Please remove all articles by me from your utterly compromised site

Please remove all articles by me from your utterly compromised site

- "The Ideology of Dialogue"

The Long Goodbye

I should have asked you to do this a helluva lot earlier. What’s prompted me to do this are 2 things. Firstly, the too-little-far-too-late revival of Aufhebengate after a 6 year-long gap. Those who want to see my reaction to this renewed interest in Aufhebengate can see it here: http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/uncategorised/x/http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/uncategorised/x/

And secondly, the decision of a French friend to demand his texts be removed from a French site (this was because included on this site was a very recent text by a guy who supported Le Pen and who was a big boss of amusement parks whose policies were utterly racist; the text itself is not overtly fascist or racist but the guy who wrote it is ; the same text by this fascist was also published in the Appeliste rag « Lundi Matin »). Which decision of his prompted me to reflect about the confusion encouraged by the eclectic fog of libcom and the fact that some of my texts are still found there.

The main problem with participating on libcom, aside from its obvious deceitful attitude and general censorious policies during Aufhebengate, is because it’s really a space for dialogue without consequences, where eclecticism turns everything said into an equivalent – the good and the bad, the radical and the counter-revolutionary, put in the mixer become an indistinguishable mish-mash. Michael Schmidt, Bordiga, Dr.John D., Chomsky alongside good stuff reduces the good stuff to the level of Michael Schidt, Bordiga, Dr.John D. and Chomsky - everything just seems like a show of opposition, even stuff that genuinely subverts the show. Eclecticism means refusing to strive for any consistency or to bother to look for what might and what might not be useful for the struggle against hierarchical power. Its lazy aim is just to attract endless amounts of people to the site on the basis of an abstract "opposition" to capital.

It’s also based on an ideological valorisation of polemical rivalry - a political mentality that believes that simply in the clash of ideas as merely ideas, the truth will out. In this atmosphere, those who adopt a revolutionary role assume that anybody opposing them is merely adopting the rivalrous posture that they adopt, though with a different content: for them, it's all just a role.

But rivalry implies complicity as well, rather than a genuine attack on contradictions. Libcom's self-contradictions make a nonsense of anything authentic that might appear there. All critical vigilance about what is genuinely insightful and what is definitely confusionist is repressed. Everything endlessly argued - nothing decided.

The most fundamental aspect of revolutionary critique is decision.

Continued participation in the fake dialogue of libcom is an addiction to avoidance of decision. And an addiction, rather like the addictions to alcohol and other drugs, to a fake exit from isolation – throwing out critiques into the world without ever having to deal with any practical consequences. An illusion of contact.

No-one with any radical integrity, no-one who wasn’t fundamentally resigned to this world of fake dialogue, would want to have their texts on a site that includes the racist scum Michael Schidt, a cop crowd control consultant like JD, a guy who defended the massacre of thousands of proletarians in revolt at Kronstadt until his death (Bordiga), or a 2-faced collaborator with the US state, not to mention other creeps and creepy ideas that are published on libcom.

But Mike Harman and others – at least, in relation to the cop crowd control consultant - think it’s enough to merely speak out and not make any difficult decision. A kind of « honesty » used as some kind of exorcism, to get it out of your system and relieve the guilt of not really having done anything when it was necessary to do so. And as a form of « free speech » used as a foil for not doing anything in the future. Talk is cheap. Impotent unarmed « critiques ». 6 years too late, no-one could possibly take such « critiques » seriously.

However, not doing anything about such contradictions is compensated by the fact that they can continue to have their texts published on a widely-read site and acquire a greater readership and a greater passive approval than if they took the time to set up their own blog, with a smaller « audience », but expressing their perspectives with a degree of consistency.

Anyone wanting a site that could contribute to the class war, and contribute to clarifying the contradictions they want to confront, would remain utterly confused by libcom. Whilst it obviously contains interesting facts about events (as there are on almost all sites, mainstream or otherwise) and sometimes interesting articles, finding the genuine insights is often like looking for a needle in a haystack. One might just as well have one’s texts put up in The Guardian if the flattery of wider readership is the aim [see footnote]. In terms of an attack on this society, flattery gets you nowhere, even if in this society it gets you promotion. You can’t assess any radical influence in terms of the amount of site hits you get. Once the desire for a quantitatively-assessed popularity rather than a decisive influence becomes central, you find yourself fighting alienation in an alienated form, and libcom is such a form. In fact, writing on a site without revolutionary pretensions is less likely to confuse those seeking some ideas that could help them in their struggles than writing on one that claims to help people in such attempts.

When contradictions you can do something more or less immediately about – when such contradictions become apparent, either one tries to concretely modify one’s social relations or, in avoiding such a decisive action, one ends up with a very conservative cynicism - complaining sneeringly but carrying on with mutually contemptuous relations. One ends up accepting impotence before every alienation, a petrification tautologically justifying the feeling that there’s no point. Decision, however, makes ones social relations vastly clearer, and liberates untapped energy.

***

I shall not respond to any possible posts in response to this thread on this site. My possible responses will be posted on my own site – under the article on the return of Aufhebengate (http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/uncategorised/x/), and if people wish to do so, they can continue their responses there.

***

By some, all this will be brushed aside – caricatured as some « drama queen » self-important narcissism. But, for me at least, it’s got to be said, even if many will be totally uninterested and few will be much interested.

***

Anyway…..

The following is a list of the texts written by me or translated by me, put up (not always by myself) in the period up until 2011, which I would like you to take off. It does NOT include texts I’ve co-written - mainly with Red Marriott, the Wises and the Campaign for Real Life, just as it excludes texts I put up which were not written by me: in both cases, I am obviously in no position to demand their removal. All these texts, including the ones I’ve co-authored, but excluding some which I put up but did not participate in writing, are available in some version on my site - http://dialectical-delinquents.com/. Links to both versions are below.

The texts linked (44 of them altogether) are as follows :

St. Pauls, Bristol 1980

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/st-pauls-bristol-1980/

2 petits trucs sur les émeutes de novembre 2005

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/textes-francais/france-novembre-2005-2-petits-trucs-sur-les-emeutes/

“Culture en danger?” - si seulement…

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/textes-francais/culture-en-danger-si-seulement/

1926-1985: So Near - So Far - a selective history of the British miners

Dialectical Delinquents version (in 2 parts):

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/so-near-so-far-a-history-of-the-british-miners/
[url= http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/s...]
http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/s...[/url]

France: occupations of secondary, primary and infant schools

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/2011-france-occupations-of-secondary-primary-and-infant-schools-2011/

Developing struggles in France

Dialectical Delinquents version:

Part of this: http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/200-2/

General Strike In France

Dialectical Delinquents version:

Part of this: http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/200-2/

France - The Cold Autumn Hots Up

Dialectical Delinquents version:

Part of this: http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/200-2/

France - The Hot Autumn Continues

Dialectical Delinquents version:

Part of this: http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/200-2/

France - Work or prison!

Dialectical Delinquents version:

Part of this: http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/200-2/

France – 1 Day General Strike Called In Guadeloupe, Martinique & French Guyana

Dialectical Delinquents version:

Part of this: http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/200-2/

France – How many bridges have we got to cross before we get to beat the boss?

Dialectical Delinquents version:

Part of this: http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/200-2/

France – Brief Outline Of Some Of The Most Recent Events

Dialectical Delinquents version:

Part of this: http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/200-2/

All Quiet On The French Front

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/france-2006-all-quiet-on-the-french-front-2/

2005: Notes on the riots for all those who want to change the world

Dialectical Delinquents version:

[url= http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/n...]
http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/n...[/url]

france 2005: brief notes on the movement of secondary school students (2005)

Dialectical Delinquents version:
[url= http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/f...]
http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/f...[/url]

South Africa: now and then

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/south-africa-now-then/

2003: Notes on the Movement in France - Struggles around pensions and education

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/france-social-movements-june-2003/

"Ulach smah" ("No forgiveness") - the Algeria insurrection, 2001

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/algeria-2001-no-forgiveness-2/

French Strikes 1995-6

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/france-1995-6-the-strike-and-after/

1990 - Emergency! Ambulance Strike

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/emergency/

rebel violence v. hierarchical violence (1986)

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/rebel-violence-v-hierarchical-violence-1986/

The Ghost Of Theories Past - a recently unearthed long lost Jean-Luc Hitchcock movie

Dialectical Delinquents version:

Part of this: [url= http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/culture/the-films-of-jean-lu...] http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/culture/the-films-of-jean-lu...[/url]

Moore is Less: a critique of Fahrenheit 9/11

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/culture/moore-is-less/

Escape from Alcatraz

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/culture/escape-from-alcatraz/

culture in danger? – if only…

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/culture/culture-in-danger-if-only/

Soaps Get In Your Eyes

Dialectical Delinquents version:
[url= http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/culture/soaps-get-in-your-ey...]
http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/culture/soaps-get-in-your-ey...[/url]

1969: revolution as personal and as theatre (2001)

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/culture/1969-revolution-as-personal-and-as-theatre/

the end of music as we know it (1984)

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/culture/the-end-of-music-as-we-know-it/

Suicide or Revolution

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/daily-life/suicide-or-revolution/

Facebook Festivals in France

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/daily-life/france-facebook-festivals-may-2010/

True Confessions of a Market Trader

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/daily-life/true-confessions-of-a-market-trader/

Riots in China

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/riots-in-china-2011/

A week in Montpellier

Dialectical Delinquents version:

part of: http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/f...

the thought of a thoughtless world (2000)

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/daily-life/the-thought-of-a-thoughtless-world/

hope, faith, charity, lottery

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/daily-life/hope-faith-charity-lottery/

Who gives a toss?

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/daily-life/shopping-who-gives-a-toss/

Education, Stupefication, Commodification

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/daily-life/education-stupefication-commodification/

Kamikaze Kapitalism - BM Combustion

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/war-politics/kamikaze-kapitalism/

notes on the 1999 Balkan war & the media (1999)

Dialectical Delinquents version:
[url= http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/war-politics/notes-on-the-19...]
http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/war-politics/notes-on-the-19...[/url]

where we stand

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/war-politics/where-we-stand/

Aufheben's Crowd Controlling Cop Consultant: The Strange Case Of Dr. Who? And Mr. Bowdler

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/uncategorised/the-strange-case-of-dr-johnny-and-mr-drury/

Reflections On The 4th September Demos in France Against The Expulsions

Dialectical Delinquents version:
[url= http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/uncategorised/france-roma-ex...]
http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/uncategorised/france-roma-ex...[/url]

The class struggle in South Africa 1976-80

Dialectical Delinquents version:

http://dialectical-delinquents.com/articles/class-struggle-histories-2/t...

***

I would also ask you to take this off : https://libcom.org/tags/dialectical-delinquents – it merely contains the name of my site (dialectical delinquents) without anything under it, but it’s something that comes up on the first page of googling « dialectical delinquents », and obviously attracts a tiny bit more traffic to your site by those wanting to read mine. Equally, the stuff in the "endangered phoenix" (a site I did with Red Marriott beween 2005 & 2009) section of your library only has one page visible to those who don’t log in (moreover, the situation remains the same if I log in, but not if someone else does). Pages 2 – 6 merely contains a link to whatever happens to be the first article on your homepage. This is not an error targeted at "endangered phoenix" specifically: any name in the library that runs to more than one page probably has the same problem of all other pages not appearing, at least for those not logging in (and possibly for some that do, if they happen to have a low status).

Of course, you will probably not remove these texts, and I certainly have no intention of being so pathetic as to copyright them so as to have the state and its laws enforce my desire to have them removed.

The entrenched hierarchy of libcom means admin can remove texts - eg remove ones because of their crappy loyalty to the fake radicals of Aufheben - https://libcom.org/forums/feedback-content/why-article-has-been-removed-07102011 . And yet those who support the continuation of libcom by feeding it, despite its contradictions, seem to have no qualms about practically accepting (even if complaining about) such a fundamental insanity as, for example, having an article by the TPTG removed but not one by the fascist racist Michael Schidt. Meanwhile, those at the bottom of this hierarchy are powerless to remove even their own texts. Or at least, my low libcom ‘status’ prevents me from doing so; I know someone who, if she wishes to, can do those silly « up » or « down » popularity contest-type votes but I can’t, so maybe that applies to my ability to remove my own texts as well – I don’t know . However, whether you remove them or not, I need to make it very clear and very public that I find your site ridiculous, to say the least - and this is the best way I can think of doing that. And this is also a way of doing the only thing libcom is good for - free "advertising" of things people trying to contribute to an opposition to this society have written.

PS

I promise to be a good boy and behave myself and never write directly to libcom ever again, under Samotnaf or any other pseudonym if you do as I politely ask and kindly remove my texts. OK ?

**************************************

Footnote

I myself felt flattered to have one of my articles on the movement in France during autumn 2010 come top of libcom's hit parade for that year. They even upped the flattery by suggesting it be entered for one of the Orwell prizes, obviously having no critique of such a bourgeois prize and bourgeois desire for such a prize. In the end I suggested they send a libcom admin one for the Orwell prize - "Homage to Catatonia", a joke they repeatedly censored until I gave up on re-posting it.