"Meet the New New Left: bold, fun, and stupid, " in TNR

Gordon Fitch gcf at panix.com
Sat Apr 22 11:40:10 PDT 2000


John Kawakami:
> This point about the anarchists (or other protesters) being mostly
> affluent is probably true, but the overall progressive scene is
> probably a lot more global and a lot more available than it has been
> in a long time. Within the middle class, there are classes, and it
> was only the upper middle classes that were able to mobilize in the
> colleges. Just from what I've seen in person, the demographic is
> opening up, and kids outside of the colleges are getting networked
> and involved.
> ...

The people I am in contact with, e.g. Food Not Bombs, do not appear to be particularly affluent. I don't know about their families, but I believe they're primarily working-class or lower-middle-class. (Of course if they have any energy and intelligence the System is going to make them an Offer.) The people I know to be upper-middle-class seem much fonder and more trusting of established institutions. If the current anarchist thing goes the way of the hippies, you will see more, not fewer, upper-middle-class types coming in as it becomes institutionalized. Eventually, you'll see advertising promoting "anarchy"[1] and hear people talking about getting grants. The Black Bloc is going to have its work cut out for it. -- [1] Actually, Hard Rock Cafe (?) is doing this now.



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