Comments on: Subsistence Politics

By: Stump Lane — In Case of Electoral Defeat

Stump Lane — In Case of Electoral Defeat — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:57:41 +0000

[...] we can say this because we used to be one, are bracing today for the potential loss of Ted Kennedy’s senate seat in a nuclear republican [...]

By: Montag

Montag — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:59:24 +0000

’tis the season for gravy!

By: thepuppethead

thepuppethead — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:30:10 +0000

Thoughtful piece. Politics in this country really is pretty much about which rich guy at the head of the table gets to ladle his gravy first.

By: Montag

Montag — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:09:37 +0000

JRB, this is the reasoning behind the attempted shift away from ‘defining my terms’ to ‘voicing my thoughts’ and rejecting the easy labels. as IOZ said at his post,

And if the question finally becomes: well, then, what will we call ourselves? Then I suggest a question in reply: why must you call yourselves anything at all?

By: JRB

JRB — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:04:57 +0000

Just to touch on the use of the word "liberal," people typically use it to describe an enlightened orientation toward the individual, just as "conservative" is meant to orient oneself toward power. Used consistently, in keeping with the enlightenment tradition from which they came, I think the terms are serviceable: they lead us to anarchism in the modern era. Without adapting them to a modern context, the liberal "right" to property in the pre-industrial era, conceived as a means for individual self-sufficiency and a hedge against the state, suddenly becomes a claim to the social wealth of entire communities. In the same respect, the single-minded crowing by conservatives about governmental power ignores every other variety that has developed since! Many people use the terms in good faith without recognizing these implications.

By: Montag

Montag — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:20:13 +0000

Agi, i’m kind of relying on having a sense of ‘knowing it when i see it.’ if you want to meet up after the collapse we can head for the mountains in Western Maine. could probably find some high ground there that will be easy to defend.

in the meantime i’ll be around. partying like Prince.

all these years and it never occurred to me ’til just recently how neat it is living through a millennium.

By: Agi

Agi — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:08:55 +0000

So when and where do we start our anti-imperialist economic disestablishmentarian commune? I haven't written anything this thoughtful in years. Bravo. These days I don't spend more than five minutes on a blog post, lol. The last time I wrote anything serious I was heading in your direction but sort of took a detour towards not-caring-ville. I really should start thinking more...

By: Montag

Montag — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:25:07 +0000

i don't know, Leo. i'm more concerned with taking the profit motive out of the equation. it probably could have read something like:

Growth and progress should be informed by an ethic (such as the one proposed a couple of paragraphs later), rather than for the sole purpose of profitability.

Badiou says an ethic based in truth must be universal and is therefore impossible to deny in good faith. as for what is necessary? if we can't come to a consensus, i don't have a problem with letting Dumb Larry decide. ;)

By: Leo

Leo — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:31:39 +0000

Growth and progress should be fueled by necessity tempered with morality

One problem. Who decides? Me? You? Dumb Larry from the next block over? And how do you convince the ones who don’t want to go along?

By: Montag

Montag — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:37:17 +0000

Thanks, JRB.

Randal, or a bit too much?

in a public school-less society, where you’re primary interactions with your kids are no longer putting them on the bus in the morning and coercing them to do their homework all evening, parenting will be fun! if you don’t want to raise the kid yourself perhaps you’ll be able to opt out and let the community raise them.