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

[muscovyduck]

I mean that advertızıng one's mental ıllness ıs a stupıd way to try to wın an electıon.

The problem is that to a lot of people, merely not keeping it a secret counts as 'advertising' it. May not be relevant in this case but it's something to be wary of when having discussions about it.

 

[phildwyer]

This report from the NUS Black Section conference has a number of things in it

And ıt appears to have been wrıtten by an especıally narcıssıstıc 14 year-old.

''My experıence of conference was a negatıve one...''

Thank Chrıst for that. The day thıs person has a posıtıve experıence at conference ıs the day conference should be levelled to the ground by B52s.

 

[phildwyer]

The problem is that to a lot of people, merely not keeping it a secret counts as 'advertising' it.

I'd certaınly consıder votıng for a clınıcal depressıve--many great polıtıcıans have suffered from depressıon, Churchıll sprıngs to mınd.

But to make ıt part of your campaıgn ıs (a) unpleasantly self-centered and (b) massıvely counter-productıve.

 

[chilango]

I mean that advertızıng one's mental ıllness ıs a stupıd way to try to wın an electıon.

Perhaps not in these particular types of election.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

jesus christ, how can they get this shit out of something like a bug's life?

MIM was best understood as a performance art project exploring the deep interconnections between Maoist Third Worldism and certain forms of serious mental illness.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Yes, I agree. It can hold the seeds of destruction for class struggle movements in its wake though.

Absolutely.
The question is "do they realise that?".
Further, "if they do realise that, do they care, if all 'intersectionality' is to them is an instrumental practice to start them on the road to a mainstream political career?".

 

[ViolentPanda]

I've seen this sort of thing before, and I'm really unsure how I feel about it, though I guess it makes me feel uncomfortable. As somebody who has suffered from depression to the extent that it has affected my ability to study and work (in quite significant ways), I can see that it is a 'disability', but I definitely wouldn't feel right "self-identifying" as disabled, and I can't help but feel there's something cynical about doing so. Of course, from my own experience mental health can have a great impact on your physical well-being too, but by the logic of privilegistas themselves, can an otherwise physically-able person who suffers from depression really speak on behalf of a person whose disability leaves them immobile?

Well, there's the rub. Intersectionality should be all about NOT "speaking for" others who haven't nominated you to speak for them, but as this plays out, we see the "same old same old" practices from the privilegistas as we see from other student politicians and soi disant "radical entrepreneurs" - the assumption of the right to speak as the voice of others.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

Yeah I'm genuinely astonished at how quickly some of the people who I follow on twitter are prepared to abandon the core principles of Anarchism rather than challenge this stuff, I didn't think they'd be that much of a pushover tbh I thought it'd take a few years for class struggle anarchism to be replaced by this stuff.

Let's all go to intersectional island - a safe space for juggalo's.

It's almost as if the "core principles of Anarchism" didn't have too much purchase in the first place.

 

[muscovyduck]

I'd certaınly consıder votıng for a clınıcal depressıve--many great polıtıcıans have suffered from depressıon, Churchıll sprıngs to mınd.

But to make ıt part of your campaıgn ıs (a) unpleasantly self-centered and (b) massıvely counter-productıve.

I guess it depends on the campaign. Using it to help explain why you're campaigning for something is good. Using it as an excuse for bigotry or immaturity is bad. Highlighting mental health issues where they're relevant is great. Highlighting specific mental health issues as more important where a broader spectrum of health problems are relevant isn't irritating.

I'm uncomfortable writing that because it implies people exaggerating their health problems is a common occurrence, and a lot of people already have extreme thoughts on both the amount of 'scroungers' around and what we should do with them. It's not a rule I'd universally apply to every situation for that reason. It's another one of those opinions I don't raise unless I have to due to the way it can be manipulated.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I mean that advertızıng one's mental ıllness ıs a stupıd way to try to wın an electıon.

Unless you're cultivating the disability vote.

 

[DaveCinzano]

...But in fact it's a new build red brick detached on a housing estate in rural Kent.

East Sussex, not Kent, IIRC.

 

[SpineyNorman]

Delegates from Sheffield Hallam take full expenses (including hotel rooms) for NUS conferences in Sheffield.

They were resolutely opposed to a needs budget for the uni however...

Fucking cracking scooters though (she never did get back to me about donating them to disadvantaged local kids)

 

[J Ed]

I'm about next year if you are (I've got to re-sit the second semester cos I missed loads of time for family stuff)

Probably won't be, not having much luck finding a job in Sheffield so I will probably have to move elsewhere. I actually think the SU would be pretty keen on the idea, just a bit confused!

 

[muscovyduck]

Anyway, I'm now doing a post on Laurie Penny for my moany, obnoxious 'blog'. I've written a few objective posts before but the Tumblr mainly features stuff that looks like extracts from the Voice Of A Generation's drafts folder. I started with a brief rant on the Figurehead of the Student Protests but it kind of spiralled out of control, and I figured I may as well do a proper job while I'm here. Any advice/requests? Maybe I should ask the Inspirational Feminist herself? I mean she gets loads of youths bugging her for this type of thing every single day but I'm sure I'll be near the top of the list because I'm really un-privileged, and that means my opinions are more important and correct than everyone else's.

 

[Delroy Booth]

Anyway, I'm now doing a post on Laurie Penny for my moany, obnoxious 'blog'. I've written a few objective posts before but the Tumblr mainly features stuff that looks like extracts from the Voice Of A Generation's drafts folder. I started with a brief rant on the Figurehead of the Student Protests but it kind of spiralled out of control, and I figured I may as well do a proper job while I'm here. Any advice/requests? Maybe I should ask the Inspirational Feminist herself? I mean she gets loads of youths bugging her for this type of thing every single day but I'm sure I'll be near the top of the list because I'm really un-privileged, and that means my opinions are more important and correct than everyone else's.

I'd be happy to help, PM me if you want.

 

[SpineyNorman]

I'm not sure I like the general point you're making there. Care to elaborate?

I assume you're replying to phil since I can't see it (you really should try putting him on ignore, it's a liberating (lol) experience). My guess is he said something 'controversial' and probably offensive.

He doesn't really believe it, he just gets some weird kind of quasi-sexual gratification from offending and winding people up. It's probably sexual frustration related to the fact that although he's a full 14 years older than me (and I'm an old cunt) he's still never had a sexual partner that he didn't have to pay for.

 

[SpineyNorman]

I've seen this sort of thing before, and I'm really unsure how I feel about it, though I guess it makes me feel uncomfortable. As somebody who has suffered from depression to the extent that it has affected my ability to study and work (in quite significant ways), I can see that it is a 'disability', but I definitely wouldn't feel right "self-identifying" as disabled, and I can't help but feel there's something cynical about doing so. Of course, from my own experience mental health can have a great impact on your physical well-being too, but by the logic of privilegistas themselves, can an otherwise physically-able person who suffers from depression really speak on behalf of a person whose disability leaves them immobile?

I felt the same unease at that (and I've suffered from depression too). But I guess you could say that it's an issue with all purpose disability liberation (or whatever you might want to call it) in general. How can a deaf person speak for someone who needs a wheelchair? How can someone with only one arm speak for someone who is completely paralysed? And how can someone without a visible disability speak for those who do, when you consider that disability hate crime seems to be on the increase and those whose disability is not immediately obvious might not be on the receiving end - at least not as much anyway.

And this is before we even get on to the ways disability will affect people differently if they come from different class backgrounds, and I guess ethno-cultural ones too.

 

[SpineyNorman]

Probably won't be, not having much luck finding a job in Sheffield so I will probably have to move elsewhere. I actually think the SU would be pretty keen on the idea, just a bit confused!

I might have a go at it if I can get some of the working class kids and student socialist types to back me up on it. I'm seriously considering running for NUS president next year too, mainly because if the candidates are as shit as they were this year I reckon even a student hating old twat like me stands a chance of winning. I know I would hate it, but I reckon it would be even more unpleasant for the types we're discussing here (who really must be stopped) cos I'm an awkward bastard and they wouldn't guilt and bully me into submission and I'd get paid for it so I reckon I could handle it.

 

[SpineyNorman]

Anyway, I'm now doing a post on Laurie Penny for my moany, obnoxious 'blog'. I've written a few objective posts before but the Tumblr mainly features stuff that looks like extracts from the Voice Of A Generation's drafts folder. I started with a brief rant on the Figurehead of the Student Protests but it kind of spiralled out of control, and I figured I may as well do a proper job while I'm here. Any advice/requests? Maybe I should ask the Inspirational Feminist herself? I mean she gets loads of youths bugging her for this type of thing every single day but I'm sure I'll be near the top of the list because I'm really un-privileged, and that means my opinions are more important and correct than everyone else's.

I'd PM sihhi if I were you - if he has the time and inclination he'd be the best person of all to give you pointers.

 

[muscovyduck]

I'd PM sihhi if I were you - if he has the time and inclination he'd be the best person of all to give you pointers.

I PMed Delroy Booth, and if there's a way to add sihhi to the conversation and he wants to join in then I'll add him.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

I might have a go at it if I can get some of the working class kids and student socialist types to back me up on it. I'm seriously considering running for NUS president next year too, mainly because if the candidates are as shit as they were this year I reckon even a student hating old twat like me stands a chance of winning. I know I would hate it, but I reckon it would be even more unpleasant for the types we're discussing here (who really must be stopped) cos I'm an awkward bastard and they wouldn't guilt and bully me into submission and I'd get paid for it so I reckon I could handle it.

Candidate quality has very little to do with NUS elections. Factional blocs, themselves drawn from a narrow layer of local su bureaucrats and various careerists, determine pretty much all results at NUS conference, I'm afraid. You'll have to join the Labour Party and spend a few years brownnosing the most aggravating dickheads in Christendom first.

 

[SpineyNorman]

Candidate quality has very little to do with NUS elections. Factional blocs, themselves drawn from a narrow layer of local su bureaucrats and various careerists, determine pretty much all results at NUS conference, I'm afraid. You'll have to join the Labour Party and spend a few years brownnosing the most aggravating dickheads in Christendom first.

I've got studenty friends to try and sort that kind of shit out - I was told by a few labour students that they'd have voted for me if I'd stood so I don't think the whip is especially strict around these parts.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

I've got studenty friends to try and sort that kind of shit out - I was told by a few labour students that they'd have voted for me if I'd stood so I don't think the whip is especially strict around these parts.

Hang on, do you mean your SU President rather than NUS President?

 

[J Ed]

I might have a go at it if I can get some of the working class kids and student socialist types to back me up on it. I'm seriously considering running for NUS president next year too, mainly because if the candidates are as shit as they were this year I reckon even a student hating old twat like me stands a chance of winning. I know I would hate it, but I reckon it would be even more unpleasant for the types we're discussing here (who really must be stopped) cos I'm an awkward bastard and they wouldn't guilt and bully me into submission and I'd get paid for it so I reckon I could handle it.

NUS or SU President? Either way, you'd be great, go for it! If you're going to run for SU President maybe consider running for mature students councillor or something at the start of the year as well

 

[butchersapron]

I've got studenty friends to try and sort that kind of shit out - I was told by a few labour students that they'd have voted for me if I'd stood so I don't think the whip is especially strict around these parts.

Have you a disability?

 

[J Ed]

Spiney you should run on a Proletarian Democracy ticket

 

[Bakunin]

Anyway, I'm now doing a post on Laurie Penny for my moany, obnoxious 'blog'. I've written a few objective posts before but the Tumblr mainly features stuff that looks like extracts from the Voice Of A Generation's drafts folder. I started with a brief rant on the Figurehead of the Student Protests but it kind of spiralled out of control, and I figured I may as well do a proper job while I'm here. Any advice/requests? Maybe I should ask the Inspirational Feminist herself? I mean she gets loads of youths bugging her for this type of thing every single day but I'm sure I'll be near the top of the list because I'm really un-privileged, and that means my opinions are more important and correct than everyone else's.

Which blog's that then?

 

[muscovyduck]

Which blog's that then?

I feel a bit conscious of just posting it on this forum because I don't want to make it too easy to match things up to my identity. I'm not exactly anonymous on here or my blog or my Twitter feed etc but they all contain... different aspects of me I guess? When I finish the blog post I'll probably link to it on Twitter and PM it people etc. I know I sound really paranoid/dodgy for no reason but it would make my life difficult if certain people married up my various internet profiles to who I am.

 

[killer b]

will self. i thought we'd got rid of you years ago.

 

[SpineyNorman]

Hang on, do you mean your SU President rather than NUS President?

Yeah