Acid Communism ?

[brixtonscot]

I posted this quote a couple of day ago in music forum on thread on 50th anniversary of Woodstock.
I like quote from Mark Fisher and that it *could* have some potential , as some new , fresh thinking and approaches are needed.....and also agree with some reservations & criticism in linked article ( which I think is from USA )

“ The concept of acid communism is a provocation and a promise. It is a joke of sorts, but one with a very serious purpose..... the convergence of class consciousness, socialist-feminist consciousness-raising, and psychedelic consciousness, the fusion of new social movements with a communist project...the sixties and early seventies had seen the left fail to connect with the 'collective euphoria' of the counterculture, leaving its embrace of freedom and pleasure to be colonised by the right. "
Mark Fisher
More Acid Than Communism

 

[killer b]

Jeremy Gilbert has a regular podcast on Novara about this - it's called Acid Corbynism, which is a mistake IMO as it's very good and the name is likely to put of loads of people who might find the content really interesting...

acid corbynism | Novara Media

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Yeah that podcast is great. The version on Soundcloud has music, the one on the Novara podcast feed does not.

 

[killer b]

ah yeah - go for the soundcloud version, I forgot about that.

 

[rutabowa]

one episode in... it's very good... they best not play the grateful dead ever again though.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

If it doesn’t appeal to the working class then what is its purpose?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

If it doesn’t appeal to the working class then what is its purpose?

Are you a bot now?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Are you a bot now?

Apparently so. But honestly, a load of post grads making communism sound exciting through a radical rebranding?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Woodstock anarchism.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Apparently so. But honestly, a load of post grads making communism sound exciting through a radical rebranding?

I mean, yes, it is that, but you can approach it from the other end which is that communism has to be about what they call “moments of collective joy” - raving, clubbing, football, mass protest, big lash ups on a bank holiday, whatever.

And I think they are onto something with that.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I mean, yes, it is that, but you can approach it from the other end which is that communism has to be about what they call “moments of collective joy” - raving, clubbing, football, mass protest, big lash ups on a bank holiday, whatever.

And I think they are onto something with that.

Fair enough. As you can tell, I’m becoming miserable as the years grind on.

 

[killer b]

'Becoming'

 

[Magnus McGinty]

'Becoming'

Wanker

 

[killer b]

maybe as one of urban's three designated working class people you could listen to the podcast and tell us whether it appeals to you?

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Fair enough. As you can tell, I’m becoming miserable as the years grind on.

There are problems with it - and them - but it’s ok.

It sounds like you need a good night out yourself, hope you wear the grumpiness lightly irl.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

maybe as one of urban's three designated working class people you could listen to the podcast and tell us whether it appeals to you?

I probably should do before offering a criticism. But, aside from Urban, I’ve been bombarded with this stuff elsewhere. I do like the Vampires Castle essay by Fisher. But this stuff just appears to be moving around the same insular circles.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

And it’s not me you need to convince. I’m already a socialist.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I probably should do before offering a criticism. But, aside from Urban, I’ve been bombarded with this stuff elsewhere. I do like the Vampires Castle essay by Fisher. But this stuff just appears to be moving around the same insular circles.

I met Fisher about 20 years ago and never liked him. Some of his writing was ok. I wouldn’t let him put you off this...

 

[killer b]

As I say, I think it's a shame they called it Acid Corbynism, as I reckon the stuff they cover in the podcast would be of interest to lots of people beyond the insular circles giving it that name risks keeping it to.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

As I say, I think it's a shame they called it Acid Corbynism, as I reckon the stuff they cover in the podcast would be of interest to lots of people beyond the insular circles giving it that name risks keeping it to.

Fair enough mate. I’ll give it a listen and stop being a miserable fuck.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

But it’s basically a Plan C thing I think. As is Notes From Below.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

There’s a Facebook page called Acid Womble that comes from that orbit I think. It basically just promotes Labour.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

As does Novara Media.

 

[killer b]

well, you're under no obligation. maybe don't bother.

 

[butchersapron]

I quite like the idea of investigating lost or missed rendezvous. But what may appear from a certain perspective to be something full of potential might, from another, actually be the full playing out of the inherent possibilities of those situations in actually existing history. And i always wonder, are things like Donnington cool enough to go into this? There's also a very 50s vibe about commodification of culture and all that old crap from before stuart hall - NLR/the new left writing to the BBC to complain about them playing too much american music and needing to educate the masses into what proper culture is rather than feeding their natural bovine tendencies. And i note Gilbert explicitly ties this to that same new left's positions on culture here.

Gilbert's name makes my blood run cold anyway, since i heard him on a podcast about autonomism, which rather than a fiercely rebellious attempt at rethinking our modern conditions from the perspective of the working class as the motor of capitalist development that i had previously imagined it to be, i learn is actually the basis for the modern labour party and all it's shiny new things/hacks. Perfect example of academic enclosure.

edit: reminds of the thread on hippies - left or right? - on here many years ago, i remember that as being a good thread.

 

[xenon]

Sounds like sommat from Nathan Barley, Blue Jam. I.e. dated. Or worse, hippies dancing equals potential for class based revolution. Needs more substance. Dunno about the podcast. Might give it a go.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Perfect example of academic enclosure.

(An extremely detailed) point that arrives at the same thing I said.

 

[Celyn]

I mean, yes, it is that, but you can approach it from the other end which is that communism has to be about what they call “moments of collective joy” - raving, clubbing, football, mass protest, big lash ups on a bank holiday, whatever.

And I think they are onto something with that.

If I can't dance, it's not my revolution? (Yes, I know she didn't say that verbatim)

 

[killer b]

(An extremely detailed) point that arrives at the same thing I said.

Have you listened to it yet?

 

[Proper Tidy]

The advert in that Red Pepper knew its audience