I have read quite a bit of this debating room and the others and this free-flow of views is refreshing and what I find exciting about the internet. It is mostly this sort of thing that has convinced an old Luddite like me that this technology has some merit.
I haven't received any replies to my postings, but maybe interest in the threads had died. At any rate this is my two cents worth:I was always a Socialist, and at heart if I had more faith in humanity I still would be. I guess I am just a Nihilist now. What interets me about Socialist discourse is the presumption that the world is full of evil fat cats. Well this is true to a point, but what has to be realised is that these fat cats don't recognise themselves in socialist rhetoric and therefore write it off as idealistic paranoia.
I have ben very lucky in that I have seen both the very top and the very bottom of society. I have mentioned this before so please bear with me if it is old news. I have lived in squats, took part in the anti-poll tax riots including the Battle of Trafalgar, lived with the "Travellers" aka the "Hippy Convoy" and generally been an activist for years. I have also been a Judge's Associate and know members of the intelligence/security community and even had dinner with a cabinet minister. But I can tell you that all these people are committed to what they do and firmly believe that what they are doing is right. They can be very pleasant and decent people.
I happen to think that what they do is often reprehensible, but I know that some are fine human beings. The language of confrontation will get you nowhere with them or the establishment at large, not that peacable dialogue will get you much further, but at least you will be heard and taken more seriously.
Now this dialogue will never solve the problem, and anyone that has seen the front-lines of political activism will know that the establishment plays a dirty game, and will stop at NOTHING to maintain the status quo. They misunderstand us and suffer paranoia as much as we do about them. But life does not simply divide neatly into goodies and baddies, cowboys and indians. Any position you take must understand this if you are to make headway. Frustration and anger are to be harnessed rather than given free rein. Self-education is the key.
For those of you that condemn direct action and violence to achieve political aims let me remind you of a few facts. The very democratic institutions that the Western World espouses were built on violent political opposition to the status quo. Throughout the history of Britain and especially during the English civil war the "London Mob" have rioted and generally gone bananas whenever their political aspirations have been thwarted. Pacifying unruly elements of society has resulted in the Democracy all the capitalists hold so dear. And for you Yanks just look at your war of Independence. Your whole country is built on a violent insurrection! Casually accepting the status quo only leads to stagnation.
For those of you that believe that Marxist or Socialist ideology is a template for a successful society let me tell you from bitter experience and sad recognition that there are no solutions. You can just hope that you can curb the worst of mankind's excesses.
OSRIC
THE BORDERS OF MY COUNTRY
RUN AROUND THE SOLES OF MY FEET.
