spgreenlaw

spgreenlaw

23p

14 comments posted · 13 followers · following 0

14 years ago @ A Division by Zer0 - An Anarchist FAQ on yo... · 2 replies · +1 points

Wow, that's a great idea. Thanks for all the work you put into making the Anarchist FAQ even more useful. And hey, now I have one more reason to pick up an e-reader. ;)

14 years ago @ A Division by Zer0 - Distinctions of Ownership · 2 replies · +1 points

Eh, I would, but for a few things.

A. I'm not sure if it's just on my end, but comments seem to misbehave rather badly. Like it will say there are 9 replies to a comment, but only one will appear, and the descending pages of comments don't seem to be organized by any sensible system. Makes me think I'm missing something, and I'd rather not argue under conditions that conspire to keep me ignorant. :P

B. I'm extremely awful when it comes to debating political economy and theory. I'm a communist because I've seen the effects capitalism has on people, and how it concentrates power in the hands of the few while marginalizing and dehumanizing the vast majority. Any discussion about why this happens, how it occurs, is, at this point, beyond me. I'm disgusted enough by the end result to know its wrong, but still trying to grapple with the mechanics of it. I'd probably do more damage to the cause by opening my mouth. I'll just sit quietly in the corner and watch you wreck the capitalists for now.

14 years ago @ A Division by Zer0 - Distinctions of Ownership · 2 replies · +1 points

Nice counter, Will.

14 years ago @ A Division by Zer0 - Distinctions of Ownership · 3 replies · +1 points

Good post. I would comment more, but I find myself with little to add and nothing to criticize. ;)

15 years ago @ A Division by Zer0 - How would Anarchists/C... · 0 replies · +1 points

That does make sense. I think I've got it now. Thanks for the clarification.

15 years ago @ A Division by Zer0 - How would Anarchists/C... · 3 replies · +1 points

Great post. A couple of questions:

You write:
"Because the workers themselves reap all the fruits of their own labour any slacking at work will come directly out of one’s “paycheck” while any extra effort will increase their reward."

It sounds as if you are keeping certain aspects of the capitalist mode of production alive, namely commodification, the law of value, and a wage system, albeit a more democratic one. This isn't really the abolition of the capitalist mode so much as the democratization of it. I thought for "true" communism, rather than something transitory, the concept of value itself has to be abandoned. Or am I misreading this?

15 years ago @ A Division by Zer0 - The Take · 0 replies · +1 points

Glad you liked it. The best part about The Take, for me at least, was seeing that worker management could be so effective and come about so organically. Obviously they are still operating in a larger capitalist system, and thus have to play by that system's rules, but the progress forward is significant, and the fact that these recovered factories were using surplus capital to better their communities when their government failed to do so is telling. It's extremely encouraging.

15 years ago @ A Division by Zer0 - How does distribution ... · 0 replies · +1 points

I thought it looked familiar, but it took me a while to remember where it was from. Well, at least now more people are going to read the FAQ. I do wish the commenter had linked to the source, if only so more reddit users would know where to look in the future. The original is under a GNU license and I'm not sure what rights are reserved.

15 years ago @ A Division by Zer0 - How does distribution ... · 3 replies · +1 points

Unless the commenter also wrote Infoshop's Anarchist FAQ, then the response is not theirs. It's taken word for word from here: http://www.infoshop.org/faq/secI4.html#seci414

It's a great resource. I find myself returning to it to brush up on concepts, fairly frequently.

15 years ago @ A Division by Zer0 - What is Socialism? · 2 replies · +4 points

Exactly. As an anarchist, it can be so frustrating to have to walk people through the notion that socialism does not hinge on there being a powerful, manipulating State. That annoyance comes second only to having to explain that, no, anarchism is not about chaos and "anything goes". I think in that in the future, whenever the former discussion looms on the horizon, I'll just send people to this post.