It is way too easy, as a historian of the present, (cough cough) to get seduced by newspapers. They're detailed, not infected with the memoirist's ability to fit the events into a convenient/coherent narrative - and in theory the journalist doesn't have a dog in the fight. ... Except, no. If there ever was a... Continue Reading →
Sexism and social movements….
‘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 →
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 →
Maunderings and meanderings (Thesis) #Window #Metaphors #sense-making
Maundering #1 One of the key techniques for defensive institutional work is to make nonsense; to destroy or at the very least degrade the sense-making capacity of your opponents. Disorientate your enemy, deprive them of the ability to figure out – (quick enough - these are OODA loops, don't forget), what is going on. Screw... Continue Reading →
Getting your head around other people’s heads. Phenomenologically, tingle-ing-ly good
Can we ever really know what is going on in someone else's head? Meh, there's one way to piss someone off and that's to say “I know exactly how you feel, the same exact thing happened to me.” Because, of course, there's events but they have to be interpreted, and even the same person's interpretations... Continue Reading →
Political parties as street gangs. Except in #Manchester of course…
This below is from a Quarterly Essay called Unfinished Business: Sex, Freedom and Misogny by Anna Goldsworthy. It's in the correspondence bit, talking about the previous essay, 'Not Dead Yet' by Mark Latham. I have added the link. Part of the explanation of this organisational shortcoming lies in the fact that political parties are strange beasts.... Continue Reading →
The powerlessness of power?
This below is from a Quarterly Essay called Unfinished Business: Sex, Freedom and Misogny by Anna Goldsworthy. It's in the correspondence bit, talking about the previous essay, 'Not Dead Yet' by Mark Latham. I have added the links. [Moises] Nairn is the author of a well-received recent book, The End of Power [Guardian Review], which argues... Continue Reading →
Concern trolling, gaslighting, lying and other corporate strategies versus transition…
Day two of my new policy about writing what I read. a) highlight interesting theory/facts b) relate the reading to other (academic) reading, and c) how it helps me move forward on my Thesis, (Handing Over M-phatically August/September (’17) (Thomas). This paper below came via my supervisor and it is bloody fantastic. Smink,... Continue Reading →
Nugget Coombs on power defending itself…
I play a "Tardis" game. I'd scoop up various folks and bring em forward to the here and now; set them up in a London penthouse with a subscription to the FT, Economist, cable TV, a kindle with an unlimited download limit. I'd give them a month to come up with their analysis of where... Continue Reading →
Beating nukes into plowshares
I thought I was cynical enough. Nope, not by a gazillion miles. Turns out both the US and the Russians were keen on using nukes for peace. Some of this I knew, but I didn't realise it was quite so extensive... "Project Plowshare was the overall United States term for the development of techniques to... Continue Reading →
