John Zerzan: Civilization, Moralism, and War

Anarchy Radio:
JZ outlines some of the foundations of civilization.

For more on the subject, please visit:
http://www.johnzerzan.net/
http://www.greenanarchy.info/
http://www.greenanarchy.org/
http://www.insurgentdesire.org.uk/

Download episodes of Anarchy Radio:
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=john%20zerzan&sort=-publicdate&am...

Knight of the Living Dead by Slavoj Žižek:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/032607P.shtml

New york Times morality growth spontaneous moral sensitivity moralism culture moralizing commentary ecocide government technosystem technosphere technology hi-tech torture military captivity abuse moral corruption pathology worsening situation unabomber polar ice permafrost validity enlightenment collective indentity modernity platitude philosophy philosopher catastrophy liberals university of chicago magazine archeology Syria Hamoukar ecocities ecology sustainbility environmentalism anarchism ecoanarchism radical revolutionary characteristics constant war chronic warfare stress depression mental health origins sling bullets destruction nihilation peace worker peace economy hope peacenik sentiment silliness george w. bush freedom Anarchy: A Journal of Desire Armed magazine luddite neo-luddism industrialism freedom resistance resist rewild KWVA Radio Oregon Ishtube walking away Jensen Quinn

Category:

Education

Tags:

• anti-civilization
• Green
• Anarchy
• anarcho-primitivism
• industrial
• society
• environment
• pennilesscripple
• ItsFilthy
• zzz33333

[fluorogoat]

(I can't find your comment to reply to, sorry)

If we have the choice between technology and all its problems, combined with a chance of saving ourselves and a fair amount of the biosphere, or de-civilising and all its potential advantages, combined with ensuring that humanity and all other species will be wiped out in a couple of billion years, I'd prefer technology. Other stars are certainly an option with say a billion more years of innovation.

[vaahti]

I'd say the primitivist point of view rests on the notion that there can't be another billion years of innovation without extinction. Or even it is possible to survive, the future wouldn't be worth living - the problems of technology are too dire.

One could make an argument that it's in our nature to survive by whatever means necessary. That said, I don't if it makes sense to gamble now in order to avoid extinction in the far future. I do think it's a very important question.

[philos4r]

Zerzan rules.

[vaahti]

I suppose he does rule, yes, despite the obvious oxymoron.

[withindarkness]

"I have only one question with regards to anarcho-primitivism/green anarchy:

What happens when we get to the sun's red giant phase?"

I don't know.

What happens when the universe re-collapses?

You're not going to be able to exist forever, and that shouldn't be the goal. We can exist in the time that we have in a much better way, though.

Maybe there is a way to have high tech, but we aren't going to find it in our current paradigm. The best solution is still to start from scratch.

[HowlinJay]

@fluorogoat And, I ask my own question:

If things continue as they are, do you REALLY think at this rate that there will be any life left on the planet by the time that happens anyhow?

No disrespect intended, though. I like Zerzan, but I'm actually sort of what you might call a "moderate primitivist". I think a lot of technology is benign. Cut out what is harmful or superfluous, and focus on creating only what is beneficial.

[fluorogoat]

I have only one question with regards to anarcho-primitivism/green anarchy:

What happens when we get to the sun's red giant phase?

[fsoldaten]

lmao... ziiing

[pennilesscripple]

thanks so much for posting these two videos, vaahti

you did a great job of rendering jz's words visually

funny--i've been listening to anarchy radio online for a while now, working my way backwards. i'm in september now. oct 2 was a great show--i might turn it into something at some point

it really helps to do these kind of videos because most folks don't read and won't listen to an hour-long talk (sad but true)

i can't wait to read 'twilight of the machines'

keep up the good work, vaahti

[AdamHintz]

Thanks.

[bbbleaver]

thanks for your continued presence here and bringing us thought provoking material from zerzan!