‘Sexism isn’t the problem: anyone can talk when they want to,” declared one man. “It’s just that some of us have had more experience and can talk more easily in groups.” “We all support women’s liberation,” chimed in another man. Around the room, reactions spanned a wide range: resentment, distraction, passive interest, eagerness and anxiousness.... Continue Reading →
Good burnout advice from Edward Abbey
“One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast....a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you... Continue Reading →
Does your device suffice?
And do your devices cause crisis? Not for the gorillas or the coltan miners. I mean, screw them, right? They should get with the (shareware) programme. I don’t care about that crime screen- sorry, scene. Neither do you. We can screen it out, rope it off, easy as we like. With a vintage audio cassette... Continue Reading →
The longest time
You gotta go along to get along You gotta get along to go along You gotta You gotta You gotta get Get ‘Git, boy’. Get more You gotta go along You gotta ride along You gotta ride and ride You gotta never be wry, right? You gotta you got You better you bet You gotta... Continue Reading →
Thlogging as the way forward? Hmm
I am going to need SOME trick to write this bloody thesis. Pretending it is a series of blog posts? Thesis -blogging, aka "thlogging"? Maybe? Or just 'Shut Up and Write' and 'Write or Die' and writing buddies. I definitely have enough material. Some of it really rich. Just need to (re)assemble it and think... Continue Reading →
What do we want? Grumpy old men at the National Library of Australia (book launch!)
Last night at the National Library of Australia two grumpy old men talked about social movements and protest. That doesn’t sound too enthralling, does it? But the event – hosted by the NLA, and the launch of the book “What Do We Want: the story of protest in Australia" was a thoughtful, passionate and... Continue Reading →
The neo-liberal state and its legitimation crisis: @OpenStateSA in South Australia
South Australia’s government is running an ‘Open State’ festival with all the usual buzzwords about innovation, participation, engagement blah blah blah. I’ve been to three of its events, all of which were good for thinking with – not about ‘innovation’ and ‘democracy’ (the events were deeply problematic) but about how the neoliberal state tries to... Continue Reading →
Extracting value from the Festival of Ideas #AdlFoI
Show me. Don’t tell me. Show me that sharing and challenging are important enough to keep a clear promise to a 2/3 to 1/3 split between sage-on-the-stage and audience interaction. Alternatively, if you’ve no intention or capability to enforce a 30 minute/15 minute split between talking and Q and A, then don’t promise it. It’s... Continue Reading →
Seven blog posts about one event? Really? #tediousselfpromotion
The only way I know what I think is to read what I wrote. Sort of. And then that writing serves as an aide-memoire (and, yes, a calling card on occasion). Here's a list of the ones I did after today's Festival of Ideas event. Athenian Democracy? A few funny things will need to happen... Continue Reading →
Ideas about the festival of ideas #AdlFoI
[Seventh of a series of blog posts about sessions at the Adelaide Festival of Ideas on Saturday 22nd October] So, had a great time at the Adelaide Festival of Ideas today. Met some very interesting people (some famous-ish, some as obscure as me). And while not ever disgruntled, I was also not completely gruntled. I... Continue Reading →
marchudson.net 