The Reactionary
Afternoon Comrades.
Yes, this dispatch should have gone out as per usual at 6am today but little ol’ me forgot to time this, thus you have it here. As a reminder, this is the last week during which every reader will be receiving three dispatches. As of next week, the publishing schedule will change to everyone getting one newsletter and the patreons receiving three in total, in addition to the other goodies that come along with becoming a patreon here such as free art, discounts and so forth. I am reducing the subscription fee down to 5USD a month and if you hit the button below you’ll get two weeks for free also.
The Reactionary
In light of last weeks theory heavy dispatches that a few you really didn’t enjoy and several emails asking me to do something else here, a few words. As usual, a necessary but important disclaimer, I try to live by the principle of never kicking down, but always punching up and this most definitely applies to what comes next.
Several of you wrote asking why I do not share my opinions, my takes in popular vernacular on situation / person xyz. To make the above disclaimer even clearer, I have no problems at all with anyone doing so and here is an explanation as to why I don’t and do something different.
My opinion, my take on anything that happened is reactionary and thus not only counter-revolutionary but in direct opposition to what I am trying to achieve here. To explain, within the confines of the Marxist train of thought and action, A Reactionary or reactionary behaviour is this:
In Marxist terminology, reactionary is a pejorative adjective denoting people whose ideas might appear to be socialist but, in their opinion, contain elements of feudalism, capitalism, nationalism, fascism, or other characteristics of the ruling class, including usage between conflicting factions of Marxist movements.
The concept goes back to the time of Marx & Engels and the writing of the Communist Manifesto. Essentially, they identified strains within the melting pot of ideas and actions that would lead to the Manifesto that they believed, or saw, to be counter-revolutionary. Rather than abolishing social class divisions, reactionaries wished to simply raise everyone up to be a member of the bourgeoisie to allow everyone the ability to endlessly accumulate capital without a working class. In The Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels use philanthropists, monks ("temperance fanatics"), and political reformers as examples of this type of socialism that they saw as opposed to their own aims. In expressing their views on the subject, Marx referenced Pierre-Joseph Proudhon's The Philosophy of Poverty, stating the following about bourgeois socialism:
"The Socialistic bourgeois want all the advantages of modern social conditions without the struggles and dangers necessarily resulting therefrom."
Bourgeois socialists, now called reactionaries, are considered as working for the enemies of communists by preserving the society that communists seek to overthrow thus Engels claims that communists must continuously struggle against them.
So that’s the background and here is the explanation to the arch of not wanting to comment on whatever the fuck xyz is doing, here.
At this point in our communal timeline it is more than clear that our interests, our hopes and wishes, our plans and goals are in total and direct opposition to the currently existing social order that was and is created by Capitalists, upheld, morally, through a corrupt and purposely ineffective clown show called parliamentary democracy and in reality enforced through the deadly violence of the police and punishment system installed by the Capitalist.
With that there should absolutely never be any surprise at any and all depravity “committed” by the ruling class that then is ( mostly ) leaked on purpose to us peasants to bitch and moan about. It makes absolutely no difference to the existing social order if I were to dedicate my time and yours to write about how a tweet by Elon Musk ( or whatever psychopath before him or one that will replace him in due time ) was “wild”, or yet another corruption scandal comes to light. Nothing. Those who read this newsletter are way past that point.
Of course, those that expose they insanity, dumbfoolery, recklessness existence of the ruling classes, have a point. We need to know and keep tabs on these people. Of course. But a reaction without a subsequent action - personally, I am thinking trebuchets and guillotines, at this point in our existence, becomes nothing more than a bustle in the hedgerow, a whisper on the wind of capitalist controlled narratives. Yes, knowing is vital, doing more so. To be clear, I am not shitting on anyone that does genuine information work, plenty of comrades work tirelessly within the anti-fascist umbrella identifying Neo-Nazis to protect people like us as well as independent journalists bravely going after the rich bastards with exposes such as the Panama Papers. Yet, dedicating your and my time to producing yet another screaming voice that reacting to the bullshit the bastards get up to not only feels like a clown show in the colosseum but ultimately exists solely to achieve personal gains, money, fame, power etc - and does nothing to help uplift ones community, teach and foster. That is what last weeks theory excursions were all about. Identifying the true purpose of movement, the struggle and the community.
There has always been a very clear reason to the header of this project: Education and Agitation. I only have so much time here and my gut tells me it is used more wisely hoping to educate, offer tips for agitation and offer moral / physical support. My takes on what the ruling classes and their bourgeoise minions are up are simple: Fuck ‘em. We’re here to build a new world and I am happy to have you all along for the ride.
The beginning is here.
Yours,
V.