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Immediatism: Against the Corpse Machine

Defining a Post-Leftist Anarchist Critique of Violence

This is an analysis of both the constant presence of violence and its inevitable presence in projected future anarchist communities. The essay starts by describing the problem of the construction of non-violence, then describes the violence in our anarchist history. It analyzes a number of myths and perceptions, such as that "the People" are alienated by violence. The author, who here goes by Ashen Ruins, takes the case of Mumia as an example of how anarchists commonly, at least conversationally, fetishize and misrepresent situations that should not be described in terms of innocence or justice as these ways of seeing such situations are not anarchistic. Pointing out white supremacy throughout the essay, the author challenges anarchists to recognize the anarchistic acts of violence happening all around us, perpetrated by non-anarchist actors, everyday, and to have an anarchist analysis of whatever we encounter.

Concluding, he points out that "the idea of non-violence itself is a construction that serves specific ends. Just like the myth that 'you can't fight city hall,' its conclusions are conservative, restraining action rather than encouraging it. Further, framing the debate this way not only makes us look utopian, it also serves to funnel dissent into other so-called 'legitimate' or 'approved' channels, which also coincidentally validate the State, elections, power, authority, and white supremacy."

Read over six podcast episodes on Immediatism Podcast, Against the Corpse Machine can also be gotten at LittleBlackCart.com or found at TheAnarchistLibrary.org.

Feedback and requests to Cory@Immediatism.com

1 Episode 265
https://immediatism.com/archives/podcast/265-against-the-corpse-machine-...
2 Episode 266
https://immediatism.com/archives/podcast/266-against-the-corpse-machine-...
3 Episode 267
https://immediatism.com/archives/podcast/267-against-the-corpse-machine-...
4 Episode 268
https://immediatism.com/archives/podcast/268-against-the-corpse-machine-...
5 Episode 269
https://immediatism.com/archives/podcast/269-against-the-corpse-machine-...
6 Episode 270
https://immediatism.com/archives/podcast/270-against-the-corpse-machine-...