Morning Comrades.
Over the weekend a friend reached out to me after having read the previous 12 dispatches from here in a row and asked if I was ok. Naturally, I answered and assured them that I was but nevertheless, the question has been nagging me for days now and it’s something I wanted to go through here, today, for a number of reasons, but especially in light of the 2 year anniversary of this project around the corner with many new and newish readers around.
First up though as with every week, a brand new Weekly Tunes Playlist. For the new subscribers, these are playlists of the songs that made me tick the week prior - no curation other than that apart from not throwing too much, if any, metal in there. That’s my own little world for me to bounce around in.
It’s another 3hr session that includes heaps of new songs with a few surprises even to myself as well as a good number of classics that I hadn’t heard in some time. As this questions comes up occasionally, just hit shuffle, there truly isn’t any rhyme or reason to these playlists other than just fun.
With that out of the way, let’s get into it. Obviously, the person that asked me if I was ok was making a point about this newsletter, or rather the intensity of the content - we do know each other well enough for that question to be totally warranted, so am I ok? It’s a pretty tough question to answer, truthfully, isn’t it. The short, superficial answer of course is: yes, that, translated into truth speak means: of course I am not fucking ok. Is anyone?
Let’s be real here, even once you get past the self-reflection and weigh it against your our genetic-lottery-entitlement and then throw all shortcomings on your own shoulders rather than against the systemic realities that fuck you over day in day out, fuck no, I am not ok, I don’t think anyone is, everyone is hurt, broke, over-worked, stressed and whenever we pull our head out of the proverbial sand, “everything” is so insanely overwhelming in its systemic evil that heads go straight back into the sand.
That, however, is a story for another time.
Said person was referring to this newsletter rather than me personally so let’s tackle that. There are a good number of new readers, with the second anniversary looming and for the sake of transparency a few words:
Initially, I started this project to free myself from the increasingly broken social media landscape, to remain in touch with the people and supporters from there, support the merch side of Black Lodges, share new art, music and talk politics. Additionally, it was a wonderful way to talk about ideas I had during my PhD studies that technically were part of that work but didn’t need to be in said thesis, and that part certainly has increased over the last few months now that the thesis is finished. Generally speaking, this place is definitely “just” the home for Black Lodges in its current form, as well as giving me, personally, the chance to dissect current events, realities, structures and concepts that shape our world through a Marxist lens, mostly.
There isn’t any wild ulterior motive, no one is paying me to “radicalize” anyone - well, some of you are but I honestly do not think any one reading this needs “radicalization”, hardly. What I do try and offer is structure and avenues for the rage caused by existence in this nightmare a few hundred greedy bastards have created for us. A deprogramming of sorts since we have all been nurtured to direct the angst we all feel at each other and not at those that truly cause it, and yes, solidarity in action has always been about that.
Obviously, as with any interaction and relationship built around a media reality, the question asked by said friend also carried another meta-level to it, that whilst not clearly communicated, was suggested, or I at least perceived it so: If all you are “getting” from me is this newsletter than yes, of course the question is more than warranted and I wanted, again for the sake of transparency get into that also. This newsletter, in addition to the purposes above is as much of a tool, a guide, a journal and a means for me to guide me through my daily life as I hope it is for you.
Existence under this stage of capitalism is nothing but a series of contradictions and struggles and these emails help me make sense of them all, give me some guidance for the rest of the 18 or so waking, working hours after I finish these emails. Of course, there is far more to my life and person than the issues I explore here with you and yes, logically, theses dispatches are condensed rage and pathways for possible solutions - but outside of these screens - I go about my day-to-day like any other schmuck trying to pay rent. Again, for transparency’s sake, I work as a cook & helping hand in a local food business, I do occasional design work for local business’, I am doing my best to raise a son in this world, I tutored at my University before all that went to shit thanks to Capitalism and spend my free time with friends. Sure, the topics discussed here often come out of conversations from that time, but if anyone has this image of me sitting in a room full of books at all times, ranting and raving against the ills of the world, well, sorry to disappoint, it’s usually my kitchen. In all seriousness though, the question from said friend really had me thinking about how one-dimensional perceptions of people can be and I felt that a possibility existed that my own perception based on this work was definitely so. So, no, I am just a regular dad trying to make sense of the world, easily enraged by the omnipresent injustice and cruelty imposed on us without consent and someone who is looking for answers.
Of course, a community has grown around Black Lodges in the past 15 years and yes of course, I am that one person that started it all but for the sake of clarity, I felt like the above had to be said. Also, and this is the important part, the community is what makes Black Lodges. So many of you I had the privilege to meet already, and many of you write often with ideas, links, thoughts and more and all of that makes up what this here group is and more importantly, does.
Thanks for sticking around and allowing me to do all of the above.
We’re back here with the regular program on Wednesday and until, I remain yours, without compromise,
V.