Social Justice Blogs Critique

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the croydonian anarchist's picture
the croydonian ...
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Sep 12 2013 20:55
Social Justice Blogs Critique

Hey guys maybe this should be in the general section but I am looking for a good critique of all the social justice blogs that are popping up on the Tumblr because I know they are terrible but I had trouble explaining why to some one today..

Any help much appreciated.

iexist
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Sep 12 2013 21:16

links?

the croydonian anarchist's picture
the croydonian ...
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Sep 13 2013 15:40

Yes, I am looking for links to articles that critique social justice blogs from an anarchist or at least radical perspective.

radicalgraffiti
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Sep 13 2013 15:43

what do you mean by "social justice blogs" and could you provided examples?

Agent of the Fifth International's picture
Agent of the Fi...
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Sep 13 2013 16:05

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/subcultures/social-justice-blogging

Actual blogs or tumblrs and memes?

the croydonian anarchist's picture
the croydonian ...
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Sep 13 2013 18:37

Actual blogs hosted on Tumblr or otherwise

snipfool
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Sep 13 2013 18:47

Think iexist was asking for links to the blogs you want critiqued. I echo that request. I don't think anyone who's posted here so far is familiar with them.

klas batalo's picture
klas batalo
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Sep 14 2013 18:30

is it about Social Justice Warriors on tumblr in general or about specific blogs?

Mike S.
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Sep 15 2013 08:37

Privilege theory gone wild. The thing is, it's not just on "tumblr". It's sorta a mind frame that's leaked into the left in general, at least here in America. I don't even want to get started on it. I was just temp banned on this site for going on the warpath against anything remotely resembling "tumblr social justice" activism. It makes me dizzy, as when a person is extremely intoxicated.... face green, vomit fills the intellectual toilet. It needs to be flushed.

What complicates it is when people start putting "anarcha" this or "anarcho" that in front of their social justice blogs as if they have a modicum of an idea. It, this mentality, this "tactic", this way of approaching things has indeed bled into the anarchist and broader anti-capitalist "movement", if you will, within the Bay Area. I see it as a purely idealist approach to things lacking proper class and materialist analysis wholly based on privilege theory that's hit the streets fresh from various US university graduates and current students.

I agree with this "dudebro manarchist" to an extent (in the blog below, the original post they're criticizing) and brace yourselves Europe because it's commin your way!

smile

http://youdontlooklikeafeminist.tumblr.com/post/16407070193/my-problems-with-the-tumblr-social-justice-culture

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boozemonarchy
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Sep 15 2013 11:21

Mike S,

Actually I think you were banned for trying to turn every single fucking thread on libcom into a platform for you to complain about privilege theory as it SOMETIMES manifests in the US. If you'd like to continue on with this absurdity, there is a good Syria thread up in the News section that hasn't had a good lambasting of privilege theory awkwardly tacked on to it yet.

Fuck off,
B

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Shorty
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Sep 15 2013 12:42
klas batalo wrote:
is it about Social Justice Warriors on tumblr in general or about specific blogs?

I took it as meaning the former rather than the latter.

I'd be interested in some analysis, critique and discussion of it but not if it's going to be like recent threads. (Basically echoing what bozemananarchy said)

Agent of the Fifth International's picture
Agent of the Fi...
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Sep 15 2013 13:14

@ The Croydonian Anarchist

Um, you still haven't given us any links to see exactly what we are talking about. At least, I don't know what we're talking about here.

Mike S.
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Sep 16 2013 00:10
bozemananarchy wrote:
Mike S,

Actually I think you were banned for trying to turn every single fucking thread on libcom into a platform for you to complain about privilege theory as it SOMETIMES manifests in the US. If you'd like to continue on with this absurdity, there is a good Syria thread up in the News section that hasn't had a good lambasting of privilege theory awkwardly tacked on to it yet.

Fuck off,
B

It wasn't every single thread. Just the one on, well, this one and one other thread where my criticisms of intersectionality as related to animal "oppression" were taken as some weird unrelated diatribe. Romana criticized me for not understanding intersectionality and my criticisms of the vegan anarchists were simply a starting point of what was going to be a more complex criticism of intersectionality theory.

I was going to give my (unwanted) opinion concerning how I think intersectionality theory, privilege theory and "identity politics" can and do go off track into a contradictory cluster fuck of oppressions that end up making the most mundane act, word or even body language become the perpetuation of oppression. Acting like I'm full on HATE pushing the "manarchism" is a tad off base but if the consensus on this site is that I shouldn't post here no problem. I wont lose any sleep over it.

The problem that I see though is defining what this "tumblr activism" is, as something separate from what has been a somewhat new form of activism in the US the past few years. I see the source's as basically the New Left and also radical feminist theory from the late 1960's early 70's evolving and being taught at the university level which has birthed a new generation of "activists" fixated on privilege. I think the "tumblr" criticisms are a copout. This thread will be one giant copout where people simply lay fault on some strange isolated tumblr phenomenon when in reality it's the left in general that's taking this turn.

Hate me if you want... I'm not posting here to make friends. Admittedly I started this account on libcom to somewhat criticize the current state of the left in general- not so much Marxist or Anarchist theory but the activist culture which has melded within both. The "absurdity", the spectacle isn't really found in my posts on libcom it's found in the banality and melodramatic patheticism of the left in general. If anything you should embrace having a vocal critic of the left on this site so you can flex your moral indignation muscles- press the down button, tell me to fuck off....whatever makes you feel better. Like I said last month, I'll play the villain role especially since it was so easily handed out to me which was a part of my initial point. These dynamics here, that we find ourselves in now, are just a microcosm of the larger problem in real world "activism". It's not just "tumblr social justice activism"

On a side note now and in the future, if I post here or am allowed to I wont bring any of these topics up unless it's in a thread concerning the topic started by another person. I get, I went too far with my lambasting of everything in general. It's just, at least where I live, everything in general, within leftist culture, is connected to this approach to fighting oppression and capitalism.

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boozemonarchy
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Sep 16 2013 16:19
Mike S. wrote:
It wasn't every single thread. Just the one on, well, this one and one other thread where my criticisms of intersectionality as related to animal "oppression" were taken as some weird unrelated diatribe. Romana criticized me for not understanding intersectionality and my criticisms of the vegan anarchists were simply a starting point of what was going to be a more complex criticism of intersectionality theory.

I was going to give my (unwanted) opinion concerning how I think intersectionality theory, privilege theory and "identity politics" can and do go off track into a contradictory cluster fuck of oppressions that end up making the most mundane act, word or even body language become the perpetuation of oppression. Acting like I'm full on HATE pushing the "manarchism" is a tad off base but if the consensus on this site is that I shouldn't post here no problem. I wont lose any sleep over it.

Hmm, not that your opinion was unwanted (I mean, like I don't want it, other probably do though), you had just made it once and folks seemed to of agreed. My take on your most basic thrust is, "oppression politics is not some wholesale replacement of class analysis / struggle and in places where that happens, its damaging to the movements, *cough, success. . . " After that, you preceded to jump on anyone critical of your rage at this paper-dragon named Oppression by painting them as the folks at Occupy.

Who exactly is acting like you are full of hate? I've been a nasty little bugger and even I admitted early on that I think you are no manarchist or pushing any sort of hate agenda. I just think you're disappointed in the US anarchist movement and are grasping for something to blame. Dude, it was fucked up long before all that stuff. That said, intersectionality and privilege theory becoming more well-known (through the efforts of comrades) appear to have helped conversations on gender dynamics (among others) at least happen. I speak specifically of a anarchist political organizations. No one in that group really fit the monolith you've erected of the oppression politics focused uber-activist that may or may not of actually been a thing in groups like Occupy. . . People understood that; oppression manifests itself in interpersonal and organizational dynamics, this needs confronted, this is no replacement for our entire political program. We. Get. It. Man.

Quote:

The problem that I see though is defining what this "tumblr activism" is, as something separate from what has been a somewhat new form of activism in the US the past few years. I see the source's as basically the New Left and also radical feminist theory from the late 1960's early 70's evolving and being taught at the university level which has birthed a new generation of "activists" fixated on privilege. I think the "tumblr" criticisms are a copout. This thread will be one giant copout where people simply lay fault on some strange isolated tumblr phenomenon when in reality it's the left in general that's taking this turn.

Great, who the fuck cares if the left in general takes this turn? Seriously, focusing on oppression politics sounds like a much better thing for the reformist left to focus on than the bullshit they are usually up to. Also, I think its pretty fucked up and nasty of you to assume that all working-class people take their political lead from the academy. Anti-intellectualism always looks gross to me I guess.

Quote:

Hate me if you want... I'm not posting here to make friends. Admittedly I started this account on libcom to somewhat criticize the current state of the left in general- not so much Marxist or Anarchist theory but the activist culture which has melded within both. The "absurdity", the spectacle isn't really found in my posts on libcom it's found in the banality and melodramatic patheticism of the left in general. If anything you should embrace having a vocal critic of the left on this site so you can flex your moral indignation muscles- press the down button, tell me to fuck off....whatever makes you feel better. Like I said last month, I'll play the villain role especially since it was so easily handed out to me which was a part of my initial point. These dynamics here, that we find ourselves in now, are just a microcosm of the larger problem in real world "activism". It's not just "tumblr social justice activism"

Oh gawd, this is where the victim-complex shit gets really skin-crawly. You are not some class-struggle warrior carrying the true torch. This whole. fucking. site. criticizes the state of the left in general CONSTANTLY. Fuck, acting like libcom is want for a vocal critic of the left. . . What can I say but fuck off you joker. Just a reminder, your villian-hood has everything to do with your unneeded against privilege theory and nothing to do with the false notion that such criticisms did not exist prior to your presence on libcom.

Quote:
On a side note now and in the future, if I post here or am allowed to I wont bring any of these topics up unless it's in a thread concerning the topic started by another person. I get, I went too far with my lambasting of everything in general. It's just, at least where I live, everything in general, within leftist culture, is connected to this approach to fighting oppression and capitalism.

K, so just to be clear, the "bay area left in general" Is. Not. On. This. Site. Please, go to some meetings there and use them as your sounding board or something.

vicent
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Sep 16 2013 16:34

Mike S, he's the hero libcom deserves, but not the one it needs right now...and so we'll hunt him, because he can take it. Because he's not a hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector...a dark knight.

the croydonian anarchist's picture
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Sep 16 2013 17:15

Oh jesus christ you know what fuck it, this was just a thread I started in hope of some quick responses because I was in conversation with somebody about their friend and they said how he posted social justice stuff and I just expressed my distaste at that and they said basically "what's wrong with it, he just wants equality". That was it. Now this has got massively longed out as a last bastion for Mike S, some one who is new to me.

With regards to intersectionality, I really like this

As for privilege theory based things in general, I do agree there are some feminists that blindly refuse to engage any argument about anything just because the person happens to be a white cisgender male, as if their sex, gender and ethnicity are choice (hint: its no more a choice than it is for people oppressed in categories of sex, gender and ethnicity), and greatly vilifying them to the point where it can make white cis males feel guilty by virtue of their existence. Privilege can also only go so far until it starts becoming absurd and silly. I call it privilegeception, where you start to make up some many privileges you can go on forever in an infinite regression.

BUT to aim this at privilege theory as a whole, including many sensible feminists who don't act like the ones above, is ridiculous and if Mike S has done this we are right to call him out on it. I say if because I haven't seen any of his posts outside of this thread and I am not really bothered about seeking them.

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Sep 21 2013 14:15

Do you mean a critique of specific perspectives within those type of blogs, or a critique of those type of blogs in terms of the wider left? Either way, I think it's a bit tricky because one of the problems with 'social justice' activism is although there seem to be a number of common threads between those who identify within that label, it's not a specific approach or ideology in the same way that, for example, Trotskyism is. I mean, I have criticisms of that type of stuff, but my criticisms usually boil down to the fact that the person in question is actually a liberal or into parliamentary democracy or something, so the criticism is more of the failings of those approaches rather than of 'social justice' as a specific thing, if that makes sense?

the croydonian anarchist's picture
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Sep 21 2013 15:34

I meant the first but as I said above I am not really bothered anymore.

Mike S.
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Sep 21 2013 22:34
the croydonian anarchist wrote:
I meant the first but as I said above I am not really bothered anymore.

Why not bothered anymore?