Putting The Bastards Back On Notice
Welcome back friends. No need to worry we are going to jump straight back into the fray here, no long winded words about what was another shit year on record but if anything a few words on logistics from this end. I am sticking to the 3 emails a week schedule, plus the once a week extra email for the paying subscribers. That seems to work better for you as well as me. I shipped out all outstanding product before Christmas, but with the border to the UK having been closed, shipping to the US literally still being done by ships and not air freight as well as a huge increase in shipments all over the world this past holiday I would ask for your patience still. Shipping times are far from being what they used to be but always feel free to drop me a line about your outstanding orders. If you have ordered a Riot Jacket, you will be receiving your UPS tracking codes at some point today as well. To anyone in the UK, I still have no idea what Brexit will mean in regards to shipping, but fingers crossed by the time the first drop of this year kicks off in about a week or so, which will be a banging collaboration with John Yates aka Stealworks I will have some idea. I hope anyway.
With that, I am adding some more practical structure to these emails. Each email will now include some examples on how to deal with anti-capitalism in our day to day lives. A lot of these ideas come form my own experiences, friends, comrades and obviously books. Also, I am finalizing a weekly video project that, should I get my ass in gear should be ready before the month is over. I had planned to work on this during the twilight days at the end of last year but yeah, like everyone else I zoned out. Also, the weekly playlists will continue as of next week. For now, you can enjoy the communal playlist you all contributed to called Pissing On Burning Cop Cars here.
As to myself, here’s a promise to you readers: I’m not sure if I can fulfill it today or even tomorrow but I will try my best, day in day out. I’m putting the bastards on notice. All of them. I don’t have their best interests at heart and I’ll do my best to put that disinterest into words of rage for you and us. Each according to their ability and each according to their needs.
What we are we getting into though is Facebook Inc. Zuck is a bastard and so is his Evil Corp, every analogy towards Mr. Robot is intended. Considering the vastness of their destruction and infiltration at this point, putting them into context of Silicon Valley, it is increasingly becoming difficult to verbalize critique, let alone formulate a strategy to truly fight it all. Lucky for us, there are smart people around and I want to point you in the direction of this thread that puts said critique into a most excellent read.
I have hyperlinked the above image to the thread over on twitter and I would very much like for you to read it all, share it, think on it and then do what needs to be done.
Now to a new regular feature in these emails. How to anti-capitalism in capitalism. I do not feel a need to explain why here, and if you are of the “actuallllllly, you use an iphone” persuasion, I apologize that this email has found you and please feel to unsubscribe immediately. Now, one of the fundamental pieces of writing in regards to anti-capitalism in the 21st Century is the book “How to to be an Anti-Capitalist in the 21st Century” by Erik Olin Wright. Fundamentally, he breaks anti-capitalistic activities down into 5 distinct categories, that are:
Smashing Capitalism
Dismantling Capitalism
Taming Capitalism
Resisting Capitalism
Escaping Capitalism
These aren’t valued differently or hierarchically as above, just so we are clear and I will not go through the various definitions of them now but as they apply for each and every example of what we all can do.
To start this off, only because this is one of my personal favourite activities due to its simplicity and its huge impact: Food Not Bombs!
Food Not Bombs is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to nonviolent social change. Food Not Bombs has no formal leaders and strives to include everyone in its decision making process. Each group recovers food that would otherwise be thrown out and makes fresh hot vegan and vegetarian meals that are served in outside in public spaces to anyone without restriction. Many Food Not Bombs groups also share groceries and organize other efforts to support their communities. Each independent group also serves free meals at protests and other events.
Click on the link above and get involved, start your own chapter and get to it!
Obviously, the shit posting that involves never ending examples of bastards doing bastard work around the globe will continue and without much further ado here we go: