Millenarian Insurrectionary Hail Marianism
Invecchiare Selvatico Reflects On
Warlike, Howling, Pure
by Areïon
(published by Contagion Press)
"The early anarchist movement was galvanized by its many martyrs…
the anarchist martyrs bore witness to the beautiful idea…
anarchic life is born from anarchic death.”
- Areïon, Warlike, Howling, Pure
“Another word for divine violence is anarchy.”
- Areïon, Warlike, Howling, Pure
“This is the Way.”
- Areïon, Warlike, Howling, Pure
The clock is winding down and there seems to be no path to “victory”, no chance of “winning” (concepts only relevant for those stuck playing Their games). But no, wait… Could it be? Religiosity, self-sacrificial martyrdom, and agenda-infused opportunistic historical re-readings (what the author would likely dismiss as historical revisionism)… that’ll get us to freedom, to anarchy! Awe, well, um, ok? Warlike, Howling, Pure feels like an act of desperation, a last-ditch effort at some sort of ending-times anarchist final triumph or last stand, one that hopefully will not pull other lost souls into its hallowed and insurrecto-thiestic void.
But, before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take a step back and quickly trace the general path to this anarcho-rapture. First, many action-addicted and street-performing anarchists reconstituted their over-inflated revolutionary goals as insurrectionary (mostly a bad take on an earlier and more interesting Italian version), but most still believed in the inherently authoritarian project of Revolution and of transforming society to their particular idea of a “better world”. Then, some of the more sophisticated of the lot seemed to pay lip-service to criticisms by merely naming them and rebranding to “combative anarchy” and duped a new generation of wide-eyed pseudo-rebels and glorified activists to take to the streets for the “good fight” (a more edgy and militant front of the typical array of symptomatic left-oriented causes). And now, as a bleak darkness envelops, millennial-driven millenarian anarchism and the embracing of a religious warrior epic battle for anti-racist and anti-fascist glory is the latest vision in the desert of insurrectionary anarchism. Little has changed, except for the depth of depression, degree of delusion, grandeur in scope, level of exaggeration and bloated rhetoric. Like a divine message from the gods, Warlike, Howling, Pure opens up this new millenarian “cyclical phase”, which I would argue is actually sick-lical, monotonously repetitive, and spiraling downward.
Add to this bound text a disjointed, convoluted, and religiously-infused Forward by communist-flavored “insurrectionary” author Idris Robinson, someone who has written in previous work that they are apparently always in “pain” except when they are engaged in attack and who has continually pushed the idea of martyrdom. Now Idris’s “pain” is extended to everyone and everywhere with statements like “[Areïon]… demonstrates, incontrovertibly, that our everyday reality, is in fact, hell, in the most literal and concrete sense” and “what you are about to read is nothing short of a life or death struggle, over what is to live and what is to die”. Robinson goes on to further describe the righteous battle of heaven and hell (good and evil without being directly explicit), by offering what thirteenth-century mystic, Aziz O-Din Nasafi, supposedly “teaches us”, which when read through contemporary eyes follows a very similar march that Marx offers in which “all people must first enter hell to reach heaven”. Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!
In a moralistic millenarian-Marxism infused with hyper-religiosity and foaming-at-the-mouth fervor, Idris proclaims from the mount: “The directive is then as clear as ever: either burrow further into the deep recesses of yourself or the moment has arrived for the proletarians to finally storm heaven” and “as religious insight has repeatedly confirmed, hell is nothing other than individual torment without collective deliverance” and “whenever and wherever the exploited and the oppressed transform themselves into insurgents, rebels, and combatants, the gates are crashed, the oath is consummated, and all this is marked by the anointing of the messiah as the collective subject” and “the messianic is therefore a volatile tension constantly traversing the souls of the chosen”.
Then consider, for instance, Robinson’s glowing appreciation for and reprinting of Father George Willie Hurley’s adaption of the Ten Commandments with a list of “Thou shalls and shall nots…” which includes “Thou shall believe that the Ethiopians and all nations will rule the world in righteousness…”, and it is clear that Idris has a disturbing religious, communist, and insurrecto-messianic agenda. Combining Robinson’s forward with Areïon’s four essays which make up this short book, what you have is a recipe for something, in my mind, that is uninteresting, not very anarchist, and a little troubling. To be fair, Idris is far more troubled and troubling than Areïon, but still, Warlike, Howling, Pure appears to be a new depth of desperation and delusion from this particular camp, and comes regrettably from the otherwise provocative Contagion Press.
Obviously, there is an almost absolute and pervasive spiritual emptiness all around. Of course, this has been a deepening general crisis for over a century now (to some extent for multiple millennia), only magnified by science, rationality, politics, and most exponentially by technology, especially the virtual realm. But filling this hole with a millenarian religiosity of perpetual apostolic attack and endless rationales for martyrdom is just plain absurd. If this were a random wing-nut, or even a cute little cult, I could find some amusement in it all. I will admit that I appreciated early ITS and even found later “off-the-deep-end” and whacky incarnations (whether they actually existed or not) interesting on some perverse level. Hell, Charlie Manson gave me some chuckles from time to time and I must confess to a little crush on the bad-ass Sheela of Rajneeshpuram. The author of this book, however, is not some detached actor, but a long-term anarchist who is part of a developing sphere of theory and practice, which, for me, feels significantly different.
A Holy War, as detailed in the book or of any variety, is about as far from my reality as I can imagine. I am against civilization, not the projection and persecution of ideologically un-pure and politicized infidels within it. My spirituality feels unique and grounded in direct organic relations, not myopic thrusts of mythological chest-pumping warrior jiz. My shared spirituality feels intimate and penetrating, not rhetorical and opportunistic. My spirituality is the daily living of getting dirty. It is not removed, epically-driven, and merely metaphorically earthen. In my life, balancing and playing with belief, cynicism, uncertainty, and enchantment is essential in the way I relate to spirituality and is fundamentally at odds with any sort of Holy War.
Whether intended this way or not, Warlike, Howling, Pure reads like the beginnings of an anarchist holy scripture, despite any caveats or disclaimers. But anarchy is neither pious nor evangelical. It is heretical and dispersed. To try to convince others is already an annoying and conceited endeavor, but to suck people’s lives into a personal (or group) vision that is nothing more than another ideological and religious meat-grinding cause is atrocious. Why would we waste the precious little time we have being alive on the delusions of someone’s (or some group’s) desperate cause rather than figuring out, exploring, or remembering how to live freely?
Instead, I choose to carve out as much autonomy as I can outside, on the edges, and even amongst this messed up reality, on my own terms, with the people I love, anarchically not religiously. I’ll defend myself and our people and place on this earth to my last drop of blood, but I will never be a part of any righteous epic battle over what appears to me as another interpretation of good and evil, however its rationalized. Being willing to fight for our lives is much different than feeling an obligation to some larger struggle of cleansing the unrepentant in fire and blood.
It must be said, Areïon brings many important and interesting micro-histories to the table, and in a different context I would appreciate their sharing, but these stories tend to be used as historical fodder in the ultimate agenda of supporting their particular vision of insurrectionary anarchism. From various rebellious sects in ancient China to Spartacus in the Roman Empire to the Iron Column of The Spanish Civil War to a very opportunistic and thin painting of the Diocesan spirit (and animism for that matter), Areïon appears to have a clear goal in using these stories. This, of course, is always the case to some degree, we all do it, but I find their telling particularly manipulative, exaggerated, and predictable, as is the case with most would-be revolutionaries. For instance, just one of many over-stated claims is that the White Lotus Society “attempted to abolish distinctions between genders, and practiced mutual aid”, yet the only evidence of this in the book is the fact that, according to the sourced Elizabeth J. Perry’s “Worshipers and Warriors” in some factions “women were active fighters and group leaders” and “there is some evidence of cooperative economic activities… to aid the poorest participants in the struggles,” So, if that’s all it takes, I guess we are there?
Even when Areïon attempts to move on from the heavily-handed propagandizing of their reading of certain more distant histories and comes closer to the American experience and present times, they fall into an all-too-politicized and sadly too-familiar over-simplistic axis of diametrics: “Whiteness” and “anti-blackness” vs freedom and liberation. As if that is the only choice, the only way to view things, the only way to be situated, the only tensions, the only histories, the only way to respond, or the dominant description of our time. And often when they do this, they intensely project a solidified rationale and reasoning on the players of both sides of this forced and fabricated equation.
If only it were all so simple. If only there were a good and bad, right and wrong, victim and oppressor, then Areïon’s grossly simplistic “Antiracist Holy War” and anarchist millenarian jihad might warrant a second look. But we all know, whether we admit to it or allow it to muddy lame politics or derail thesis projects, that this type of opportunistic over-simplicity only feeds the beast and becomes the negative of what we are against, not to mention the argumentation of “anti-Whiteness” is parallel (with basically the same critique, metrics, and language, just maybe slightly-skewed to account for criticisms) to most leftists these days on the subject of race. It all begins to sound too much like NPR with the volume turned up real loud. Too limited a perspective for anarchists, too trapped, too controlled.
It really starts getting creepy, however, when the author begins writing about taking “loyalty oaths” and “declaring allegiance to all of those excluded” and marginalized by their declared (and offered by academia and activists) enemy in society: “Whiteness”. Deep bonds of trust between our kin (of all sorts and combinations) is essential, but their’s is an overlaid and projected loyalty that rises up to ideology, politics, religion, warfare, and even society in strange ways, not the creative decentralized lives entwined together in the mud and seed that I sink deeper into. Ours is familiar and tribal and anarchistic, not some vague movement of the oppressed holding people accountable for previous sins carried down from generation to generation. Sound familiar? Areïon’s rhetoric and reasonings reflect the vanguardist populism draped in religiosity, as well as the religious fundamentalism that has stained history with the blood of the unbelievers. Areïon has provided a volatile and blood-thirsty religious component for the knuckle-headed, bruit, obtuse, and unsophisticated ideas and actions of Antifa and other uncritical players and activists to use. Luckily, many of them probably don’t read.
Then enters the fire and brimstone, divine vengeance, martyrdom and personal sacrificial duties, and literal sacrifices to gods. And, just like God said to Noah, “Won’t be water, be fire next time!” Areïon assures us without missing a beat of their war-drum that “The fire is here and there is no escaping it” and that “hopefully” the new resurgence in “Spiritualism… will finally spill the blood that the vengeful dead demand. If not, the Furies will hound this guilty land with madness until its crimes are purged.” Not what I am looking for when I engage in a spiritual realm. I look to connect, not project.
Again, if this were some rando on the street corner with snot in their beard holding an upside-down and (perhaps) misspelled placard reading: “God’s Cumming Again!”, I might buy them a cup of coffee and chat a bit for shits and giggles, maybe. Or, I would attempt to avoid the hell out of them. In this case, however, I would say Areïon appears (in the book) to be playing on the fads, trends, depressions, misconceptions, distorted emotions, and the bad takes of so many pseudo-anarchists who are playing games of performance and desperation, in their evangelical attempt to brand their “Antiracist Holy War” and “divine violence” as “anarchy”. It is not. Their explorations in anarchism, adventures in the streets, and excursions in the occult seem to have led them to a very strange and empty place of exaggerated conclusion and dramatic explanation. Violence is not the problem. I have no qualms here. My issues are how and why it is justified and proposed (and most likely will never actually be acted upon in this particular bloody-battled way, luckily I guess).
Even the list of quoted authors has become all-too-predictable. Walter Benjamin, James Baldwin, W.E.B. Du Bois, Ursula K. Le Guin, Diane di Prima, John Brown, Franz Kafka, Deleuze and Guattari, Fredric Nietzsche, etc. (I wonder where Georges Bataille is?) have all made interesting and important contributions (some more than others). But when they are combined in this way, in this type of proposal, it all begins to feel like one continual project of propaganda for a specific flavor of revolutionary struggle, oh, I mean, insurrectionary anarchism, um, sorry, combative anarchy, I mean millenarian anarchism, whatever.
Yes, this world is ending, but to propose that people throw their bodies, hearts, minds, and spirits into its gears is absurd. To ask people to spend their lives preparing for an insurrectionary and apocalyptic bloody wave which will almost definitely never come (especially based on the current crop of hyper-domesticated cyber-humans) is infuriating. But, to attempt to convince people of the heroic value and necessity of martyrdom is inexcusable. Your Black Flame is another con job, another surrogate cause, another guilt-release valve, another act of posturing that will waste precious time, energy, and lives for nothing. Fiction is great, but that’s not how this is presented or intended. Odd, irrational, and even disturbing beliefs can be important, even much needed at times, but this comes off as all-too predictable chest-beating bombastic nonsense mixed with performative spirituality (the kind that religions are built on).
Then we get to the final chapter of Warlike, Howling, Pure, the one that ties it all together, what this was all leading up to, feeding into, Their Way Forward: The Black Flame. We are told that “Anarchy is a spiritual practice, whether its practitioners understand it as such or not. We may distinguish three interwoven currents within it: the devotional, the ancestral, and the initiatory.” First, thanks for defining anarchy for us; funny how it is explained exactly the way you sell it in your book. Oh wait, that’s how propaganda works, it binds things too tightly and grafts ideas, events, and situations to agendas for utilization. And again, spiritual emptiness is a no brainer, especially in this appallingly alienated techno-post-modern nothingness age. Atheism has always been an unfulfilling half-step, rejecting the ideological, moralistic, and authoritarian mindset of religion (a system that enslaves our spirit) but never filling that void with a uniquely individual or tribally-shared spiritual relationship of people and place. So yes, spiritual emptiness is a colossal problem, but stuffing it with this religious garbage seems highly opportunistic.
As with much of the book, there are nuggets, statements, and thoughts that resonate with me in isolation, that I even agree with, but they almost always direct us towards a place I abhor, and this final section is certainly no exception. For instance, I would agree with Areïon, that anarchy is “a force within the world—a spirit.” I often describe it this way, yet to call it “devotional” both traps it and forces us to submit to it, rather than it moving in us. It is not something to serve. It is not something to kill and die for (specifically). It is not a practice or a religion. It is an agent of chaos and freedom that cannot be reified. It is life itself: undefinable, unmolested, unrestricted, uncontrollable.
Even to talk of anarchy in historical terms, as is often the case with certain insurrectionary types like Areïon, seems opportunistic, for we know not, nor live in, those contexts. How it flowed within those anarchic moments and people is purely speculation and often later agenda-derived for propagandistic purposes, not for anarchy. And while I gain personal strength from the written histories and statements of rebellious anarchists like Giuseppe Fanelli, Louis Lingg, or Emile Henry (all mentioned in the text), they are of certain situations and mostly not very transferable or fully understandable to us, especially in regard to martyrdom (of which Emile Henry was absolutely opposed to). This making of propagandist lore is littered throughout the book.
As far as Areïon’s claim that “to name oneself an anarchist is to situate oneself within an ancestral lineage, of all those who have named themselves anarchists before.” Well, yes and no. Intergenerational honoring and exchange is sorely missing in most people’s lives, but this relationship is most potent closer to home, outside of identity, politics, or ideas than most anarchists are willing to reach and is more meaningful in more selective and situational ways than most anarchists move in regard to other self-declared anarchists. If we lined up most people who have called themselves anarchists throughout history, I would have very little to do with most of them, and the closer one comes to our current pathetic subcultural manifestation, the less so. I don’t relate to people who primarily identify with what has become (and in many ways unfortunately always has been for most) a political identity or ideology. My grandmother—riddled with many problems from my perspective—had more to teach me and was more deserving of my love and remembrance than most anarchists.
True rebels, outlaws, drop-outs, deviants, and creative spirits warrant more respect from me and more to pass on than puffed-up play-warriors in some imagined struggle for liberation, and definitely much more than the millenarian insurrectionary religious zealots of this type. The parts of anarchist history that most anarchists fail to remember are the endless repeated mistakes both in theory and practice or the marginally-known exceptions to this norm (see the publishing project Enemy Combatant for some insights here). In the digital age, when every previous anarchist’s thought and action is supposedly at one’s fingertips, why do most continue to skip over the vital parts, have lame generalized and superficial takes, sink deeper into collectivism and leftism, play political games, promote reform, or even worse, martyrdom?
This idea that in “understanding anarchy as an ancestral lineage… anarchic life is born from anarchic death,” follows and promotes this lame logic of intrinsic lineage and martyrdom. Perhaps Areïon is most direct here: “The willingness of the anarchists of old to kill and die — to be martyred — for the beautiful idea enters the realm of the religious, or more properly the devotional, from Latin devotio, to “vow downwards,” originally a battlefield vow to gods and spirits of the underworld of one’s own life in exchange for victory.” So the one thing that is truly our own, our life, we sacrifice for a victory we cannot share in—except in the spilling of our own blood which is promised to the gods? (What about the 72 virgins?) No. The spirit of anarchy does not ask such a sacrifice (or offer empty rewards). It is not a god. If it were, I could only have a heretical and adversarial relationship with it.
To risk our lives for freedom or defense of autonomy or even as some night-time anonymous attack against specific parts of the machine’s apparatus (including individual actors), for sure, but that is very different than the religious martyrdom of some sort of notion of eternal glory and righteousness, I leave that for the multitude of fundamentalists and their endless wars. This all reminds me of a horrible take on the war in Palestine called “Gods Of Gaza”. It had very similar language and ideas as Warlike, Howling, Pure. It glorified Hamas and considered them part of a righteous “Axis of Resistance” (of which the authors situated themselves and anarchists within) which will eventually prove victorious across the globe, and soon! There was so much to criticize in the piece that it overwhelmed me. I burned it during a spontaneous pyre while the eclipse was occurring this past Spring, not as a sacrifice or offering, but as a heretical show of disgust for this type of thinking. My black sun and theirs seem to mean very different things, but that is another story.
The book continues on with Areïon’s faithful cult-like ideas on so-called “anarchist initiation”, filled with “secret rites and symbols, whose mystical significance can only be truly understood by the initiated.” I would agree, anarchy is not for most domesticated humans, but not because they are not anointed in some holy fluids or not in possession of the sacred and ordained black mask that is suggested. Despite its relative simplicity, anarchy is sadly over most people’s slavish heads (situationally not inherently). We are not proselytizers, we live anarchy, but we also are not a cult of those who hold the true wisdom either, mystifying the profane for only the high priests and prophetesses to comprehend and disseminate, making it sacred and removed from the dynamic elements of life. We are not the divine keepers of the holy Black Flame, nor carriers of the corny black and red banners, we are anarchists. We live anarchy, here and now.
As the book concludes with “Eternal Fire”, even when they describe interestingly immoral and more deviant historical (or possibly mythical) situations, martyrdom, self-sacrifice, and dutiful offerings of our blood for what Areïon has turned into a crusade of purity and righteousness is once again the main point, including very loaded and laughable statements like “May Day, the greatest of anarchist holy days”. May Day has never been that important of a day for me, no matter how hard I tried or it got pounded into me. The workerist and martyr angles never got me off. I suppose I can appreciate Beltane a little more, but still, it is not my holy day. I am left to pick through the detached and discarded refuse and make my own micro-cultural points of meaning with people I love.
I want to be absolutely clear: violence, revolt, belief, and spirituality, are not my problem here at all. In fact, they all are important elements to my very being and my relationship to anarchy. Even elements of myth-making, cult-like affinity, and ceremony can be interesting at times in certain ways. It is the “why” and “how” that I take issue with Areïon’s offering of Warlike, Howling, Pure. In times of deep desperation, millenarian, apocalyptic, and martyr-fueled ideas and actions are not uncommon, but as anarchists, they offer absolutely nothing but cautionary lessons. They are only relevant to religious zealots, political opportunists, or hyperbolic rhetorical posturing. “Warlike” is for people fighting for power, “Howling” can be authentically wild, but for most domesticated humans is usually just a bunch of self-aggrandizing hot-air, and “Pure”, well, this is the no-brainer concept anarchists should run from or attack.
So, the clock is ticking, all odds are stacked against us (especially if your lame goal is to transform society into your self-righteous vision of it, rather than fight for your autonomy and freedom from society and for those you care about), Areïon goes back to throw a last-ditched attempt at a millenarian insurrectionary hail Mary pass made of morality, religion and ideology, proposed with fiery rhetoric and opportunistic readings of history and myth, and filled with martyrdom, convoluted ceremony, and your anarchist blood…. Hmmm. Can you say blitz!
(Sorry for the sports reference,cI actually loath most forms of professional competition, but it seemed fitting.)
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* Invecchiare Selvatico was a primary editor and writer for Green Anarchy magazine and is the author of Black Blossoms At The End Of The World available from: www.underworldamusements.com or from the author: nazelpickens@gmail.com or PO Box 316 Williams, OR 97544
Comments
Holy shit, what an annoying
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 06:46
Holy shit, what an annoying writing style. Also ironically moralist and 'orthodox' for someone claiming to be the opposite of both those things.
can you explain what is
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 08:28
can you explain what is "moralist and orthodox" about it?
or do you just mean opinionated?
or do you just throw out words as blunt weapons because you don't know how to use them?
and what about the style rubs you the wrong way?
my guess is, how do the turds with opposable thumbs say it?
tldr
I also have opinions.
opinionist (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 09:38
I have opinions as well.
I can't wait to order this
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 10:02
I can't wait to order this book from Contagion so I may develop my own as well.
Based on this review, I am sure I will agree with parts of it, and much of it not.
Happy readings!
More opinion
Jeff (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 10:46
This review reads like a jealous rant.
jealous of what? martyrdom?
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:24
In reply to More opinion by Jeff (not verified)
jealous of what? martyrdom? self-sacrifice? delusion?
Not OP, but the author of
Ay Non (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:31
In reply to jealous of what? martyrdom? by anon (not verified)
Not OP, but the author of this review admits there is an all pervasive spiritual emptiness, so the vitriol toward someone’s personal approach to spiritual anarchy gives serious ressentiment, or even yes, jealousy
it seems like the book is not
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:38
In reply to Not OP, but the author of by Ay Non (not verified)
it seems like the book is not a personal approach as much as a religious one, which is NOT personal.
how is an anarchist writing
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 02:30
In reply to it seems like the book is not by anon (not verified)
how is an anarchist writing about their spiritual interests not personal?
i'd say the difference
anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 07:33
In reply to how is an anarchist writing by anon (not verified)
i'd say the difference between "religious" and "spiritual" is doing some heavy lifting here, and it doesn't seem to be a difference that areion acknowledges, for whatever that's worth.
acknowledges, but feels like
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 08:32
In reply to i'd say the difference by anonymous (not verified)
acknowledges, but feels like shallow words when applied to the concepts. kind of what the reviewer seemed to be getting at when talking about "lip service", etc
This is why Nishitani is such
Zhachev Thu, 08/29/2024 - 17:11
In reply to acknowledges, but feels like by anon (not verified)
This is why Nishitani is such a pivotal thinker. His definition of religion is the best I've ever come across and part of that effectiveness is the grace with which he weaves together the threads of religion, spiritualism, and individualism.
Basically, for Nishitani, creating, developing, and honing ones own culture and religion, a religion and culture uniquely recognizable to each individual, is what every individual should aim to accomplish when confronted by these long-running and often totalizing practices.
"Practices", no, institutions
Zhachev Thu, 08/29/2024 - 17:12
In reply to This is why Nishitani is such by Zhachev
"Practices", no, institutions...
creating the idea of an anti
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 08:31
In reply to how is an anarchist writing by anon (not verified)
creating the idea of an anti-racist holy war as part of a larger anarchist praxis linked forward and back to insurrectionary movements seems more than personal. martyrdom, as a concept links in this way extremely. if this was truly a "personal" spiritual endeavor, even involving very similar terrain, it would look very different. is it a personal description, yes, but not goal.
so individuals cannot have
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 14:26
In reply to creating the idea of an anti by anon (not verified)
so individuals cannot have histories, futures, analysis or ambitions?
This is hilarious.
anon (not verified) Thu, 08/29/2024 - 14:59
In reply to Not OP, but the author of by Ay Non (not verified)
This is hilarious. “ressentiment”. I love how trendy this word has become in an attempt to pretend you have read what you didn’t and tossed at everything you don’t like or comprehend. I did not read anything in this review that smelled remotely like jealousy or the mostly misunderstood “ressentiment”.
Resentment-jacketing is the
Zhachev Thu, 08/29/2024 - 15:44
In reply to This is hilarious. by anon (not verified)
Resentment-jacketing is the latest trend among the toothless last men, besides using weird as a pejorative (which, random, reminds me of how little engagement Ramon Elani got with his book on the matter).
Resentment is only equivalent to ressentiment in circles of Nietzsche readers who adhere to its usage and whwn they say resentment it has the exact same definition. However, in natural parlance, resentment is closer to a certain notion of envy, jealousy, fragility, mental illness, etc.
In fact ressentiment is a word employed as part of an attempt to reconcile an opposition. Sentiment for Nietzsche was the noble, life-affirming creation of values, concepts, and things from scratch. Ressentiment is the bastard step-child of sentiment who was cruelly shunned by his father his whole life. During the experience of the suspension of ones subjectivity, there is a flailing and a grasping that happens when one realizes they will drown if they don't swim, so they reach out for ressentiment in a panic while trying to recompose. The defining factor is not that the person experiencing ressentiment is angry, jealous, cucked, what have you—at least not necessarily—but that in that state of suspension, the aftermath of marooning, any ol' sentiment will do. So the individual often undertakes a mimetic process and becomes ressentiment. But even Nietzsche understood this can be part of the path to becoming a dancing star.
Even More Opinions
Jeff (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 15:21
In reply to jealous of what? martyrdom? by anon (not verified)
Of another person's book selling better, or written better, or maybe just jealous of the attention it's getting. It says everything about the "no gods no masters" cliche that the only relationship to the numinous you can conceive of is a servile one and nothing about the rest of us .
annoying af
Ángel (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:11
Heavy boomer vibes, especially at the begging. I did force myself to not skip through the rest, but almost punched myself in the face while trying to relate to the internal desert the writer points to as being ‘actual’ anarchy.
boomer vibes? that's just
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:28
In reply to annoying af by Ángel (not verified)
boomer vibes? that's just plain stupid mass-cultured pop-criticism.
go ahead and punch yourself in the 'external' desert that is your precious social anarchism.
why can't these boomers just
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:42
In reply to boomer vibes? that's just by anon (not verified)
why can't these boomers just text their criticisms?
I do appreciate your past
Ángel (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 13:14
In reply to boomer vibes? that's just by anon (not verified)
I do appreciate your past contributions to @ discourse. You really starting to sound like Ted K rn tho
please expand (in detail) so
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 13:19
In reply to I do appreciate your past by Ángel (not verified)
please expand (in detail) so real conversation may take place.
This review reads like all to
Ay Non (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:27
This review reads like all to familiar ranting of some boomer who takes it personally whenever anyone’s personally trajectory points somewhere other than homesteading sorry I mean a land project sorry I mean rewilding. This the type of shit that has people turning into “don’t tread on me” style sovereign citizens.
wait… green anarchy…
Ay Non (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:28
In reply to This review reads like all to by Ay Non (not verified)
wait… green anarchy… underworld amusements… WILLIAMS,OR
Ok this checks out
what does that even mean?
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:34
In reply to wait… green anarchy… by Ay Non (not verified)
what does that even mean?
they ain't no self-sacrificial martyrdummies...
so the people who are
anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:32
so the people who are complaining about tone and style, are you disagreeing about the point about martyrdom? about writing that uses examples primarily or entirely for an agenda?
can you say something more substantive than tone-policing?
well the majority of the
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:38
In reply to so the people who are by anonymous (not verified)
well the majority of the critique here is really just about a certain tone (bombastic, vehement, or worst of all…. with intent) displayed by the book’s author.
no, it seems the critique is
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:41
In reply to well the majority of the by anon (not verified)
no, it seems the critique is about religiosity (antiracist holywar), martyrdom, historical revisionism, etc.
the darkness criticizes the
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:33
the darkness criticizes the wolf for howling at the moon
the poodle never steps
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 12:03
In reply to the darkness criticizes the by anon (not verified)
the poodle never steps outside
did someone train chatGPT how
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 11:42
did someone train chatGPT how to write like a grumpy post-left anarchist?
did someone train chatGPT how
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 13:12
In reply to did someone train chatGPT how by anon (not verified)
did someone train chatGPT how to write nothing responses?
>>write pompous screed
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 14:22
In reply to did someone train chatGPT how by anon (not verified)
>>write pompous screed
>>get mad at trolling responses
>> spend all day on Anews waiting desperately for approving comments
>>assume you know what's
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 15:53
In reply to >>write pompous screed by anon (not verified)
>>assume you know what's going on
>>post it online
>>never have to actually engage with anything
I think I don't share the
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 12:34
I think I don't share the reviewers' individualist [anti]politics, but they are quite open about them in a way that makes me think I also wouldn't be impressed by the book, though maybe I'd find it interesting. That doesn't mean it might not become influential though given the hodgepodge of Relevant Things which seem to be assembled to elaborate the project.
I don't find myself opposing martyrdom or sacrifice on principle even if I don't find myself willing to practice it. The reviewer is clear that their rejection of those things puts them at odds with many people including many anarchists.
Worth noting that secular anarchists like Malatesta nevertheless understood national liberation wars as a kind of legitimate "Holy War" (their words!). Of course, these anarchists were communists tho.
https://archive.elephanteditions.net/library/errico-malatesta-anarchist…
Idris is an Ill Will affiliate (and a philosophy professor), which also doesn't give me confidence I'd find the book sound, though they've done things I like before…
The release announcement for reference:
https://anarchistnews.org/content/announcing-warlike-howling-pure
Finely, an intelligent
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 12:42
In reply to I think I don't share the by anon (not verified)
Finely, an intelligent comment, maybe more to follow.
thank you for not assuming
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 13:36
In reply to I think I don't share the by anon (not verified)
thank you for not assuming that Idris uses he/him pronouns. Anarchy depends on people not using harmful markers to talk about people
If I may offer a little free
Rabbit (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 14:16
In reply to thank you for not assuming by anon (not verified)
If I may offer a little free advice, don't let perfect get in the way of the good, otherwise you'll never fire off any good slanders or insults against fellow anarchists with a slightly different perspective than you for no reason other than your own personal entertainment and smugness.
If calling people names is
Darndest Thing (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 14:39
In reply to thank you for not assuming by anon (not verified)
If calling people names is sufficient for anarchy, you already know who I'll be voting for this upcoming American shit selection. Anarchy to me is when I call you a little fucker and tell you get off my damn lawn.
Shit like this makes me miss
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 15:45
Shit like this makes me miss Aragorn! This is basically the Temu version of what he would have said. Budget ass critique
Big words.
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 15:51
In reply to Shit like this makes me miss by anon (not verified)
Big words.
Back them up with an actual critique of what is written, if you can, not more name-calling and name-dropping.
Aragorn! (RIP) would have put this book out as a way to provoke actual discussion, but not a serious proposal.
... and what the fuck is Temu?
Temu is a meme used by the
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 18:26
In reply to Big words. by anon (not verified)
Temu is a meme used by the terminally online to say something is cheap quality (foreign/overseas) garbage. Beware nationalists, technophiles, and no-lifes when encountering this term.
Thank you. That is helpful.
anon (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 18:47
In reply to Temu is a meme used by the by anon (not verified)
Thank you. That is helpful. It figures that that would be the kind of empty and hyper-alienated cyber-insult hurled as a reactionary response.
I have read the book. I have
goathair (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 15:45
I have read the book. I have now read a review of it that I find interesting and with the exception of some details, generally find myself sympathetic with, yet all I see here in the comment section is a bunch of idiotic back and forth. Is that the extent of the anarchist scene at this point? Surface games. Does anyone actually want to talk about what is brought up in the book and the review, because they do seem to be important things to discuss for anarchists, especially those of us at the insurrectional end of things.
I haven't read it but this
lumpy (not verified) Tue, 08/27/2024 - 23:26
In reply to I have read the book. I have by goathair (not verified)
I haven't read it but this review is a well-articulated version of a critique of martyrdom that i tend to recognize
it's from a good faith place, it makes good points, the writer presumably doesn't want to see bright young folks hurling themselves in to the abyss. those of us who've been around awhile and aren't pathological cult leader wannabes, we all get sick of watching the queue of smart, often desperate and disturbed kids, following the pied pipers in to battles they have no capacity to fight
it sucks. it scrapes rusty razors over what's left of my soul.
BUT my own take is that it's a bit strange to locate the responsibility for this ... banging on the social war drum anywhere but the billionaire scum who declared the class war on all of us. so you hate martyrdom? hey, me too!
not going to do it? good.
going to try and talk people out of it? good!
pissed off because it's going to keep happening? you should be!
why is it happening? because capitalism is causing the climate apocalypse,
not ill will editions and their purple prose
damn, lumpy, you know i hate
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 08:37
In reply to I haven't read it but this by lumpy (not verified)
damn, lumpy, you know i hate it when i mostly agree with you.
haha yeah, your most sincere
lumpy (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 09:56
In reply to damn, lumpy, you know i hate by anon (not verified)
haha yeah, your most sincere backhanded compliment
"[T]he writer presumably
Zhachev Thu, 08/29/2024 - 15:52
In reply to haha yeah, your most sincere by lumpy (not verified)
"[T]he writer presumably doesn't want to see bright young folks hurling themselves in to the abyss."
This is ressentiment.
Heidegger on the topic of
Zhachev Thu, 08/29/2024 - 16:04
In reply to "[T]he writer presumably by Zhachev
Heidegger on the topic of thrownness speaks a lot to this notion of supposed agents "hurling themselves". I don't want to see bombs hurled on youth anywhere, anytime, but somehow fighting against that makes one monstrous in the eyes of the anarchist pacifists. The amount of moralizing by anarchists around these issues is jarring. If you don't want to fight, that's your prerogative, but where do end up throwing the rebel out with the bathwater?
Sorry to mention to fascists in one post but Mishima approached these questions in a very interesting way that is begging for an anarchist counterpart. Not immediatism persay, but the unity of word and body via sun and steel.
How many names can you drop
anon (not verified) Thu, 08/29/2024 - 18:29
In reply to Heidegger on the topic of by Zhachev
How many names can you drop in one thread that you haven't actually read or understand?
Thrownness is where Dasein always already finds themself. It does not speak to "supposed agents "hurling themselves"" into danger, milieus that do not want them around, the backward application of bombs in sentences poorly constructed, toward the horizon which recedes, or toward death. If you actually read half of the thinkers you name drop you might just have something interesting to say.
You, Z, could be well served to take one lesson from Mishima, however when he found himself faced with defeat and the insatiable yawn of nothing: seppuku.
Totally, Commander. It's just
anon (not verified) Thu, 08/29/2024 - 19:23
In reply to What are you talking about? I by Zhachev
Totally, Commander. It's just like Gandhi said about violence. It's not always "get out my ashram or catch these hands" but existential dread will often arise like in Dune during the plight of the Fremen. Not that I'm saying we should be drinking our own urine. But it's a thing according to the Vedas. Oooh-rah!
Dasein, Being, horizons, and
Zhachev Thu, 08/29/2024 - 19:24
In reply to What are you talking about? I by Zhachev
Dasein, Being, horizons, and possibility are all concepts I'm ultimately hostile towards but that doesn't mean I'm not capable or not allowed to deploy them as concepts.
Heidegger wasn't a pacifist haha, at all. Heidegger does not provide a clear justification for any form of violence that could coexist with "authentic" (another gross concept) existence. His philosophy emphasizes the importance of authenticity, being, and existential engagement, which is "life-affirming". For Heidegger, "authentic" existence involves confronting one’s finitude and making choices that reflect a genuine understanding of Being.
He is critical of modern technological thinking, which he believes reduces individuals and nature to mere resources, leading to dehumanization and potentially justifying violence. Such a calculative mindset stands in stark contrast to an authentic relationship with existence. Heidegger's philosophy suggests that acts of violence often stem from an avoidance of existential responsibility and undermine deeper engagement with the self and others. But he certainly doesn't ever imply that's it's only function, nor do his own biographical events. Heidegger’s own historical involvement with the nazis complicates any defense or detraction of violence, onecmay accusechim of, as he later reflected on the ethical implications of his positions. He never explicitly outlines forms of violence that might align with "authentic" existence, but he was a literal nazi. In his later work he doesn't go the other way, either.
Anyway, I'm not pushing Heidegger or Mishima. I just thought to mention throwness (which itself is from Kant, no?) and Mishima's vitalism.
But yes, also agree, a botched seppuku doesn't accomplish what he promised it would.
You are a moron who's
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 08:59
In reply to Dasein, Being, horizons, and by Zhachev
You are a moron who's consciousness has been stultified by modern fragmented data overload. Heidegger spent years in isolated wildernesses, he lived cerebral primitivist-esque existence IRL beyond what Zerzan ever experienced living with his mom in an academic bubble!
Dasein is a theory of liberating proportiions for humanity
Nazi Hermit (1/2)
Zhachev Fri, 08/30/2024 - 10:38
In reply to You are a moron who's by anon (not verified)
Assumptions in Heidegger's philosophy should be challenged to open up discussions about language, subjectivity, and ethics. At the heart of Heidegger’s philosophy is the question of Being, which he sees as essential for understanding human existence. In "Being and Time", he argues that a fundamental engagement with the nature of Being is necessary for authentic living. This focus on Being tends to lead to a metaphysical essentialism. It implies that Being is treated as a singular truth that oversimplifies the complexities of human experience. By prioritizing one overarching understanding of existence, Heidegger overlooks the plurality of meanings that characterize human life and the intricate ways in which individuals relate to their world.
Language occupies a central position in both Heidegger’s and more contemporary philosophies, yet treatments of this concept diverge significantly. Heidegger acknowledges language as a crucial medium through which Being is revealed, oscillating between regarding it as a mere instrument and as a deeper ontological revelation. This ambivalence reinforces a dichotomy that separates thought and language from their contexts. This oversight limits understanding of how language does not just express reality but actively shapes it. Philosophy must engage with the ways language constructs meaning rather than merely reflecting it.
We should also be skeptical of Heidegger’s rejection of metaphysics, particularly his discussion of “onto-theology.” He critiques Western metaphysics for using theological frameworks to dominate Being, yet his dismissal replaces one metaphysical framework with an equivalentsy—namely, a new ontology centered solely on Being. Heidegger does not sufficiently address implications of metaphysical constructs, imploding, perpetuating power dynamics rather than exploding, dismantling them. But we need to consider the complexities of these frameworks and how they influence societal structures and relationships.
The concept of subjectivity anchored in the notion of Dasein serves as a focal point for understanding human being but there is an argument that this emphasis can lead to an overindulgence in individual subjectivity that neglects the collective and relational dimensions of life. Heidegger’s framework creates a narrow interpretation of existence that doesn't capture the richness of human relationships and the contexts in which identities are formed. This critique insists on the need for a more expansive understanding of Being that includes social, historical, and relational dimensions.
While authentic existence supposedly arises from a rigorous engagement with Being, such a focus may inadvertently align with a narcissistic individualism which often prioritizes personal success over community. This inherent tension prompts a reevaluation of the ethical dimensions of Heidegger, one that might emphasize the importance of community and sociality in understanding what it means to exist "authentically".
There's also plenty of gendered bias within Heidegger’s existential framework that privileges traditionally masculine qualities—such as mastery and isolation—over those culturally associated with femininity, such as relationality and care. By spotting this bias, the lack of account for gendered experiences must be recontextualized within any discussions of Being.
Nazi Hermit (2/2)
Zhachev Fri, 08/30/2024 - 10:38
In reply to Nazi Hermit (1/2) by Zhachev
The concept of "poor-in-world" reveals its limitations by also highlighting the risk of fostering an overly individualistic perspective that neglects the complexities of human relationships and social contexts. Heidegger emphasizes an authentic engagement with one's surroundings, but often inadvertently promotes solitude and introspection at the expense of recognizing the interconnectedness of our experiences. The notion raises questions about privilege and accessibility. A more inclusive philosophical framework is needed—one that embraces the rich tapestry of relationality and acknowledges the diverse environments that shape our identities, ultimately advocating for a deeper understanding of "authentic" living that recognizes the indispensable role of community and shared existence.
Heidegger’s notion of a singular, unified world presents a substantial limitation by inadequately accounting for the pluralistic and fragmented nature of human experience, as understood through a perspectivist lens. By centering his philosophy on a singular “world” that individuals engage with, Heidegger overlooks the innumerable ways in which diverse social, cultural, and historical contexts shape distinct realities and interpretations of existence. This singularity essentializes human experience, disregarding how individual perspectives—especially those influenced by race, gender, and class—generate multiple, often conflicting understandings of what it means to be-in-the-world. It should thus be emphasized that the importance of recognizing the multiplicity of worlds shaped by varied experiences and interpretations is pivotal, advocating for a more nuanced approach that embraces subjective realities and the richness of diverse perspectives in understanding our existence. Doing so not only challenges the dominance of a singular worldview but also opens the door to a more inclusive and comprehensive exploration of what it means to live authentically in a complex, interconnected reality.
Heidegger has significant gaps and assumptions within his philosophical framework, and begs for a reevaluation of critical concepts like Being, language, subjectivity, ethics, world, etc. It's also very Christian but I suppose that's continental philosophy in a nutshell.
people who want to think
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 08:19
people who want to think about the insurrection should study insurrections as they have taken place in world history. not just like conceptually, but like by studying uprisings and armed revolts involving millions of people. the last hundred years full of many examples. all of them have many reference materials for you to chew on.
Agreed. That, I think, is the
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 12:33
In reply to people who want to think by anon (not verified)
Agreed. That, I think, is the most valuable part of the book (haven't read it!) - by referencing all these things anyone curious might be able to learn a lot.
Loyalty & secrecy oaths, for example, have been widely used in insurrectionary conspiracies. Same goes for religious fervor & the exaltation of martyrs. This, I imagine, is what the author hopes to encourage by bringing these ideas more explicitly into the anarchist milieu. They are likely worth studying rather than rejecting out of hand, even if that study leads to rejection anyway.
I imagine this is part of their critique of secularist approaches to anarchism as well - how have rational, "civilized" attempts at revolt worked out for anarchists historically? I personally don't think the secularism is why they fell flat any more than successful revolts can be largely attributed to religious motivations - there are always too many factors, including unpredictable ones that can't be intentionally cultivated, which affect the path of insurrections to isolate one as the secret or missing ingredient - but I can see why they might think that.
"the most valuable part of
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 13:00
In reply to Agreed. That, I think, is the by anon (not verified)
"the most valuable part of the book (haven't read it!) - by referencing all these things anyone curious might be able to learn a lot." is kind of a strange take because it does matter how they are constructed in the argument of the book. none of the historical citing in the book were new to me, what was new is how they are used as "evidence" and case-studies for the authors religious war, how they are situated is one of the main problems. i think getting turned on to all sorts of histories is important, but who is telling them and why is a vital concern.
also, there are more than the two lame choices of secularism and religiousness.
but, agreed, "there are always too many factors, including unpredictable ones that can't be intentionally cultivated" which is one of many reasons rationality falls short and ideology will always fail us miserably.
having met the author, i think their intentions were not the problem as much as the execution.
I think it's crazy how the
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 13:23
In reply to "the most valuable part of by anon (not verified)
I think it's crazy how the author is advocating for "martyrdom" while (apparently) not martyring themselves ... the whole thing kind of gives me the creeps and has many red flags overlapping what cults do. The author is probably older, and is probably pushing this stuff to cultivate an entourage of (young/inexperienced) people willing to sacrifice themselves for the authors personal vision, while this wacko just sits around writing books...
We've seen this before in religious cults where the charismatic leader does all the thinking and talking while the young devotees do all the dying. We've seen this in communism too, where the "proles" who can't read the books eat all the bullets and fucking die while the vanguard/intelligentsia write the books and talk some big talk about death or wtv.
But I have to admit it's been a morbidly fascinating ride, watching the scene evolve over the years. Never thought full-blown cult-ism would take off tho.
On the other hand, a friend and I were discussing this interesting well-documented phenomena in which, historically, it's well-educated, middle-class youth "rebelling" against their parents who are the most susceptible to falling into an all-consuming servile cult that is set up for the benefit of someone else. Seems counter-intuitive that self-proclaimed rebels and radicals would fall prey to something like this, but as my friend put it (paraphrasing...): when someone sees the hypocrisy of the social order, and rejects it completely, a void is created, which provides the opening for an all-consuming cult to get them in... and these recruits then tend to double down and defend the cult at all costs no matter how deranged or ridiculous it is because... its all they have, all they've staked their lives and identities on. Without it they would have nothing, since they've burned their ties to the previous world and have all their social capital tied up in the new world as constructed by the cult and it's leader(s).
What a time to be alive.
A logical progression imo
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 13:28
In reply to I think it's crazy how the by anon (not verified)
Should've known that the trend around "nihilism", that is, literally: believing in Nothing... would never last long and eventually give way to something like this.
note:
anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 14:10
In reply to A logical progression imo by anon (not verified)
a. the author is not old, nor cultivating a cult afaict from hanging out with them. of course there's no real reason to believe any of us anons.
b. nihilism means lots of things, some of them contradictory, including but not limited to "believing in nothing."
the author is also not, nor
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 14:15
In reply to note: by anonymous (not verified)
the author is also not, nor has ever been, a nihilist
yeah, the kids getting spat
lumpy (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 13:34
In reply to I think it's crazy how the by anon (not verified)
yeah, the kids getting spat out the bottom of the middle class are more likely to develop a certain kind of zeal, based on anger because of their unrealized sense of entitlement. you see this with the far right too
wow! none of it was new to
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 14:17
In reply to "the most valuable part of by anon (not verified)
wow! none of it was new to you? a scholar of the haitian revolution and spartacus and thousands of years of chinese revolt. you should write the next book!
not a "scholar" of these
anon (not verified) Thu, 08/29/2024 - 15:08
In reply to wow! none of it was new to by anon (not verified)
not a "scholar" of these histories, as in dedicated my life to studying them, but familiar enough to know a fair amount, yes. sorry to bum you out, but no intentions on writing about them. i guess we should just accept the author as the expert, their view on how to read it, and what they want us to do with the "truth".
"none of the historical
Person you rep… (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 15:07
In reply to "the most valuable part of by anon (not verified)
"none of the historical citing in the book were new to me"
Having met the author, do you expect none of it will be new to the intended or likely readership either? (Understanding that the intended readership may or may not be very different from the likely readership.)
"who is telling them and why is a vital concern." Of course. I also agree that the secular/religious dichotomy isn't best dealt with by simply picking a different side than the current anarchist scene leans towards, despite a handful of prominent religious anarchists (who, arguably, have culturally secular backgrounds anyway).
haha wow!
anon (not verified) Wed, 08/28/2024 - 10:49
This shit is giving demented "anarchist" cult leader vibes.
Great review.
Cult leader is a brutal
Zhachev Thu, 08/29/2024 - 16:21
In reply to haha wow! by anon (not verified)
Cult leader is a brutal insult. Anyone making moves away from the hellscape that is "the world" today (as if only one world can exist at any space and time) hears it and knows it.
Like sorry for taking the initiative to attempt to find a better way and escape the actual cult of the nuclear family and death-worship that is normie culture. All everyone else ever does is blindly masturbatory and mimetic. One person's cult leader is another person's person who actually escaped the poverty trap and depression and bullying and just wants a quiet life in the bolo village with loved ones.
Come down from the mountain..
."Punch up." — A!
Do not worry, Commander. We
HGS 187 (not verified) Thu, 08/29/2024 - 20:26
In reply to Zhachev is a character from a by Zhachev
Do not worry, Commander. We understand.
The Hurricane, much like the Heideggerian shinobi of legend, waits in shadows until it is time to strike.
Standing by,
HGS #12
A big "wtf" to the moderator
Amon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 08:05
In reply to Do not worry, Commander. We by HGS 187 (not verified)
A big "wtf" to the moderator that deleted many numerous comments that clearly exposed Z's deceit and manipulation, in his own fucking words, with his own self-contradiction and failed attempts at playing pretend which were clearly exposed as nothing more than more bullshit and an attempted misdirection. You're enabling yet another manipulator and threat to people in the anarchist space by covering hist shit up. I sincerely suggest you reconsider what you've done.
There have been numerous
thecollective_1.8 (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 08:18
In reply to A big "wtf" to the moderator by Amon (not verified)
There have been numerous threads, an entire podcast, and other comments about Z and from Z across ANews for some time. I realize you want to bring up how much you think someone sucks every chance you have, but after a bit , you've outdone yourself, it's repetitive and unrelated to overall conversation that just creates more toxicity in the comments. Z has always been open to discussing things, I might suggest if you are interested in contacting them and discussing what you think needs to be done to resolve everything, somewhere else than across EVERY SINGLE COMMENT THREAD.
-thecollective_1.8
Alright. Have fun platforming
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 09:26
In reply to There have been numerous by thecollective_1.8 (not verified)
Alright. Have fun platforming another abuser and shielding them from criticism that would allow others to see what's he's really all about because you leave their nonsense (literally) up on your so-called anarchist website.
"Z has always been open to
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 09:28
In reply to There have been numerous by thecollective_1.8 (not verified)
"Z has always been open to discussing things"
If by "discussing" you mean pretending that it never happened and it wasn't him until it was clearly shown that it did happen and was him? Okay.
There's way more than 1
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 09:45
In reply to There have been numerous by thecollective_1.8 (not verified)
There's way more than 1 person confronting Zhachev in these comments, 1.8. So that assertion you're making is moot. You can even look at the Drupal logs and it will prove it. But you do you.
"way more"
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 09:57
In reply to There's way more than 1 by anon (not verified)
"way more"
"drupal logs"
"supposedly anarchist"
almost hoping you are the real police because the tragedy of anarch stooping to these lows is truly immense
if you put as much energy into regulating your own emotions rather than trying to control the behavior of others there would be no drama whatsoever
that blind spot might be caused by a personal problem you haven't sorted
Different anon here.
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 10:58
In reply to "way more" by anon (not verified)
Different anon here.
Please don't pretend that Drupal doesn't have logging or that you can't see that, for example, people are connecting over the Tor network which you have already pointed out (there is no other way to know this without logging enabled).
The rest of the things feel free to fight about but don't pretend about simple truths that are easily dis-proven because it cheapens your entire point.
Carry on!
"almost hoping you are the
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 11:06
In reply to "way more" by anon (not verified)
"almost hoping you are the real police because the tragedy of anarch stooping to these lows is truly immense"
It's free open source software, my guy. You can change your position to "we don't keep server or Drupal logs longer than X minutes", but please just stop with the lies and gaslighting. Some of us do this for a living and no by that I do not mean as police, I mean as paid internet nerds and systems professionals.
Moving on.
I'm replying to 11:06 to
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 11:07
In reply to "almost hoping you are the by anon (not verified)
I'm replying to 11:06 to confirm that reply threading is broken.
another thecollective member here
anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 10:04
In reply to There's way more than 1 by anon (not verified)
unfortunately for us all, i agree with both sides. i think that it's good for z's history to be known and i also think that it's stultifying for every thread to be that.
do folks here have thoughts about possible solutions to this quandary? or am i alone in thinking boths sides have a point?
to 10:04.
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 11:16
In reply to another thecollective member here by anonymous (not verified)
to 10:04.
"do folks here have thoughts about possible solutions to this quandary?"
Let rephrase your question in perhaps a more extreme way. I am a logician:
'I think literal Nazis should be welcome in our decidedly anti-Nazi space. But I also think anti-Nazis should not have to put up with Nazis, except some of the time.'
What do you think? I was initially writing "rapists" vs "anti-rapists" or "racists" vs "anti-racists" but these perhaps have entirely different histories in ANews land.
yeah, no.
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 11:23
In reply to to 10:04. by anon (not verified)
yeah, no.
everything is not everything. forcing something to an extremity is binary thinking, simplistic, and facile.
nuance is relevant. which means here, z didn't rape anyone. he did other bad things. but not all bad things are the same.
we want to acknowledge the bad things that he actually did, without either hyperbole or trivialization, and also allowing other conversations to happen. one idea is to find the best thread with the best articulation of z's history and link it whenever he posts. somewhat awkward, but an option.
thecollective.4
> "z didn't rape anyone"
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 11:40
In reply to yeah, no. by anon (not verified)
> "z didn't rape anyone"
You know this how? Or did you mean to say in this particular case that keeps trying to be discussed?
definitely mean in the cases
anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 11:47
In reply to > "z didn't rape anyone" by anon (not verified)
definitely mean in the cases that have been talked about here and in anarchyplanet related forums.
11:16, do feel free to explain how comparing someone who is not a nazi or a rapist (as far as any of us know) to a nazi (or a rapist) is useful in this situation. hint: just saying "i didn't say that" without explanation is not meaningful.
thecollective.4
11:16 here. I would love to
11:16 (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 11:52
In reply to definitely mean in the cases by anonymous (not verified)
11:16 here. I would love to continue a conversation about this but it appears I can't except under the constant threat of having my comments deleted. There is a very interesting and hopefully nuanced discussion to be had here but it's proven impossible with the moderation (or thread of moderation) behavior. It's very unfortunate because this is a situation that frequently arises in anarchist spaces for as long as I can remember (both abusive behavior, accountability, and silencing of speaking out). I wish that there was a way to do it here of all places. But I'm tired of trying only to be reminded it can all just vanish.
I have never sexually abused
Zhachev Fri, 08/30/2024 - 11:52
In reply to > "z didn't rape anyone" by anon (not verified)
I have never sexually abused or assault anyone and am myself a survivor of several of this kind of abuse. Nor have I ever been in any kind of physical altercations with my partner. Not even once. You are a disgrace to survivors and anti-sexists for weaponizing false accusations.
I will be taking a break from the forums for a while starting now, so congrats. You win.
no, you've just threatened
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 11:55
In reply to I have never sexually abused by Zhachev
no, you've just threatened bodily harm multiple times including threatening pictures. and at no point convincingly expressed remorse on any forum i'm aware of. so yeah, not rape.
have a nice break, z.
thecollective.4
False. Categorically false.
Zhachev Fri, 08/30/2024 - 13:17
In reply to no, you've just threatened by anon (not verified)
False. Categorically false.
I issued an ultimate to all the IRC bullies to put their money where their mouths are and stop the bullying in exchange for a physical confrontation. Yes, a duel. I challenged several people including rfa, notnull, faefolk, and A! The offer still stands. Or you could shut the hell up and stop smearing me on your dying hellsite.
I even stopped by The Hive in
Zhachev Fri, 08/30/2024 - 13:20
In reply to False. Categorically false. by Zhachev
I even stopped by The Hive in NYC to try to facilitate said confrontation and you hid in the basement like a bunch of Israelis.
As the owner of "The Hive" in
The Hive (Owner) (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 13:39
In reply to I even stopped by The Hive in by Zhachev
As the owner of "The Hive" in NYC I can confirm that Zhachev had his mom drive him over to "The Hive" while on a family vacation, unannounced and unbeknownst to anyone, one evening while "The Hive" was closed for regular Israeli Religious celebrations in "the basement". Once he posted photographic evidence in the days after the vacation ended we immediately contacted all parties that were challenged to "duel" to arrive from the different coasts and continents they actually reside at. To step into our Israeli time machine (located in the basement) to accept the kind duel offer they were unaware of. Alas, it did not pan out and therefore we must award Zhachev (the actual victim in all this bullying) the title of Duel Winner.
Brainwords, amirite?
Fastest break ever.
*DIES*
First of all, "Categorically
Paw Patrol UK (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 19:18
In reply to False. Categorically false. by Zhachev
First of all, "Categorically false" is used incorrectly here.
Secondly,
Thirdly, there are doxx, audio conversations, 'member when you threatened to shoot up the GSABF because Aragorn! laughed at you on AnarchyBang! because he did "think this is a fucking joke?!", and you got so mad when he laughed at your threat and showed up anyway and you didn't show up? 'Member? Or when you claimed your regretted your past bad behavior even on your own cringe little podcast but you felt that people weren't listening to you as you required them to but you've moved on and so should they because you didn't actually go through with your death threats? Member? We member.
Fourthly, you suck at victim blaming and gaslighting. You can't gaslight your way out of this. Not now, not ever.
Fifthly, there is SO MUCH MORE actually fucking doxx that you dropped yourself on yourself it's fucking hilarious you piece of shit.
You could simply change your fucking e-personal and nickname and none of this would haunt you but your ego and delusional sense of entitlement won't let you.
To the moderators, I appreciate the difficulty of this, how boring it is, and the distraction of it all from what is truly interesting about this website but you can absolutely not allow the final word to close with a lie that is just Z gaslighting 101 in the face of all the massive amounts of proof even you've surely seen. You can't always be around to moderate or clear things up so it's absolutely dangerous for people to get half of the story and for the story to end on "fake news". Delete it all or nothing.
To my knowledge, those
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 07:10
In reply to First of all, "Categorically by Paw Patrol UK (not verified)
To my knowledge, those Anokchan photos were actually posted by you Z and not hacked. This is the first I'm hearing of this other story. Can you please clarify what the truth actually is here? thanks
-an IRC observer when it all went down
19:18 was not Z.
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 09:44
In reply to To my knowledge, those by anon (not verified)
19:18 was not Z.
Yes Z posted those photos to threaten people.
The other "story" did occur and was discussed extensively on AnarchyBang during and after with numerous guests involved with at least one canceling their trip to the event due to the mass shooting threat.
There is so much more. All documented and anchoring this piece of shit to his past, very public (and "private") threats.
The point is that he can't deny them, has never tried to make good on them, and should not be welcomed into spaces where he's able to predate on people or encouraged to participate in such spaces, unless the goal is a big "fuck you" to people on the receiving end of his threats of violence past, present, and future.
at least *three
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 09:44
In reply to 19:18 was not Z. by anon (not verified)
at least *three
Did a moderator delete the
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 22:22
In reply to First of all, "Categorically by Paw Patrol UK (not verified)
Did a moderator delete the links to the photos on Anokchan from 19:18 ?
If so please at least make a note about it. It's very confusing and makes the replies look crazy.
Apparently they deleted the
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 22:26
In reply to Did a moderator delete the by anon (not verified)
Apparently they deleted the all the photos of Z too on Anokchan. Quite despicable and hilarious to think that makes them not exist. LOL.
You should apologise to the
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 11:55
In reply to I have never sexually abused by Zhachev
You should apologise to the people you made feel unsafe and threatened repeatedly before you play victim to this situation and "take a break". But fuck off either way.
Forth, Eorlingas
Zhachev Sat, 08/31/2024 - 07:33
In reply to You should apologise to the by anon (not verified)
If there is anyone that I made feel unsafe, who did not start drama with me first, and was undeserving of my ire, from the bottom of my small, tiny—so small, it's the smallest—dry heart, I offer my most sincere apology and condolences.
zhachev, maybe you don't
anonymous (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 08:43
In reply to Forth, Eorlingas by Zhachev
zhachev, maybe you don't understand what it means when you say "they started it."
there is a cliche about the abusive partner who says "dinner wasn't cooked when i got home" as the reason why they "had to" hurt their partner. abusers find ways to make themselves the reactor, not the active one.
you only apologizing to anyone who didn't "start it" makes your apology meaningless. at a certain level of your activity, you crossed lines, and it becomes way less meaningful that your feelings were hurt, or you FELT backed up against a wall.
i say this with all the possible empathy for so many broken people here among anons as well as you... get away from here and do more work on yourself. find other emotional resources away from strangers online.
here's the way i'm broken: i
lumpy (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 09:13
In reply to zhachev, maybe you don't by anonymous (not verified)
here's the way i'm broken: i used to get paid to hurt people and when you scruff lil' guys who've outstayed their welcome and use their lil' faces to open the door on the way out, there's a disturbingly high percentage of them who are always vomiting out these exact narratives. it becomes quite unsettling, the consistency of it.
no no, they're the actual victim! no no, everyone else is just against them! if they could just explain - [this is after they attacked someone, creeped on someone, repeated extreme boundary violations, etc]
so now! i have to be careful not to completely disbelieve every single thing people say when they're upset
why he fuck is this being
Invecchiare Se… (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 10:44
In reply to here's the way i'm broken: i by lumpy (not verified)
why he fuck is this being hashed out here, in these comments?
You're being cringe. Stop
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 11:29
In reply to why he fuck is this being by Invecchiare Se… (not verified)
You're being cringe. Stop with the Darth Bumpkin act and bring back EC.
“cringe”, what a great word
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 16:17
In reply to You're being cringe. Stop by anon (not verified)
“cringe”, what a great word for intelligent people to use. it says so much and not at all over-used and presented by trending popular culture. anarchists have come so far.
also, it seems like IS (in this comment) was responding to the fact the conversation got taken over by some sort of interpersonal drama having nothing to do with this topic.
agreed, EC was a great project, but they folded mainly because they felt they were waisting their time on people like you.
What the sigma? Look, pops,
anon (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 17:46
In reply to “cringe”, what a great word by anon (not verified)
What the sigma? Look, pops, just because IC's all Oklahoma rizzler all while living that skibbidi yankee lyfe don't mean you can go poking your nose round these parts without catching hands, comprende? You sure do like rushin' into pick up your fellow man dontcha? Maybe start a support circle? Wear furs and cry around a fire together?
ALSO the only person here waisting [sic] anyone's time is you, Ohio rizzler. Don't be cringe. Watch a porno.
it's not? it's ancient
lumpy (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 12:25
In reply to why he fuck is this being by Invecchiare Se… (not verified)
it's not? it's ancient history and we're sharing around the campfire lol
Do you have to be peaking on
anon (not verified) Thu, 08/29/2024 - 00:58
Do you have to be peaking on six hits of bad acid to read this hogwash, or will a severe head injury suffice?
yes, i would agree, the book
anon (not verified) Thu, 08/29/2024 - 15:00
In reply to Do you have to be peaking on by anon (not verified)
yes, i would agree, the book read that way for sure.
what the hell happened to
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 14:25
what the hell happened to this tread??
how did it get so far away from the book and the review???
Anarchy, baby! Anarchy!
anon (not verified) Fri, 08/30/2024 - 14:28
In reply to what the hell happened to by anon (not verified)
Anarchy, baby! Anarchy!
Also terminally-online LARPer toughguys. Always that.
been away for a week, working
lumpy (not verified) Sat, 08/31/2024 - 09:04
In reply to what the hell happened to by anon (not verified)
been away for a week, working nightshifts
did i miss anything? lol
ok srsly tho, how could anyone claim this is boring? that's just mod compassion fatigue but for drama
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