Alex Callinicos/SWP vs Laurie Penny/New Statesman Facebook handbags

[JHE]

You can rustle sheep, can't you?

You can poach them. They take longer than eggs, though.

 

[JimW]

My grandad was such a left-wing firebrand of a shop steward he got the British Empire Medal for "services to labour". Ahem. Was a lovely bloke by all accounts and half the town came out for his funeral, but that came a bit before I really got to know him.

 

[miktheword]

I think Callinicos is a pretty clear writer myself. It tends to be what he says that is the problem.

I found 'The Revolutionary Ideas' an easy read - almost too easy /straightforward that I wondered if something was being hidden from me...
A year before,I was only 18 at the time, and didn't know 'who was who' in the 'Left' in Britain; just about to enjoy my one tempestuous year with the SWP, when I bought ' Is There a Future for Marxism?' by Callinicos.
With my lack of years, I can be forgiven for being turned off by the first couple of chapters focusing purely on linguistics, PM, Sassure.

But, what stuck with me was reading a review of it in an IS Journal (I think) which said...

'a number of leading intellectuals in the SWP can make neither head nor tail of it...'

That comment told me more about the SWP than any book I read by any of them.

Strange how some quotes from the SWP stay with you for ever...(as does the authors 'that is not my role in the party' reply to request for assistance with fascist physical threat to a paper sale)

 

[Random]

I can see why some people might feel excluded by the topic lefty ancestors. Should be renamed working class/peasant ancestors to include everyone. While on holiday in the north of Sweden I spoke to an elderly relative and found out that one of my wife's family was the only person to be killed in the great fire of 1888 in Hornslandet. Had just read about it in a history book, the dead woman described as "a poor woman who'd gone back in her house to rescue her few possessions." (freely translated from the Swedish) The fire destroyed the forest there and caused the logging company to sell the land to the Crown, and it's now a national park.

 

[rekil]

The anti-icke.

bragg lol 'left wing ancesrty! so wet and warm and wild and free, your alienation does not apply to me'

Mr.Bragg was very amusing on twitter last night.



Lots more in that vein.

 

[Captain Hurrah]

Refused isn't as funny as Lusty can be.

 

[discokermit]

You can rustle sheep, can't you?

it's not advisable due to the build up of static electricity.

 

[Bakunin]

it's not advisable due to the build up of static electricity.

True.

Accidentally using my dick as a lightning conductor is slightly more of a thrill than I'm into, personally.

 

[rekil]

Refused isn't as funny as Lusty can be.

Didn't realise that was refused, I just picked one of the responses at random. Anyway according to Bragg, we, or rather the British, live in a post-ideological society. Yes.

 

[Captain Hurrah]

I remember young Conservative Einy Shah telling him to 'shut the fuck up bastard prole' on Twatter.

 

[rekil]

Prole? His house is bigger than my local school.

 

[Captain Hurrah]

 

[DotCommunist]

Its always a shockto see houses with toilet washing bowls larger than yer one in the kitchen

 

[rekil]

This is the Anarchist Lesbian Mod look. Jacket by Charity Shop. Badge by Solfed. Thousand-yard-stare by Writing.

Laura likes solfed things now.

 

[The39thStep]

Laura likes solfed things now.

There's a lot of retro fashion about now, look at Bradley Wiggins.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Laura likes solfed things now.

WTF has Laura experienced that'd give her a thousand-yard stare?
Not being able pay the rent on time?
Being mildly harrassed by the OB?
Having been Nick Lezard's lodger?

TBF, the latter one might have caused it...

 

[DotCommunist]

the radishes..the radishes...

 

[rekil]

There's a lot of retro fashion about now, look at Bradley Wiggins.

I'm sure she did, him and The James at the opening ceremony as well. Marvelous.

She's going on about "fascist PE teachers" at school now. Brighton College. Where the teacher pupil ratio is 1:13 and sports include 'Athletics, Beach Volleyball, Climbing, Cricket (male and female), Croquet, Fencing, Football, Golf, Hockey, Judo, Netball, Tennis, Riding, Rugby, Squash, Rounders, Sailing, Swimming, & Water Polo', ie lots of fun stuff that most normals will never get the opportunity to have a go at.

And these are the fees per term.

 

[butchersapron]

And whose teachers she thanked for getting her to oxbridge and making her life absolutely lovely and who she does favours for by talking at other private schools (where David Starkey makes her look like a grasping duplicitous clown).

 

[rekil]

Oooh, and look at all the fascist clubs and activities they're bullied into. Too many to bother c&ping but these are my faves.

Creative Writing for the 6th form - This course will teach writing techniques, give you an insight into your creative process, and encourage novel ways to express yourself. An informal environment in which you can let your imagination run wild!

Shares For Schools club - Despite the hit taken by "The City" in recent years, there is still something alluring about the institution and the ability to make money by simply buying and selling shares. in this activity, lower sixth formers get the chance to use real money to buy real shares. "The Share Centre" sponsors the school £750 and the pupils raise the rest.The decision-making sessions on Mondays at 1.55pm are tense affairs because it is THEiR money that is on the line if things go wrong! They can't be too active in the market either because they pay real stamp duty (tax on share purchases) and real commission. Not for the feint-hearted! - For the prick-hearted.

The shooting Club - The College has a 20m shooting range within the armoury and this is an opportunity to learn how to fire a .22 calibre weapon. The club will run for 6 weeks at a time, with an emphasis on Health and Safety.

 

[DotCommunist]

less emphasis on health and safety please, thin the numbers

 

[rekil]

20m shooting ranges for all.

 

[_angel_]

I'm sure she did, him and The James at the opening ceremony as well. Marvelous.

She's going on about "fascist PE teachers" at school now. Brighton College. Where the teacher pupil ratio is 1:13 and sports include 'Athletics, Beach Volleyball, Climbing, Cricket (male and female), Croquet, Fencing, Football, Golf, Hockey, Judo, Netball, Tennis, Riding, Rugby, Squash, Rounders, Sailing, Swimming, & Water Polo', ie lots of fun stuff that most normals will never get the opportunity to have a go at.

And these are the fees per term.

Fun? Sounds like total hell!

 

[rekil]

Fun? Sounds like total hell!

Look at the clubs and activities for alternatives then. They have cake decorating. And juggling. Laura says she 'bunked off' to muck about in the fascist 1.3 million visual arts centre instead.

 

[butchersapron]

'Bunked off' - she's never bunked off anything in her life. And on top of that, bunking off tends to mean not going to school, not going to school.

 

[DaveCinzano]

'Intrabunking'

 

[rekil]

'Bunked off' - she's never bunked off anything in her life. And on top of that, bunking off tends to mean not going to school, not going to school.

Loved exercise at school, disliked being screamed at by fascists in tracksuits. In the end I just bunked off and spent detentions doing art.

Her word against yours.

 

[butchersapron]

Detention? The smartest kid in a smart school?

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

'Intrabunking'

infrabunking

 

[DotCommunist]

I think we can file this one with the magical wank tree where there was a dirty picture