[lbo-talk] RE: Power

[Dwayne Monroe]

Joanna wrote:

Figuring out how to organize human societies without
the worship of power would be the most radical and
deep development in the whole of human history. 

In this regard, I think that some of what the
anti-globalization movement is doing, what the
Zapatistas are doing, what some anarchists are
doing...is very interesting and deserving of study and
thought.

===========


The Zapatista's innovations in self-governance are
their most intriguing feature in my opinion.

...

I was a very young man when the Chiapas rebellion
occured so, as the Zapatistas came to my attention, it
was, you might say, the romance of the AK47 - of the
oppressed putting an expression of shock and surprise
on the faces of the powerful and their ruthless
henchmen - which inspired me to learn more.  

Of course there was also the strangely compelling
figure of the artist/revolutionary Marcos whose
communiques were unlike anything I had read before.

A very strong elixir for a young mind.

With more years behind me and greater maturity - along
with, it's to be hoped, wisdom - the drama of mask and
rifle (a harsh necessity and not a fashion choice for
the Zapatistas) lost its allure and their attempts to
find an alternative way of governing grabbed my
attention and has not let go.


Building an alternative to the present global cock-up
requires a similar willingness to experiment and will
be closer to the subtlest and most startling kinds of
art than engineering (the model many theoreticians and
activists employ - though they don't know it).


DRM

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