> In a message dated 3 May 97 at 6:50, Bob Smith says:
>
> > After a short stay with the Chomsky group, I must bid a fond
> > farewell. I subscribed in the hope of finding a group that was
> > translating Chomsky's ideas into action. Instead I found some
> > people (I mean this as a constructive critique) engaged in a kind
> > of cerebral circle-jerk akin to the medieval scholars who debated
> > how many angels could stand on the head of a pin. The mass of
> > mankind is not interested in the fine points of libertarian
> > socialism, rightist libertarianism, anarchosyndicalism etc. or
> > sociogeneticism (if I may stretch the English language). They are
> > looking for a way to make their lives better.
This mailing list is what you make of it. Bob seems reluctant to take
any of the blame for the newsgroup's quality, though he, it must be
remembered, is as responsible as any single individual is for the
content and ultimate usefulness of this forum. Being a lurker and
expecting everyone else to take the initiative and present something you
define as "useful" to which you can then apply yourself reveals a lack
of personal initiative, imagination, and every other quality you might
attribute to those who have made this experience a disappointment for
you. At least those who post, are posting -- they should be given credit
for *trying*, in which they are not afforded the luxury of suddenly
popping in and damning everyone else for not living up to their
expectations. Anarchism involves self-empowerment. Relying on others to
do the work for you ... well, your giving the others an awful lot of
power of you in that respect. Keep searching Bob; maybe you *will* find
others who are already "putting Chomsky's ideas into action," in which
case you can just join them and never have to initiate any such actions
on your own.
>
> I heartily second Bob's words. My own postings about seeking a way to
> set a resource to provide more maternal care than what is extant
> today have been ignored, as if I was talking on a topic alien to
> CHOMSKY list. Bob is right, what's the use of chatting about
> anarchosyndicalism and propose nothing to set into action? Nil.
>
> JC Garelli
I'm a little surprised at your concurrence here, Juan. Maybe not as
surprised as disappointed. I certainly don't believe in the
"philospohize until you die" sort of pseudo-anarchism. It's just a pose.
But again, not taking responsibility for the list, as every individual
subscribed indeed should, and instead expecting everyone else to provide
the substance while you kick back and grant yourself the power of
judgement and damnation is as hypocritical as anything I've seen.
On the positive side, maybe this is the shot in the arm we need. I just
hate to see someone not give the list much of a chance and unsubscribe
so quickly! What do you say, gang? Let's put word into practice and
actually try something away from the false world of the Internet, eh?
Below is something I came across on another anarchist forum, and I've
been seriously considering participating in this. If anyone else is
interested in joining me in this project, e-mail me at
mailto:[log in to unmask] and we'll see what we can do. The project herein
described is as "anarchosyndcalist" in nature as anything I've seen
recently. If an "anarchosyndicalist" action is that which involves
self-empowerment, the DIY ethic, and greater autonomy from the powers of
state and corporations, then this fits the bill perfectly:
Applications Available Now:
Help build a popular bilingual Jr. High School in Zapatista territory
We invite you to participate in the effort to build a school for
Indian children in the southeastern Mexican state of Chiapas. Since
beginning an seemingly impossible rebellion three years ago, the
indigenous
people of Chiapas have survived and are moving forward with an ambitious
educational project. Their struggle for human dignity has inspired
international attention and welcomes your support.
This summer teams of Mexicans and internationalists will work
with
the indigenous of Chiapas to build a popular, bilingual education center
in
the Zapatista civilian community of Oventic. This Jr. High School will
provide a new style of education fopr Indian youth and will be directly
administered by civilian indigenous Zapatistas.
We are excited to facilitate the involvement of others in the
inspiring process of social change sweeping Chiapas and all of Mexico.
We
know from personal experience that every participant in a brigade, like
those wh support us from home, will gain far more from their indigenous
Mayan hosts they they could ever give back.
Join us in the highlands of Chiapas!
**************************
For information about international efforts to support the
creation of a Jr. High School at Oventic please contact:
Chiapas School Construction Teams
A Project of San Diegans for Dignity, Democracy, and Peace in Mexico
3909 Centre Street #210
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 232-2841 FAX (619) 232-0500
[log in to unmask]
http://www.igc.apc.org/mexicopeace
Again, e-mail me if you want to join me in this. Liberty and peace,
everyone.
--Brian
--
"If it is correct, as I believe it is, that a fundamental element of
human nature is the need for creative work or creative inquiry, for free
creation without the arbitrary limiting effects of coercive
institutions, then of course it will follow that a decent society should
maximize the possibilities for this fundamental human characteristic to
be realized. Now, a federated, decentralized system of free associations
incorporating economic as well as social institutions would be what I
refer to as anarcho-syndicalism. And it seems to me that it is the
appropriate form of social organization for an advanced technological
society, in which human beings do not have to be forced into the
position of tools, of cogs in a machine. " -- Prof. Noam Chomsky, MIT
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