We say a candidate "runs" for office, but in the best of all possible worlds, that is what he would have to do. Lest the outraged mob behind him catch and lynch him.
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February 15, 2012
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Agreed.
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 15, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Good point!
Posted by: gillian | February 15, 2012 at 06:02 PM
I guess this only leaves me the position of the contrarist (if that is a word, and if not, it should be).
I am a big fan of politicians and think they are brave and modest, giving people who aspire with all their noble nature to haul the ignorant people out of their subhuman slime and fling them into the bright future of Utopian splendour. With one reservation: this is the theoretic politician I am talking about. The practical politician is a whole different pod of peas.
Posted by: Martijn | February 16, 2012 at 03:44 AM
Martijn, I hate to say it, but Utopia is where we build it. "L'insurrection qui vient", hein?
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 16, 2012 at 08:06 AM
I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean, Jan Martin. Who built what?
Posted by: Martijn | February 16, 2012 at 08:55 AM
Utopia sounds like a stage direction, Utopia, Mebottomia
Posted by: karoline | February 16, 2012 at 12:51 PM
I'm sorry, Martijn, I got a bit too much carried away by even the slightest hint of a suggestion that there might be even an imaginary good politician.
Also, I am currently reading "Der kommende Aufstand" which I was referring to, and I guess my attampts to understand this really really tuff stuff of a theoretical writ about what to do hasconfused my thoughts into another direction than my common confusion.
My fault.
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 16, 2012 at 02:52 PM
And mine... I had my head snugly stuffed inside my own dreams. I find it harder and harder to come to terms with reality on almost every topic. And so I choose to dream. Things can easily be só good! Then why aren't they? Been reading all kinds of stuff too lately, and it all adds to the experenced split between ideal and reality.
I googled the French title you gave us and thought it was an anarchist pamphlet. Should be good reading (although I have that same thing with anarchy: good idea in ideal theory; in practice: complete Hell).
But we're having fun and I like confusion. Hey all!
Posted by: Martijn | February 16, 2012 at 04:04 PM
I'm afraid I still nourish the faith that anarchy works out real fine and there's no better way of co-existence! I mean, look at this (and listen) - Can this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rak0ujn_P48 be wrong?
Anyway, for the love of futility! Hey Martijn, m' friend. And goodnight for today ...
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 16, 2012 at 04:20 PM
I don't know... it looks fine in the propaganda movies. As it always does... However, you always see healthy, happy workers. Where are the old & sick? Where are the people having to slave away to feed their children? What happens when you don't wánt to build a shed? What happens when you need a Fender telecaster and the anarchic society hasn't built one? It is totalitarian, based on a uniform type of humans with the same taste and the same needs; which for me is neither desirable nor very realistic. Unless it's a type of anarchy based on voluntarity away from 'normal' society, but that's no different than what I have at home. There's complete anarchy at my home. My home, where I rule with an iron fist... but I don't listen and rise up against the tyrant.
(Hmmm, nothing for me to talk seriously about politics hê hê hê.)
Last weeks I read both Thomas Moore's "Utopia" and Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "Discourse on Inequality". Fine food for dreams!
Posted by: Martijn | February 17, 2012 at 05:39 AM
Sorry, Thomas More is with one O. I got him confused with another great utopist, Michael Moore.
Posted by: Martijn | February 17, 2012 at 06:14 AM
Oh ... I see ...
(exit stage left -very far left, that is)
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 17, 2012 at 09:04 AM
No! Stay! Stay! Just because I have lost all hope, doesn't mean you have to. I stared in the limelights, and fell blinded from the stage into the orchestra pit, head first into a tuba... all you hear is what comes out of the other end.
(Christ, I'm very metaphorically today. Too much you think?)
Posted by: Martijn | February 17, 2012 at 10:40 AM
Wow, what flights of metaphorical and philosophical fancy! Me, I believe that while some politicians (because they share my opinions) are less inherently repulsive than others, all politicians are self-serving, cretinous, overly ambitious, both sides of their mouth talking slimeballs. Two nights ago my ex- went out with a staffer from Capitol Hill. I haven't been able to take her seriously since. That's like dating a reptilian clown!
Posted by: UF Mike | February 17, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Don't say the C-word! Ha ha. Hey, how's Rudi doing?
Posted by: Martijn | February 17, 2012 at 01:00 PM
Sorry, man, that was mighty insensitive of me. Your Ex- dating an Obama henchman... woah! (And please excuse my political rambling. I don't know what came over me.)
Posted by: Martijn | February 17, 2012 at 05:17 PM
Martijn, I just went off the stage to enter the audience. I've got a better aim from there.
And as for anarchy - Paul Lafargue is on my side as are Oscar Wilde and Bill Hicks, plus several people I personally know. I'm dead sure it works.
Mike, I feel for you. This is terrible, really terrible. You need a Lovecraftian dictionary of attributes to describe this in suitable terms.
Blimey (which is rather un-lovecraftian). And I fully agree with your description of the average politician.
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 17, 2012 at 06:40 PM
On another note: Is there any danger to our next meeting in Hamburg, Mike?
Now THAT would mean an unnamable abysmal abomination, so to say.
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 18, 2012 at 08:00 AM
On yet another note: 25 ways to quit smoking (you need to endure a fuckin' advertisment, but then ...):
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/7889088/the_innkeepers_exclusive_sample_evp_research/?source=playlist&passiveNav=1
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 19, 2012 at 04:25 AM
SORRY, do not click on the previous adress, chences are they' ve changed the clip. Too embarassing. I meant this one:
http://tu.tv/videos/25-ways-to-quit-smoking-bill-plympton
Nd no ads, either.
Phew.
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 19, 2012 at 08:39 AM
Bill Plympton is a genius!
Posted by: AnitaNH | February 20, 2012 at 06:28 PM
He is, isn't he? And his name is quite phantastic as well!
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 21, 2012 at 12:55 AM
Here's a wicked scary one I just saw for the first time this morning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKjxpfwjBtw
"The Cat with Hands"
Posted by: AnitaNH | February 21, 2012 at 09:38 AM
OOOOOOHHH Nita, thats toooo creeeeeeepy!
Posted by: ishootblanks | February 21, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Arrgh! This is even creepier than your average shpping mall!
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 21, 2012 at 01:32 PM
Does anybody know what happened to our Leader?
Posted by: Martijn | February 22, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Michael!! Where be you?
Jeffers
Posted by: Jeffers | February 22, 2012 at 02:34 PM
Missing you, Mike. It was a rough weekend.
http://thegillian.net/blog/?p=10256
Posted by: gillian | February 22, 2012 at 05:13 PM
Mike, we're worried.
Posted by: Jan Martin Löhndorf | February 22, 2012 at 06:32 PM
You should be worried. I've been kidnapped by pandas. Actually, I've simply been depressed beyond words. AND busy at work, for once. I try to think of something funny to say, and nothing comes. I might as well be a rock without a brain (most rocks have brains). Anyway, I'm thinking of you all, and am glad you see fit to fill my walls with grafitti. Love, Mike
Posted by: UF Mike | February 23, 2012 at 12:31 PM