Wednesday, October 20, 2004

What I Believe (It's Not All About Criticism)

By Mickey Z.

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Posted 10/20 | Add a Comment

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  1. Bravo Z! An appropriately clever, blacky humorous, and very American wording of a sentiment recently voiced at the ESF (it’s in all the euroleft papers these days). A very funny piece and about something serious. All of us get pounded on at some time or another (some of us rather often). I’d like to make the point that being thinskinned is not a helpful quality for us radicals. If someone has a tough critique to lay out on you and yours—especially when it’s made with less than friendly or friendship inspiring phrasing—don’t get riled. Hit back if you feel like it. Chances are you are really friends anyway. Just be aware that the game is to somehow fumble together towards those elusive strategies and approaches. The old guard European revolutionists ripped into one another’s proposals with a ferocity that makes most of us moderns balk. Marx’s and Engel’s ‘The German Ideology’ sizzled their contemporaries, leaving nothing but philosophical vapor. Sometimes when reading Trotsky, I wince and almost feel bad for his targets. Andre Breton could annihilate the opposition with a pen stroke. This wasn’t because these sorts were ‘too negative’ or glory hounds . . . they were wholly driven and committed to struggle. There was simply no time for niceties, tea and crumpets when one was out there winning back the world. Look what Blanqui had to say about revolutionary writers in France years after the Commune was crushed: “Thousands of young educated, working and middle-class people quiver under a detested yoke. To break it, do they think of taking up the sword? No! the pen, always the pen, only the pen. Why the one and not the other, as the duty of a republican requires? In times of tyranny, to write is fine, to fight is better, when the pen of a slave remains impotent.” That was downright mean. Obviously we do not live in 1848, this is not Paris and apparently we are not Communards. All I’m trying to say is that a little toughskinnedness goes a long way. I’ve been known to be a little too caustic and demanding of others: I want strategies and solutions. I want something above and beyond mere criticism. But I’m aware that without an arena for critical sparring to occur, we’ll never stumble onto those tactical desiderata. Criticism is all-important and dialectic is condensed critique.  Criticism is the fuel for a movement, and, like coal, when subjected to pressure (here dialectical condensation) becomes a thousandfold more precious. The Neoplatonic Plotinus said: “What is Philosophy? Philosophy is the most precious. Is Dialectic then the same as Philosophy? It is the precious part of Philosophy.” We too should value our dialectical clashes and try to use them to further our common aims. It’s not always a pleasant process, but for those of us who step in the ring swinging: we are able to take what we dish out. Anyway, another great article!

    Posted by Theo Papathanasis from  on  10/20  at  11:04 AM

  2. You may be aware of this - State of Siege directed by Costa Gravas is a brilliant film about the Tupameros.  I myself have looked for books about them to no avail.....In terms of the AIM, I couldn’t agree more…

    Posted by j cummings from  on  10/20  at  12:19 PM

  3. Ooops! Sorry Z, I’m such a mush-head. Blanqui wrote that in 1869, helping incite the Paris Commune of 1871! I gotta be more careful with these off the cuff quotes.

    Posted by Theo Papathanasis from  on  10/20  at  05:06 PM

  4. Great article Mick, I am forwarding this one far and wide. You might also add: I believe in exposing the Zionist lobby for hijacking US Middle East policy (your candidate Nader has said so); I believe that the US government was complicit in allowing or enacting 911. Of course, I don’t mean to put words in your mouth. Again, brilliant insights Mick, thank you for being there.

    Posted by Rhino Rick from  on  10/20  at  06:09 PM

  5. Thanks for all the great feedback. I haven’t had time to post much here lately but I do try to read everything.

    Posted by Mickey Z. from  on  10/20  at  06:34 PM
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