John Zerzan: Earth's Global Crisis 1/8

http://layla.miltsov.org/introduction-to-z

John Zerzan is one of the most interesting contemporary thinkers in the United States, at least. Like everything else in life, in order to fully appreciate Zerzan's contribution to epistemology or the philosophy of civilisation, first, one has to read his work and hear his conferences -- for, here, I only present my personal interpretation of his theory -- and second, consider the context through which his voice and energy resonate. His contribution becomes even more impressive in light of the processes of Western institutionalisation of Thought and commodification of Knowledge -- a totalitarian context that tolerates no challenge (philosophical or otherwise) that would threaten "the American way of life".

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Zerzan
• Montreal
• green
• anarchy
• anti-civilization
• freedom
• social
• science

[pennilesscripple]

oh these are great!

thanks for posting

[miltsovorg]

You're very welcome.

[zzz33333]

oh, christ. civilization is the call for the genocide of billions of people.

[luv2bud]

I think Chomsky's accusation of anarcho-primitivists having genocidal tendencies comes from his recognition that our planet's current (over)population is largely supported by the techno-industrial system that is also responsible for ongoing ecocide and the unraveling of the planet's natural life-support system (through deforestation, climate change, mass extinction, etc.). A sudden halt to koyaanisqatsi will inevitably result in the deaths of billions of people who depend upon the deathkultur.

[franco6able]

@lasbarricadasnow such ideas wouldn't exist without the problem of civilisation in the first place. not sure what you mean by 'some sort of civilisation'. There hasn't been a form of civilisation that hasn't driven humans insane, possibly your basing your question on the perception that civilisation is an advanced form of human society.

[PObserver]

@luv2bud Well said, he's acknowledged it -- we are trapped.

[talyesin3]

We are heading towards chaos.Nothing will stop it now.It's a matter of a few decades end everybody knows that .We have become too numerous.We lost the sense of limits and the contact with nature a long time ago;Technology can be good if well used but the capitalists developed it to sell more and more useless objects.

[Antiks72]

@zzz33333 correction: anti-civ is the call to genocide of billions, or least the mass starvation and disease-ridden death of lots of people. Because without modern-day medicine, this many people just couldn't be supported on this planet. Is this a bad thing? Hell no. The question is who lives and who dies.

[lasbarricadasnow]

Does not the publication of such ideas require civilization?

Apart even from this youtube video and the genocide it took for it, but even for ideas to become relevant in the scope they need to become in order to save this planet require some sort of civilization? im all ears!

[clennon84]

Classical ad hominem argument used against primitivists "What kind of primitivist are you when you're on a computer?" Following the retarded logic of this argument would lead one to say "If you agree with the right to suicide why don't you go kill yourself." These arguments are constantly mounted against primitivist theory because it's one of the only theories that has an actual history of working, and working well for humanity.

[NeoSapienist]

techocracy or primitivism, either way many will die. All part of the system trying to balance. many civilizations have come and gone, only those who have sustained near hunter-gatherer societies have survived them all... and it has been the major goal of industrialism/capitalism/colon­ialism to take their "resources" and process it and globalize the ideas of a failing ideology. I will only try so hard to wake up only so many people, then I must look out for my own 7 generations.......

[mrtyles]

i usually agree with chomsky, but he says some outrageous things sometimes.

[gandhi328]

Unless something disastrous occurs, I do not think people will give up the technological system. Humans are becoming more automatized every day, and their ability to resist their socialized tendencies is weakening. I think of the return to primitive living as a new frontier for humanity. Most will not embrace it, but the pioneers will see its promise and hopefully pave the way for the masses if they ever wake up. The point is basically just to show the world that there are real alternatives.

[luv2bud]

Yes, and, unfortunately, that is the most likely scenario. I mean, does anyone really think the rich and powerful will let up on their stranglehold upon the earth and its people? No, they will squeeze out every last drop they can before the whole shithouse goes up in flames. At that point, we will have a depleted land (and ocean and atmosphere) base, and hordes of brainwashed mass-market consumers who don't know how to fend for themselves. Vast numbers of people will die. Can you survive?