socialist movement more broadly, to embrace and celebrate all of the best in liberalism, and to make ourselves the new bearers of all that is worth preserving in its legacy. In that spirit, I say now is always the time to criticize abuses of power, regardless of which side commits them. And the actions of everyone, regardless of side, are to be judged by the same moral standard.

MhTAC announces insurgent queer reading group in suburbs

So we are hosting a reading group, at the Prairie Cafe on November 18 from 10 AM to noon CT. To send the shivers of releasing power--the White Flag, surrender--through the profoundly closeted onlookers who will inevitably be horrified, and to awaken the warmth of autonomy--the Black Flag, transgression--in those who would dominate us and erase themselves. Our text is "White Flag / Black Flag: A Spiritual Anarchism Workbook," a work that explores the individualist anarchist values of self-liberation without the domination of others fused with classical Chinese literary structures of chance and choice.

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