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Anarchy: a journal of desire armed. #38, Fall 1993
COLUMNS
-includes The Iconoclast's Hammer by Feral Faun, Untitled Fiction by
Peter Sapira, The School of Metastasis, Iraq - the Unknown Revolts,
and Anarchist Contacts.
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The Iconoclast's Hammer
By Feral Faun
Radical Theory: A Wrecking Ball for Ivory Towers
"Radical theory is thinking becoming sensually integrated into an
insurgent life and learning, however slowly, to express itself with
precision and fluidity."
It seems to have become a given among many anti-authoritarians
that radical theory is an academic pursuit. On the one hand, there
are the ideological activists who accuse anyone who attempts to
critically analyze society or their own activities in a way that
goes beyond the latest hip anarchist sloganeering of being armchair
intellectuals or academics. On the other hand, there are those who
supplement the income of their academic/intellectual professions by
writing tracts criticizing society, the left or even their own pro-
fessions, but in such abstract and insubstantial terms as to be
meaningless in relation to their own lives. These intellectual
``radicals'' and anti-intellectual activists remain equally
enslaved to society's discourse. Radical theory is elsewhere.
Radical theory springs from the energy of insurgent desire first
as a basic recognition that the social context in which we find
ourselves impoverishes our lives. Because we have been educated not
to think, but rather to have thoughts, it is very easy to fall from
this basic recognition into accepting one or another ``radical''
ideology, mouthing the appropriate slogans and participating in the
mindless activism (better called reactivism) which jumps and dances
for every cause and issue, but never attacks society at its root.
I've heard ``class war'' anarchists (many of them from upper middle
class backgrounds) justify such stupidity by declaring any attempts
at more precise and critical thinking to be an expression of
classist privilege - even when those making the attempts are high
school dropout lumpen. But there is nothing radical about stupidity
or "thinking" in slogans even when they're anarchist slogans.
Radical theory is the attempt to understand the complex system of
relationships which is society, how it reproduces itself and the
individual as a part of itself, and how one can begin to undermine
its control and take back one's life in order to become a self-
creative individual. It has no place in either the ivory tower of
the academy or that of mindless ideological (re)activism. It is
rather an integral part of an active insurgence against society.
Having recognized that society impoverishes our lives, it is a
very small step to realize that the simplistic sloganeering that is
frequently passed off as radical thought is part of this
impoverishment. It belittles us as individuals by substituting
itself for thinking and imagination. ``Smash authority!'' is a
wonderful sentiment, but that's all it is. It tells us nothing
about the nature of authority, our relationship to it, its
trajectories and tendencies or how we can go about destroying it.
This is why those for whom this slogan is an adequate analysis of
authority continue to repeat the same futile and insipid actions
over and over again as signs of their resistance to authority,
actions which have long since proven only to reinforce authority by
creating easily confined rituals of pseudo-opposition which keep
rebellion domesticated.
The small step which opens the possibility of thinking beyond
slogans is an about-face, a reversal of perspective. If society
impoverishes our lives, if it offers nothing worth having, then
there is no reason for any of us to let this absurd system of
relationships into which we have been integrated continue to deter-
mine how we view the world either by acceptance of its perspective
or by reaction to it. Instead our attempts to create our lives as
fully and intensely as possible, which will bring us into conflict
with society, can be the basis for an ongoing analysis of society
and our relationship to it that challenges and enhances our
thinking and imaginations and stimulates an active insurgence
against authority as it exists in the interactions that create our
daily lives. This analysis can not be a static set of ideas and
principles, because it is an integral part of a dialectic of
thinking and living as an insurgent, self-creating individual. As
such, it is an integral part of action, not a separate
specialization. Written expressions of this analysis (which should
not be mistaken for the analysis itself) require the development of
a language that is very precise and very fluid, very pointed and
very playful. I am very far from attaining this, but am trying to
develop it. The language of the situationists (particularly Debord
and Vaneigem in his SI days) was aiming for this. But those who
prefer slogans to intensive analysis frequently accuse those
attempting to develop such a language of ``intellectualism,'' yet
only by developing such a language can the expression of theory be
wrested from intellectual specialists and made into an integral
part of an active insurgence.
Radical theory is an aspect of a way of living which smashes all
ivory towers. It exposes the theories that spill from the academic
ivory towers as lifeless shams. It exposes the actions of the
ideologues of activism as mindless reaction. To put it another way,
theorists who aren't living an insurgent life say nothing that's
worth saying, and activists who refuse to think critically do
nothing worth doing. Radical theory is thinking becoming sensually
integrated into an insurgent life and learning, however slowly, to
express itself with precision and fluidity. When developed it cuts
like a well-honed knife.
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Untitled fiction by Peter Sapira
Dr. George Lemming stood behind the large oak desk in the empty
classroom and prepared for what would be his first lecture as a
Harvard University professor. Prior to last August, he had always
lived in England where he spent the last 15 years as the dean of
history at a small university. There he gained the reputation as an
expert in the study of feudal England through his books and lec-
tures. It was this wide academic acclaim that prompted Harvard to
offer him a position on their staff. The benefits that this oppor-
tunity provided made it impossible for Lemming to decline. However,
he did have apprehensions about teaching in America. George viewed
his work as sacrosanct, and he feared that the American students
would be arrogant and unresponsive to the reverence which he tried
to instill his classes with.
As he began to question his decision once more, the class began
to assemble. He did not look at the faces as they entered the room.
Instead he was trying to forget that these were not familiar
surroundings, that this was not the same small university where he
was so revered. Because of this introspection, George Lemming
failed to notice a young man of the most bizarre appearance enter
amongst the class. This student had an unhealthy paleness about his
face and the old top hat that partially covered his straggled black
hair looked as if it had once belonged to a chimney sweep. He wore
black jeans, brown vinyl cowboy boots and an orange T-shirt with
the name Rudi printed on the back. The oddity rushed to the back of
the room and slid into a chair where he sat grinding his teeth and
clutching the sides of the desk.
About midway through the lecture, just as George had begun to feel
he had established some control, Rudi's teeth grinding grew louder
and sweat began to drip from his face onto the desk. Several
students began to stare at him, not knowing whether they should be
amused or frightened. His breathing became louder and sporadic and
it appeared that he was about to hyperventilate. When this panting,
grinding and sweating reached its climax, Rudi flung himself up so
fiercely that he knocked the chair and desk to the floor as he
screamed, "Let's go you bunch of stains! Oh boy!!" Everyone then
watched as Rudi stumbled slowly forward. At the front of the
classroom, he stood beside the same desk that Dr. Lemming was now
trembling behind.
Rudi then placed his top hat on the desk, bowed slightly to the
professor, and proudly announced, "Excuse me! Excuse me! Please
pardon the interruption, but I think I have something of interest
to show you all." He then lowered his head and started laughing.
Then trying to gain his composure, he covered his mouth to hide a
smirk. Still giggling, he addressed the class again, "Really,
you're gonna like this. I promise. I swear!" With a renewed
intensity he turned sideways to the class and shouted, "Observe!"
He then flung himself into the air in an apparent attempt to
perform a back flip. However, he did not rotate enough while in the
air so instead of landing on his feet, Rudi smashed his head on the
hard wood floor. He jumped up screaming, hands clasped behind his
head, blood spurting through his fingers. He started running
blindly around the classroom, slamming into desks, bouncing off
cement walls, and ricochetting back into the desks, knocking stu-
dents to the floor. As Rudi continued on his rampage, Dr. Lemming
decided to leave. He began to tip toe his way through the carnage
toward the door. Just as his hand was about to turn the knob, the
door flew open, hit Lemming on the head and knocked him out. Then
through the door way, a tall, gaunt, blond man jumped into the
room. He was dressed like Rudi, only his T-shirt had `Rodney'
printed on the back. Seemingly unaware of the upturned desks and
tangled bodies, he started performing an array of uncoordinated
spins and jumps about the room. "I've always loved ballet," he
cooed, "It's so graceful. I wish I was a ballerina instead of a
hairdresser!"
Rodney then finished his routine and bowed to the unconscious
audience. He then noticed Rudi crouched in a corner, still clasping
his bleeding head. "Rudi!" he shrieked, "Your hair is an absolute
mess! My God, you've tried to dye it red! Oh well, come along dar-
ling, off to the salon with you!" The two then linked arms and
jumped out of the seventh story window. After landing safely on the
ground, they met Dr. Shone Fraide. A dentist who, over a five year
period in Tasmania, would show our two young heros the true meaning
of anarchy. Actually, Rudi and Rodney were killed instantly from
their jump out of the window, but Shone Fraide was there to pull
all of their teeth out.
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The School of Metastasis
Are you psychic? If you have money and a gullible disposition,
come to the "Sixth Sense Seminary" course at the School of Meta-
stasisTM. We'll reinforce your most naive illusions about your
extrasensory abilities to engage in telephony, psycho-immiseration,
slide projection, clear-annoyance, past-life beatings and much
more! Sure to be profitable for us and confusing for you.
* * * * *
Do you want to be a millionaire? Would you enjoy living in a world
where the wealthy few exploit the impoverished many, as long as
you're one of those wealthy few? Come to our absolutely free
lecture=FE"Exploitation is Your Right" and find out how to make more
money without feeling guilty about it.
* * * * *
Learn how to trap the genius within you! The School of MetastasisTM
offers classes in dream crisis intervention, transcendental seda-
tion, advanced day-dreaming, mental crutch construction, psychic
potty-training, asshole projection, psychopathy, and more!
Remember, all you need to bring to our classes are your cash and
an empty head. We'll do all the thinking for you!
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March 7, 1991: IRAQ - THE UNKNOWN REVOLTS
Two years ago, the allied forces of triumphant capitalism, at war
for their new world order, came across in Iraq the old fear that
haunts all the rich of this world: the offensive and fighting
autonomy of the proletariat.
By forming the Shoras (autonomous grassroots organizations), and by
attacking the mosques, city halls, prisons, police stations, banks
and businesses, these ``nobodies,'' who were considered to be
forever recruited in the service of all states, revolted, thus
showing the only possible way to have done with war, exploitation
and oppression forever. Yesterday with conventional machine-gun
fire, today with digitalized bombing, we are always condemned to
the silence of the grave: A leaden silence over 700,000 dead.
On this 7th of March, 1993, the tons of bombs have temporarily
yielded to the humanitarian aid of the nationalist-democrats. These
vultures are continuing, through their charitable, religious, paci-
fist, UN-style, etc. organizations, their role as the guard-dogs of
capital. Let's not be duped by their democracy: a Kurdish parlia-
ment is still a parliament; a Bosnian state is still a state;
capitalism, regardless of its colour or language, is still capi-
talism and therefore war.
The authors can be contacted - and their pamphlet Iraq, les
r=82voltes inconnues can be obtained at the following address:
C.D.L., C.P. 5209, Succ. C, Montr=82al, Qu=82bec, H2X 3N2, Canada
[I suggest people send a blank postal money order for $3.50 Cdn.
to cover expenses: if you can't afford this, write anyway. -tr.]
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Anarchist Contacts
This is a listing of addresses of groups and individuals who
would like to see the growth and development of anarchist
practice of one form or another. The list may help those
participating to make regional contacts and intercommunication
links based on their self-defined perspectives.
If you'd like to see your address added to this listing just
write to us and we'll include your name, address, and a short (20
words or less) description of your perspective, practice and/or
desires. Each contact address will be run in two successive
issues.
(Note: We are only compiling this list, we are not endorsing the
positions of those who have asked to be listed.)
Institute of Fatuous
Research
BM JED
London, WC1N 3XX
England
Conspiracy M.E.D.I.A.
POB 158324
Nashville, TN. 37215
Publishers of Radical Pizza zine, R.A.D! music zine, and
anarchist-oriented computer bulletin board Mondo Gordo! BBS.
Psychoriot Sound
c/o Count Zee
POB 752
Crocker, MO. 65452
"Composer/axeman/music softwear programmer looking for any
creative outlet for video, live or other projects. Relocating to
Alabama. Advice?"
Brian Metz
POB 70551
Richmond, VA. 23255
"I wish to build correspondences with anyone sincerely interested
in progression toward a shark-and-pig-free world."
Dale R. Gowin
#91-B-0209
POB 500
Elmira, NY. 14902
"Anarchist activist and `drug-war' POW seeks correspondence re:
counter-cultural movements and conscious social-revolutionary use
of psychedelic sacraments."
Joanne Bender
23 Linlake Dr.
St. Catherines, Ontario L2N 2M5 Canada
"Would like to correspond/share info & ideas with other
anarchists/radical environmentalists/ people interested/involved
with ALF."
Thornton Kimes
605=AB S. Main #2
Seattle, WA. 98104
"Bi anarchadude seeks (bi) pen friends, friends to hang out with
and give/receive massages to/from, cuddlebuddies and/or a
bianarchist household..."
Dan McGarrigan IIII
333 Springhouse Road
Newtown, PA. 18940
"I like punk music, political rap, nature Wicca, and debating
against right wing extremists."
Mike Kelly #493005 &
Victor Mendoza #410216
Clements Unit
9601 NE 24th Ave.
Amarillo, TX. 79107
"Anarchist revolutionary artists."
Pong Juie Jung
205 School Street
Somerville, MA 02143
"Situationalist/zerowork/vegetarian/simple living/ urban
survivalist/samurai/Native American cultures."
Bloodclot
University of Houston
Box 926113
Houston, TX. 77292-6113
"Campus-aired radical/ anarchist TV program seeks your political
films, videotape footage and input."