SXE finally reaches party town.

[rosiedoes]

Across the road from our house, they're holding a talk with Gabriel Kuhn tonight, about his book on straight edge.

The book has contributions from Andy*, which makes it particularly interesting.

I'd really like to go, but shiny_starlight is working and I don't want to go by myself.

I'm a bit scared of the anarchists, to tell you the truth. I'm nervous that I won't be proactive enough for them and that I would be tempted to point out that organised anarchists with a designated and permanent HQ are possibly slightly missing the point.



* He did come back to me, btw; next tour I have promised to stay and say 'hi' properly... looks like we shiny_starlight will be driving to that gig, then.

Comments

[synesis.livejournal.com]

Oh! I know a lot of people involved with the Cowley Club & I've spoken there a few times myself -- they're genuinely a bunch of the least scary, most considerate people around.

FWIW, though there are a lot of negative associations with the word 'anarchist', in this particular context it tends to refer to people who strive to eliminate any exercise of power over other people, and endeavour to ensure that all points of view are heard. Amusingly enough, the debate over permanent, legal spaces is one that crops up again and again in the movement, and you've hit the nail on the head: the other side of the argument is that such spaces are necessary to hold meetings and social spaces, and there are ways of distributing responsibility for the space (e.g., co-operative management, collectivised work, open meetings) that avoid the undue forms of power that accrue from the possession of property.

Also, they do really nice cake.

[rosiedoes.livejournal.com]

The organised anarchy thing is a bit of a running joke at our house; I have always assumed there was a bit more to it than Rik Mayal in The Young Ones... ;)

I am very tempted to go. I coincidentally wore a hoodie with 'straight edge' emblazoned across the front, today, so I'd have to go home and change it because in this context I'd feel like a bit of a try-hard.

Thank you for the encouragement.