Let me start with public matter that I should have attended to earlier. My big projects, the ones I was so cagey about all fall, have been announced. These include…
- The formation of a new publishing project LBC Books
- The announcement of three new books to be published by this new project (with 2 more to be announced, with dates, within the next week or so)
- One of those books is edited by me. It has already been released
Falling under the category of “no good deed goes unpunished” the announcement of the new book was met with scorn and dismissal (although not by anyone who wanted me to know their name). The fascinating part of this, for me, was a new line of attack. Aragorn! is too powerful and should stop doing things. Giving this the full benefit of the doubt (which I don’t) this criticism is long overdue. Anarchists have become lazy. I don’t blame AK Press or Crimethinc for producing all the literature that deserves to be read but the attitude that because nothing we can do is good then we should do nothing at all. Obviously most everything I do…
Quick Sidebar: It is absolutely ridiculous for me to say that “I” do anything at all. I can think of 3-10 people (and one in particular) who I absolutely depend on for every public project I do. I say “I” mostly because I feel like I have prepared myself for the slings and arrows and want to honor my accomplices privacy and different capacities. Not everyone wants to be called out on the Internet, or in stupid email chains, or on forums, etc…
return: Most everything I do is bad. Is corrupted by capitalism, alienation, and editorial control. I’d like to say that the authorial control I try to give people is enough, but of course it isn’t. I wrestle with demons with clear motivation. I believe that an anarchy worth my time is one vibrant, powerful, and bottled with genie(s). I believe this thing is worth making my time worth something so I trudge on.
I am touched by corruption and blow it off because thinking in terms of the sacred and the unholy is exactly the Christian problem that makes life unlivable. I despise Christians and the forces of boring, boring, life. I want to fight them all but my (and our) weapons are dull and rusty. We anarchists have not risen to greatness and have no one to blame but ourselves.
The transformation of the world by the productive forces was bound slowly to realise the material conditions of total emancipation, having first passed through the stage of the bourgeoisie. Today, when automation and cybernetics applied in a human way would permit the construction of the dream of masters and slaves of all time, there only exists a socially shapeless magma which blends in each individual paltry portions of master and slave. Yet it is from this reign of equivalent values that then new masters, the masters without slaves, will emerge.
Personal Stuff: The slurring of my speech seems to be getting a bit worse. As some of you may remember I had a few brain aneurysms a few years ago which have mostly left me none-the-worse-for-wear but does seem to have impacted my speech. It usually only happens when I’m tired, or under-caffeinated, or feeling blah but this past week the issue has noticeably worsened. It seems to be impacted by my choice of words. Certain vowel combinations or word choices and my lazy tongue keels over.
It is easy to get troubled by this. Along with my typing hand this is my main output into the world. Without it I will be misunderstood or perhaps worst, ignored. It is a wonderful irony that just as I am finding a voice, in the publishing sense of the word, I might also be losing it.
Excited about the books, perhaps I’ll have to hit you this weekend and get a copy.
I think the Occupy and Bash Back books are exciting because they offer cool things that people across the states and the world can get their fingers into and get excited about. They’re great for tabling, giving to people, and having in a anarchist space.
Looking forward to what else comes out.
Q: What’s the difference between Ardent and LBC Books?
A: LBC Books is now the publisher of (all) little black cart. Everything else is an imprint (usually with different editorial standards and editors) of LBC Books. Anvil & Ardent are now LBC Books imprints. At least 3 others will be announced (mostly with different editors determining content) in the next few months.
Hi Aragorn! My name is jones and I’m connected with the Mutual Aid Street Medics in North Central U.S. Just recently,
there were two studies that showed beneficial effects of plant substances on brain activity: one the chemical curcumin which is present in healthy doses in the spice Turmeric, a favorite ingredient in yellow curry; the other study, found the herb Vervain to be helpful for stress-and-fatigue related mental activity. For myself, I take the Bach rescue remedy for stress related mental functioning and find its affects are subtle but good.
Have enjoyed your work over the years while I single-parented a child in the belly of the beast, doing restaurant work. Vaneigem’s work has meant a lot to me over the years, too (maybe more than Debord’s). I’m excited to get my hands on your new one!
All the best to you. Hope you like Indian Food and feel better soon.
jones