Morning Comrades.
A day early but here we are, the last newsletter of 2022 and I am having all the thoughts / vibes about everything - rest assured, I will do my best to keep focused and not get carried away too much, and no, no need to worry, there will be no run down of the year that was. We all will be bombarded with that click bait bullshit without end in the coming days.
First the fun stuff, to round up another year on here with you here is a free download for a print. I have set this up to print on A4 but if any of you want this in a bigger size, drop me a line and I’ll get that down for you. Just stick the pdf on a stick, take it down to your local printer and there you go. Click on the image below to get the link.
Secondly, tunes, because tunes will make these next few days go around a little easier. First up is this weeks playlist, because, why not. That’s what it is there for and it most likely will be the last one for the time being.
And this is one from way back in the past but it still holds plenty of merit and purpose. As someone who in the past had to spend the holiday period with people that truly hated them, looked down on and generally considered them a failure in life I put together this mix that, one, not only rides on a beautiful crest of the best jazz I know but, secondly, will give anyone reprise from the bourgeoise class war waged upon on us misfits by anyone by confusing them with enough culture that they most likely have never heard of. Fun fact, there’s some 79 other mixes from those years on that site for anyone that wants to get into it.
Now to the more serious notes.
I will absolutely not waste anyone’s time lamenting another year under the heel of capitalism. No matter where you are reading this from, this year, like the ones before it were tough. They all have been and quite frankly, they will continue to be so. Such is the luck of our draw and there is absolutely no point in complaining.
There is, however, an absolute point in giving meaning to power by saying a few words about where we are and where we are going. Often, in the past, I would write the words “The beginning is near” and now hear this:
The Beginning is here.
Yup. I know, in the face of it all, it may not seem so but because of every little effort all of us, and millions more, have undertaking the world is changing. Change isn’t pleasant, or it would be another meaningless march without power for instagram, but as far as I can see, smell and feel, it is happening. I find by looking and figuring out the reactions of our adversaries it better to gauge our success in moving our world to a genuine egalitarian one, one where the chains of capitalism are increasingly becoming clearer and being cast off. Judging by the reaction of the powers that be we must be scaring the fuck out of them by this point and thus, yes, the beginning is here. Hence the focus in this space on so much theory and praxis over the last year, as any revolution without theory becomes easily co-opted by the capitalists, as we have all witnessed from the 60s to Occupy. Irrespective of these past mistakes, I know it in my bones that we are moving in the right direction.
Ignore the noise on the periphery of in-fighting etc etc etc - these aren’t new and have been around for longer than I have, disagreements are the heart of our cause but the difference these days is that we are breaching a critical mass, even, if it is just in the acknowledgment that capitalism is a systemic injustice forced upon us by a very small number of people, who all have names and addresses. Again, speaking from my perspective and the last 30 years of fighting this, this part is new and has this old bob-cat convinced of the above statement.
Even just occasionally seeing what happens in and because of this space is utterly encouraging. 3 years ago this place started as an alternative to shit posting and merch slinging because IG is dead, and since then has moved to mostly being about revolution. If one were to regard that move from a capitalist POV, the value aka the readership of this place would naturally decline with any and all radicalization. However, the opposite is true. This space is growing by the day in spite of the radicalization, I am assuming and equally hoping because the time for frivolity by means of social media is over and again, we are breaching a critical mass point. Whilst I am excited by this development, this space is but a tiny drop in an ever increasing ocean of revolution and now is the time to push.
If anything, I would like for all of you to take that with you into the end of this year and going into the new year. Yes, the capitalists reaction against us will increase but we have the ways and means to counter it all ( non-transactional mutual aid ) and yes, the shit is going to continue to hit the fan going forward. But so what? It always has and it has always been sold to us that any resistance is futile. Well, that boogey man story is up and so is their game of oppression.
We the people. We are the future and we will do what it takes to make a better one. Of that I am certain and you can be certain that this space will carry that forward for all to see and work from.
With that, thank you for being here, your interests and support. It is seen and appreciated, more so, it is a well from which I draw the energy required to do “this”.
Whatever it is you are celebrating, or not, over the next few days be sure that you are not alone in this fight, you are safe and seen here and this community of Black Lodges has your back.
I am taking a few days off from writing and will most likely be back here sometime in the first week of January.
Yours,
V.
P.s.: If you are still looking to make someone in your life happy with a present, feel free to send them a link to this place, or even better, gift them a subscription. Smooches.