Geoff > Status Update

Just as he was about to explain his Pepe the frog pin!! I certainly don't feel bad for him or Martin Shkreli for having feces thrown at him. I'd also be okay with Milo feeling a little less safe to whip up anti-Muslim hatred across the country.

There's a sense, though, in which these cartoonishly vile people are distractions from more systemic outrages.

Maybe when I find Jesus I'll be an absolute pacifist. For now I'm still lost in the wilderness. For now I'm not 100% convinced that capitalism can be peacefully reformed.

Oh there is no way capitalism can be peacefully reformed. As PT Anderson concisely put it - There Will Be Blood. Also, maybe it's just because I come from a youth in the punk and skateboarding scenes, but a guy getting punched in the face for being a dick just doesn't seem that odd to me.

Ah, the skateboard. That explains so much. I was always more of an ambulatory anarchist.

David wrote: "Ah, the skateboard. That explains so much. I was always more of an ambulatory anarchist."

Yeah, once you know how big a part of my youth skateboarding was, the rest of me makes much more sense. Whenever I hear the whirring of polyurethane on pavement, I still get sentimental.

Grindr should follow the lead of Twitter and ban Milo.

David wrote: "Grindr should follow the lead of Twitter and ban Milo."

Ha! But yes

It just occurred to me that the timeline got fucked up a little over a year ago. Trump was supposed to have died on January 10, 2016, and Bowie is supposed to still be alive and to have performed at the Clinton inauguration the other day.

Rod wrote: "It just occurred to me that the timeline got fucked up a little over a year ago. Trump was supposed to have died on January 10, 2016, and Bowie was supposed to still be alive and to have performed ..."

Ha! Yes, we've become unstuck in time!

It just occurred to me that the timeline got fucked up a little over a year ago. Trump was supposed to have died on January 10, 2016, and Bowie was supposed to still be alive and to have performed at the Clinton inauguration the other day.

That's a relief, I thought it was my fault when I got back from time travelling to look at dinosaurs and found a dead butterfly on the bottom of my shoe.

Kirk wrote: "It just occurred to me that the timeline got fucked up a little over a year ago. Trump was supposed to have died on January 10, 2016, and Bowie was supposed to still be alive and to have performed ..."

Ahaha that was good

Donald just tweeted a threat to "send in the feds" to end gun violence in Chicago.

Nathan "N.R." wrote: "My argument here is only that it's all too easy to yank out the bible from underneath the reactionaries of the Guns=God=Country party. They're pagans through and through."

Don't insult pagans! I'm one, and we revere the earth above anything.

Jacob wrote: "Donald just tweeted a threat to "send in the feds" to end gun violence in Chicago."

Goddammit. Can't even go away from the Internet for a hour before more unprecedentedly batshit things go down. Now more than ever in my adult life that old Chinese curse comes back to haunt me : "may you live in interesting times"

Speaking of batshit, journalists covering protests are getting felony charges according to the grauniad. So yeah, guess this shit's real.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/201...

howl of minerva wrote: "Speaking of batshit, journalists covering protests are getting felony charges according to the grauniad. So yeah, guess this shit's real.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/201...-..."

Oh god

"To say, as he did, that the elected representatives of American democracy are worthless and that the people are everything is to lay the foundations of totalitarianism. It is to say that democratic institutions are irrelevant and all that counts is the great leader and the masses he arouses. To speak of “American carnage” is to deploy the dangerous lexicon of blood, soil and nation. To boast of “a historic movement, the likes of the which the world has never seen before” is to demonstrate consuming megalomania. To declaim “America first” and again, “America first,” is to recall the darkest clarion calls of nationalist dictators. To exalt protectionism is to risk a return to a world of barriers and confrontation. To utter falsehood after falsehood, directly or through a spokesman, is to foster the disorientation that makes crowds susceptible to the delusions of strongmen."

https://www.google.com/amp/mobile.nyt...

Geoff wrote: "No, sorry, you're right Niklas, we should be tolerant of Nazis and let the Nazis thrive. Nazis generally adhere to the golden rule for their neighbors too, right?"

Of course, things get kind of confusing when one side has consistently called the other side "nazis" the entire election, and everyone under the sun has compared a certain president to Adolf Hitler. So I guess violence against Trump and all of his supporters are legitimate.

Violence in any form is unacceptable. It is the Nazi ideology we have to attack, not the people.

@Niklas, what do you consider yourself politically/philosophically?

Perusing your bookshelves, but I don't get any clear read on your ideological identity.

I for one have always been against lazy Hitler comparisons, but the epithet 'Nazi' is clearly warranted in Richard Spencer's case (though I don't think he represents most Trump voters).

I also think the stakes are catastrophicly high right now. I may be reading into things here, but your comment seems to suggest that there's something normal or acceptable about Donald Trump being elected president. I'd say that's clearly not true; his election represents a serious, serious crisis, one that can't be pinned exclusively on any one side. More like a symptom of terminal decline of the system as a whole. (There's this one book I'm always recommending to people How Will Capitalism End?)

Nandakishore wrote: "Violence in any form is unacceptable. It is the Nazi ideology we have to attack, not the people."

Disagree. The right side won ww2.

David wrote: "Nandakishore wrote: "Violence in any form is unacceptable. It is the Nazi ideology we have to attack, not the people."

Disagree. The right side won ww2."

Well, if we go into World War II, I have a different opinion.

As an Indian, I have found it very difficult to accept England was the "right" side. Since the victors get to write history, the Allies twisted it in their favour. See the following article on how England engineered the Bengal famine:

The Bengal Famine: How the British engineered the worst genocide in human history for profit

Also, the following book may be of interest:

An Unpatriotic History of the Second World War

Europe and America watched in indifference, amusement and a sort of grudging admiration as Hitler and Mussolini rose to power and started riding roughshod over the weaker states. It was only when their colonial hegemony was threatened that Britain got into the act.

The history of the Second World War is that of a group of ruffians scrapping over unjust spoils.

My understanding of ww2 in Europe is that it was primarily fought on the eastern front. The Red Army bears the great majority of responsibility for destroying the Nazi regime and their mission was entirely just and necessary.

But anyway, the point is that I don't agree with an absolute statement that violence is always wrong and unacceptable.

David wrote: "@Niklas, what do you consider yourself politically/philosophically?

Perusing your bookshelves, but I don't get any clear read on your ideological identity.

Civic nationalist in favour of a strong welfare state.


David wrote: "your comment seems to suggest that there's something normal or acceptable about Donald Trump being elected president. I'd say that's clearly not true; his election represents a serious, serious crisis, one that can't be pinned exclusively on any one side. More like a symptom of terminal decline of the system as a whole."

Very much disagree. Trump and the rise of populist parties in Europe represents the opposite, a rejuvenation of a democratic system that has been stagnant for a long time. In my opinion.

Nandakishore wrote: The history of the Second World War is that of a group of ruffians scrapping over unjust spoils.

Yes, especially when you realise that the only reason D-Day even happened is so the Soviets wouldn't get the entire European cake.

David wrote: "My understanding of ww2 in Europe is that it was primarily fought on the eastern front. The Red Army bears the great majority of responsibility for destroying the Nazi regime and their mission was ..."

But it became just and necessary only when Hitler invaded Russia. Until then, Stalin and Hitler was happy to divvy up the spoils of aggressive expansion among themselves.

Soviet invasion of Poland

We can agree to disagree on this, but IMO, violence is always wrong. Sometimes we are forced to resort to it in self-defence, but it does not make it right.

Very much disagree. Trump and the rise of populist parties in Europe represents the opposite, a rejuvenation of a democratic system that has been stagnant for a long time. In my opinion.

In my opinion, it represents the degradation of humanity.

Niklas wrote: "David wrote: "@Niklas, what do you consider yourself politically/philosophically?

Perusing your bookshelves, but I don't get any clear read on your ideological identity.

Civic nationalist in favo..."

Do the mass marches on 1/21 not represent a rejuvenation of democracy?

Donald Trump is not really in favor of the welfare state. Look at his cabinet. He's not going to strengthen the welfare state. Sorry to break this to you, it ain't happening.

His alleged populism is an ideological mystification. I think the Democratic Party bears a large part of the blame in this, but that doesn't make Trump any better.

I'm against the EU and NAFTA and NATO and America's various invasions of the Middle East, but I also don't think Trump is any kind of solution at all.

Can anyone help update the interpretation of California Uber Alles?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIqES...

I mean, I know Jello's a bit cracked ; and I know Brown and his Dem's should've stood up to The Party much earlier and gotten behind Sanders (and Sanders would've won) ;; But shouldn't these lyrics be tweaked a bit?

Anyway, it shouldn't be controversial at all to describe Richard Spencer as a nazi. If you're literally leading poeople in nazi salutes, it seems fair.

What happened across the globe after the neoliberalism of Reagan and Thatcher is that all centre-left parties moved slowly toward the right. So even though their liberal principles remained the same, their economic emphasis gravitated more and more towards laissez-faire capitalism. From that to cony capitalism is but a step.

When big money is calling the shots, it stands to reason that ultimately, it will gravitate further and further to the right. It has reached its nadir in America, where a crooked millionaire (who refuses to divest his business interests) is ruling the country.

The mass marches, and the protests, are the real democracy.

Yes, exactly. Do you really see Trump as an antidote to neoliberalism, Niklas?

I realize his success as a candidate was built to a large degree on (sometimes justified) populist resentment, but he's made it really really clear that he plans to use the presidency as a self-enrichment scheme.

I see him as the ultimate intensification, reducto ad absurdum - from the still-legal, oligarchic corruption of the Clintons to the most flagrant gangsterism.

But this can be used as an opportunity. Trump is going into it like a bull in a china shop, without any finesse. Soon, the fault lines will start showing.

The thing to do is to never let up on the resistance. Usually, everything goes back to business after a few days. That should never happen. The feminists, the civil rights activists, the environmentalists and the legal beagles should keep their eyes peeled and keep on attacking the establishment at every possible opportunity. You have a president who is very thin-skinned and is guaranteed to commit some bloomer on constant provocation. That will the time to move in with guns blazing.

Move in with guns blazing? Hahaha I thought you were a pacifist

I agree : )

@Niklas, I think we agree that democracy needs to be rejuvenated. However, I can't possibly accept that Trump is anything but a pseudo-event in that regard. Just look at the net worth of his cabinet. There can be no meaningful talk of democracy in a society as obscenely stratified as ours, and everything Trump has done indicates he will intensify inequality as much as possible.

Wow! Sadly, I think now America will be the laughing stock! How can the world at large trust someone like Trump with all his lies.

@realDonaldTrump on Twitter threatens that "we will strengthen up voting procedures".
Will this be part of the enabling act we all been waiting for?

Part of the rejuvenation of democracy?

Lots of stuff to catch up on here, but to begin with, Niklas, I have never said nor do I believe that the fact you voted for Trump makes you a Nazi. Trump himself is not Hitler, not yet. However, Richard Spencer is a neo-Nazi, he leads people in sieg heils, he is an avowed white nationalist. I don't know what it's like in Sweden, but in the US saluting the sieg heil, like saying the n-word, already is an act of violence. Especially where I live, Washington DC, historically and non-derogatorily known as "chocolate city" - you go around saying the n-word or sieg heiling, you're going to get your ass kicked at least. And probably 99% of observers would say it was justified. This does not seem controversial to me in any way. I guarantee you, I'm with any of my black, gay, Jewish, or Muslim friends or co-workers and somebody sieg heils in their face? Some shit is going down and I won't feel bad at all.

Also, Niklas, please, you seem like a smart guy, do not confuse Trumpism with any rejuvenation of democracy or interest in reforming government. It's pure brutal money-interested capitalism at its rawest, disgustingly exploiting working class people in dire situations only to further its own profit and control over wealth. As David said, if you believe anything else you are completely ideologically mystified.

And yes, the rise of Trump represents the greatest crisis for actual democracy, for actual freedom and the ability to thrive for all people, for actual representation of working class interests in our government, in many decades, if not since WWII. Aligned with Citizens United, the outrageous wealth represented by Trump and his cabinet, and the priorities they have already espoused and acted on early in this administration, everything feels on the verge of being totally lost. These are desperate times. No time for equivocation.

Wow..Geoff...i had no idea that DC was so bad!! I have to say, though that Trump is really alienatimg everyone. First off...he downright offends everyone off rhe block. Then he denies it all and then he renegs on things he said. His only purpose is to alienate the US from the rest of the world...whether or not it is considered to be a dictatorship or Communism is another story altogether. He has absolutely no clue what he is doing...and he will get himself shot (and probably killed)..and pray God, if that happens please take his VP with him...but his only agenda seems ro be to shut down all the good that occurred in the last 8 years.

This is definitely a low point in our history.

Catherine wrote: "Wow..Geoff...i had no idea that DC was so bad!!"

I meant that as a positive thing. A compliment to this city that racism won't be tolerated. I'm not a pacifist regarding certain things.

Concerning Richard Spencer, I had never heard of this guy before, I only saw the video where he got punched, so I can only judge from that. But in the actual video he only seemed to be doing an interview and was even politely and civilly answering the questions of some bystanders before he got suckerpunched. Not sure where the act of violence from Spencer's side was here.

Concerning my comment on Trump and other populists rejuvenating democracy, Marxist philosopher Slavoj Zizek offers an interesting perspective where he believes other political parties must now reinvent themselves and return to basics. If Hillary had won we would still be stuck in the neoliberal/neoconservative stagnation where nothing ever changes. Call it accelerationism if you will, but I personally think he's right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4vHS...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03k-N...

Niklas wrote: "Concerning my comment on Trump and other populists rejuvenating democracy, Marxist philosopher Slavoj Zizek offers an interesting perspective where he believes other political parties must now rein..."

I partly agree with Zizek, and I read him a lot and have listened to hours of his YouTube stuff, but that doesn't take into account things that cannot be given the luxury of time, such as climate change, where Trump will radically set back progress that is critical to implement as quickly as possible. Or for instance banning refugees as he did this morning - those people cannot wait for the US to rebuild its democracy to have access to safe places. It's questions of survival - for the species as a whole and specific people in particular. Hillary would have maintained the status quo, but she would have also maintained actions that greatly benefit humanity in the short term that Trump is going to destroy. To me, there is no valid argument that somehow Trump was the correct choice.