Dear comrades, one and all. Friend and foe alike.
Let me take a moment to wish all of you a revolutionary 2019.
Special raised fist salute to the folks at Libcom for keeping this project going.
To my friends, big hug. To those not so much friends, a handshake in the spirit
that we can agree to disagree and not be disagreeable. And to those who fall
into the "other" category, cheers.
"Holding aloft the banner of the struggle" into 2019 and beyond.
Thumbs up. I get the message.
Thumbs up. I get the message. Cheers.
So looking back over 2018 and
So looking back over 2018 and then forward to 2019 with some reflections and thoughts on what might lie ahead mainly in the UK there is this contribution;
https://nothingiseverlost.wordpress.com/2019/01/01/fault-lines-a-few-reflections-on-2018/
Spikymike wrote: So looking
Spikymike
Thanks. Ive reposted it on a FB page I do.
Syndicalist I tried really
Syndicalist
I tried really hard to think of something to say when I saw your OP just after you posted it but I was so down in the dumps I couldn’t think of anything positive to say without being a fucking phoney. Sorry, but thanks for your message anyway.
Noah Fence wrote: ....... I
Noah Fence
Trusting you're a bit more upbeat now!
I couldn't think of anything
I couldn't think of anything much to add earlier, but comradely greetings to syndicalist, and to anyone else reading this!
“Happy new year!” just
“Happy new year!” just doesn’t do it, if only there were a new years greeting for saying basically….
“Happy new year! Since I don’t want to spoil the fun or bring everyone else down, but I don’t really mean it because I not happy I am depressed and can barely bring myself to say happy new year with a smile. I find it too depressing and anxiety provoking to reflect on my past and future plus the world itself doesn’t look like it has much of a good future.”
Maybe its….
Happy new year but also fuck capitalism and its new year!
Also if we went with Holocene dates so that it was the year either 12,019 or 11,719 then at least we could just think of it as another year of human civilisation rather than another year of capitalism passing by on a Christian calendar.
If you prefer, here's Gramsci
If you prefer, here's Gramsci being grumpy about new year's.
I guess I learned something
I guess I learned something here, and over the past few years in general. This one sort ties the bow on it for me.
Long ago I learned that, in spite whatever agreements, disagreements, personality differences, that on certain occasions (May Day, Conference Greetings,. New Years, others), greetings are in order. And, in time, as sites like Libcom and the former Anarchist Black Cat site came into being, such greetings seemed in order. Simply a reflection that, broadly speaking, we are all cousins, sometimes close, sometimes distant, sometime separated, sometimes at great odds with each other.
Greetings aren't based on popularity, in which case I would not have a shoe in the dance.
Be that as it may, I suspect that such greetings are prolly generally becoming a thing of the past.
OK, 'nough said.
I quite like new year as a
I quite like new year as a time to make pledges with myself for self improvement. This year is no different but it’s pretty arbitrary and I wouldn’t blame anyone for ignoring it completely.
The truth is that I no longer participate in Christmas, birthdays etc. To me they’re just more attempts on my soul by capitalism! I kind of put New Years in that bracket despite the lack of commerce built around it compared with other events. Whatever others do is fair enough but none of it means shit to me.
All that said, I did appreciate the sentiment of your OP, but as I said, I wasn’t in a good space so felt unable to response. And yes, I’m on the up now! Thanks for asking.
I've never attached any
I've never attached any significance to New Years (never done the "this year I'm going to be super awesome!" stuff), or any holidays really; they don't really mean anything to me. I agree with Noah that businesses love to exploit the holidays to increase their sales. Most stores in the States have special holiday sections, etc., mostly useless crap they sale.
I might celebrate Noam Chomsky Day, if that ever catches on...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXE6ZafkRMI
.
Noah Fence wrote: I , I’m on
Noah Fence
Good to hear. You're welcome
Quote: I might celebrate Noam
Hey, that’s a great clip! Is the film any good? Being a snooty fucking asshole I’d assumed, simply based on the name, that the film was Hollywood blockbuster crap.
Anyways, no, I’m not celebrating Noam Chomsky day, not because of cult of personality etc but because cake is now officially off the menu on account of the fact that as of six days ago only whole plant foods will be passing my downturned lips! It’s also a fact that cake is counter revolutionary, at least it is until I fail in my endeavours and start eating shitty processed food again!
Noah Fence wrote: Quote: I
Noah Fence
Captain Fantastic, https://libcom.org/forums/history-culture/what-was-last-film-you-watched-v3-14102008?page=32. It was okay if I recall.
I was kidding about Noam Chomsky Day, just so I'm not misunderstood...
Syndicalist, I didn't mean to
Syndicalist, I didn't mean to be rude or anything. Your right that polite greetings to one another to welcome in the new year is a good thing, and there is nothing wrong with celebrating new year and life.
New year is just an odd time for me. I've been 'stuck' for the past couple of years where it seems like I am just going nowhere and one year is much the same as the next, 2018 may as well have never happened for me and now here comes a new year so I am feeling pretty miserable towards it.
Anyway I do wish you and everyone else here a happy new year. I do hope it brings us some happiness, hope for the future and closer to unshackling ourselves from the state and capitalism.
I appreciate folks sharing
I appreciate folks sharing that the "new year" isn't all that its cut out to be for all. I have a different time of the year (rather American holiday) which long ago stopped being "cheery".
As previously indicated, these sorts of greetings are prolly a thing of the past.
Good health in 2019 to all.