[lbo-talk] occupy-s-89-where-anarchism-shuns-unionists-it-allies-with-the-ultra-right

[c b]

Thanks for posting this, Charles.
I find it hardly surprising, though. Both anarchists and right wingers
share the same core values - extreme individualism, distrust of
anything social, and visceral hatred of large organizations (in that
sense, they are both petite bourgeois). The connection became quite
clear to me after reading Graeber. However, there also seems to be
another layer - aesthetic, as argued by Bourdieu in his book
"Distinctions." Anarchists, but also many leftists and liberals, tend
to come from bourgeois background and thus were socialized into a
different set of aesthetic values than trade unionists with blue
collar background. Oftentimes it comes down to wine and cheese vs beer
and crackers but it also involves gender roles and views on the
environment. My ex who used to work as a union organizer told me many
stories about sexism of the union folk she was working with, which was
quite offensive to her radical feminist sensibilities.

Wojtek

^^^^^
CB: You are welcome, Wojtek.. I agree with you. Your third sentence is
very cogent.   The Individualism of libertarians, some anarchists,
bourgeoisie, liberals, conservatives, is based on belief in the
sovereignty of individuals.  It is not surprising that the bourgeoisie
have succeeded in purveying rationalizations for selfishness so
widely, for the ruling ideas of our age , too, are the ideas of our
ruling class. And most don't realize that they have a philosophy  that
their rulers want them to have.  As u say, _petit_ bourgeois,  or like
your quote line: "An anarchist is a neoliberal without money."