Professional Documents
Culture Documents
John Zerzan - Essays
John Zerzan - Essays
From Adbusters #35 When I sat down with the Adbusters Cyborg Manifesto at home in Eugene, Oregon, I read it as intended: as a hoa ! "ot a #rue$ %ran& on the unsus%e#ting reader, but a too$ for drawing out our 'arying faiths in and sym%athies for the ideo$ogi#a$ %ro(e#t of shifting human #u$ture, with fina$ity, from the rea$ and #on#rete to the 'irtua$ and te#hno$ogi#a$! If many fai$ed to see through the hoa or, more frightening$y, re#ogni)ed it but sti$$ ga'e it #onditiona$ su%%ort, then the reason $ies in the reigning #u$tura$ ethos of our times: %ostmodernism! With its shar%$y narrowed ambitions #on#erning thought, its tenden#y to shade into the #yni#a$, %ostmodernism has be#ome a term both %er'asi'e and fa#e$ess! *ut it does ha'e a fa#e! +he theory of %ostmodernism began in $arge %art as Fren#h rea#tion against the grand and tota$ #$aims of Mar ism! Emerging and s%reading about ,years ago, in a %eriod of rea#tion with a$most no so#ia$ mo'ements, %ostmodernism bears the im%rint of #onser'atism and $owered e %e#tations! It has a$so risen in $o#&ste% with the unfo$ding $ogi# of an in#reasing$y te#hno$ogi#a$ .#yborg. so#iety! /ostmodernism te$$s us that we #an0t gras% the who$e, indeed that the desire for an o'er'iew of what0s going on out there is unhea$thy and sus%e#t, e'en tota$itarian! We ha'e seen, after a$$, how grand systems 1 .metanarrati'es,. as they are fashionab$y referred to 1 ha'e %ro'en o%%ressi'e! 2a'ing hit on this e%i%hany, the %omo troo%s were 3ui#& to throw out the baby with the bathwater! 4&e%ti#a$ about the #$aims and resu$ts of %re'ious systems of thought, %ostmodernism has in fa#t (ettisoned near$y a$$ desire or ho%e of ma&ing sense of what we e %erien#e! It abandons the .arrogan#e. of trying to figure out the origins, $ogi#, #ausa$ity, or stru#ture of the wor$d we $i'e in! Instead, %ostmodernists fo#us on surfa#es, fragments, margins! 5ea$ity is too shifting, #om%$e , and indeterminate to de#i%her or (udge! +oo .messy,. too .interesting. to a$$ow for fi ed #on#$usions, as 6onna 2araway %uts it in her own we$$7&nown .Cyborg Manifesto!. +he %ostmodern sty$e is notorious for its dense $anguage and games of #ontradi#tion! In 2araway0s manifesto, for e am%$e, she #on#edes that .the main troub$e with #yborgs, of #ourse, is that they are the i$$egitimate offs%ring of mi$itarism and %atriar#ha$ #a%ita$ism. 1 but that in no way dims her enthusiasm for a %art human, %art ma#hine, high7te#h future8 In a te#hnified so#iety, we are in#reasing$y .#onne#ted. from iso$ation, our e %erien#es fi$tered through the Internet, te$e'ision, and the s%e#ta#$es of #onsumer #u$ture! 4hared and dire#t e %erien#e, whi#h on#e he$%ed us understand the meaning and te ture of $ife, are two ma(or #asua$ties of this #yborg im%erati'e! +hings grow star& and mena#ing in e'ery s%here, and sti$$ 2araway and the %ostmodern #rowd insist that #on#$usions be a'oided! Of #ourse, on#e one renoun#es any attem%t to #om%rehend the o'era$$ situation, it0s easy to embra#e the end$ess #om%$e of %ie#emea$ .so$utions. offered by te#hno$ogy and #a%ita$!
, /ostmodernism #e$ebrates e'anes#ent f$ows, a state of no boundaries, the transgressi'e! If this sounds fami$iar, it9s be#ause these 'a$ues are shared by the most ardent ar#hite#ts of both #onsumerism and #a%ita$ist g$oba$i)ation! As the dimensions of %ersona$ so'ereignty and #ommunity steadi$y erode, a$ong with meaning and 'a$ue, a #onsumer so#iety in #ybers%a#e be#omes the un#ontested ne t stage of human e isten#e! 6i'ision of $abor, stru#tures of #ontro$, the nature of te#hno$ogy 1 not to mention $ess abstra#t fa#tors $i&e drudgery, to i#ity, the steady destru#tion of nature 1 are integra$ to the high7te#h tra(e#tory! +hey are a$so of no #on#ern, e'ident$y, to %ostmodernists, who #ontinue to #$ing to the subt$e, the tentati'e, the narrow$y fo#used! :irtua$ rea$ity mirrors the %ostmodern fas#ination with surfa#es, e %$i#it$y re(oi#ing in its own de%th$essness 1 one ob'ious way in whi#h the %ostmodernists are the a##om%$i#es of the *ra'e "ew Wor$d! As we re(e#t any %ossibi$ity of understanding shared or e'en %ersona$ e %erien#e, no #ha$$enge to that e %erien#e seems %$ausib$e! +he %o$iti#a$ #ounter%art of %ostmodernism is %ragmatism; we find ways of a##ommodating ourse$'es to the debased norm! +he de#ay of meaning, %assion, and inner 'ibran#y has been going on for a whi$e! +oday it is a (uggernaut, in the fa#e of whi#h %ostmodernism is the #u$ture of no resistan#e! +he good news is that there are signs of $ife, signs that fo$&s in 'arious %$a#es are beginning to sus%e#t our #u$ture0s greatest hoa !
John Zerzan
A $i&e Mississi%%i, :irginia, and 4outh Caro$ina hard$y saw the =$an or fe$t its inf$uen#e!CD5E Ha#&son0s statisti#s show #$ear$y the =$an0s northern base, with on$y one southern state, +e as, among the eight states with the $argest membershi%!DIE It wou$d be diffi#u$t to e'en begin to #ite Ha#&son0s e'iden#e in fa'or of terming the =$an an urban %henomenon, inasmu#h as his who$e boo& testifies to this #hara#teri)ation! It may be interesting to note, howe'er, the ten urban areas with the most =$ansmen! /rin#i%a$$y industria$ and a$$ but one of them outside the 4outh, they are, in des#ending order: Chi#ago, Indiana%o$is, /hi$ade$%hia7Camden, 6etroit, 6en'er, /ort$and, At$anta, Gos Ange$es7Gong *ea#h, Joungstown7Warren, and /ittsburgh7Carnegie!DKE +he notion of the === as an essentia$$y ra#ist organi)ation is simi$ar$y #ha$$enged by Ha#&son! As 5obert Moats Mi$$er %ut it, Bin great areas of the #ountry where the =$an was %owerfu$ the "egro %o%u$ation was insignifi#ant, and in fa#t, it is %robab$e that had not a sing$e "egro $i'ed in the <nited 4tates, a =$an7ty%e order wou$d ha'e emerged!CDLE And 5obert 6uffus, writing for the Hune >?,3 )orld*s )ee!, #on#eded: Bwhi$e the ra#ia$ situation #ontributed to a state of mind fa'orab$e to =u =$u ism, #urious$y it did not figure %rominent$y in the =$an0s #areer!CD?E +he =$an in fa#t tried to organi)e B#o$ored di'isionsC in Indiana and other states, to the ama)ement of historian =ath$een *$ee!D>-E 6eg7 $er, who wrong$y #onsidered 'igi$antism to be the #ore trait of the =$an, admitted that su#h 'io$en#e as there was Bwas dire#ted against white, Ang$o74a on /rotestants rather than against the minorities!CD>>E Whi#h brings us to the fourth and $ast %oint of Ha#&son0s thesis, that the === was not %redominant$y 'io$ent! Again, his #on#$usions seem 'a$id des%ite the wides%read image of a $yn#h7mad, terroristi# =$an! +he %ost7war ra#e riots of >?>? in Washington, Chi#ago, and East 4t! Gouis, for e am%$e, o##urred before there were any =$ansmen in those #ities,D>,E and in the >?,-s, when the =$an grew to its great strength, the number of $yn#hings in the <!4! dro%%ed to $ess than ha$f the annua$ a'erage of %re7war yearsD>3E and a far sma$$er fra#tion than that by #om%arison with the immediate$y %ost7war years! In the words of /reston 4$osson, B*y a #urious anoma$y, in s%ite of!!!the re'i'a$ of the =u =$u =$an, the o$d Ameri#an #ustom of $yn#h $aw fe$$ into a$most #om%$ete disuse!CD>AE A sur'ey of +iterary ,igest M#onser'ati'eN and #he ation M$ibera$N for >?,,1>?,3 re'ea$s se'era$ re%orted instan#es in whi#h the =$an was b$amed for 'io$en#e it did not %er%etrate and unfair$y de%ri'ed of its rights!D>5E Its enemies fre3uent$y in#$uded $o#a$ or state estab$ishments, and were genera$$y far from being mee& and %ower$ess 'i#tims! If the =u =$u =$an, then, was not %redominant$y southern, rura$, ra#ist, or 'io$ent, (ust what was the nature of this strange for#e whi#h grew to su#h %ower so ra%id$y and s%ontaneous$y in the ear$y7midd$e 0,-s @ and de#$ined at $east as 3ui#&$y by >?,5O +he orthodo Fnati'ism0 answer asserts that it was (ust another of the %eriodi#, unthin&ing and rea#tionary efforts of the ignorant to turn ba#& the #$o#&, and therefore futi$e and short7$i'ed! A %ost7Ha#&son, Fneo7nati'ist0 %osition might e'en #on#ede the %oints about ra#ism and 'io$en#e not being determinant, and sti$$ essentia$$y maintain this %oint of 'iew, of re#urrent, b$ind efforts to restore an in#hoate but rightist 'ersion of the %ast! *ut a 'ery strong %attern regarding the =$an introdu#es doubts about this out$oo&, name$y, that mi$itant$y %rogressi'e or radi#a$ a#ti'ities ha'e often #$ose$y %re#eded, #oin#ided with, or #$ose$y fo$$owed strong === efforts, and ha'e in'o$'ed the same
5 %arti#i%ants! O&$ahoma, for e am%$e, e %erien#ed in a mere ten years the growth and de#$ine of the $argest state bran#h of the 4o#ia$ist /arty, and the rise of one of the strongest =$an mo'ements!D>IE In Wi$$iamson County, I$$inois, an interra#ia$ #rowd of union #oa$ miners stormed a mine being wor&ed by stri&e7brea&ers and &i$$ed twenty of them! +he #ommunity su%%orted the miners0 a#tion and refused to #on'i#t any of the %arti#i%ants in this so7#a$$ed 2errin Massa#re of >?,,, whi#h had #a%tured the nation0s attention! Within two years, 2errin and the rest of Wi$$iamson County ba#&ed one of the 'ery strongest $o#a$ =$an organi)ations in the #ountry!D>KE +he 'io$ent$y su%%ressed stri&es of the southern A%%a$a#hian /iedmont te ti$e wor&ers in >?,?, among the most bitter$y fought in twentieth #entury $abor history,D>LE too& %$a#e at the time of or immediate$y fo$$owing great =$an strength in many of the same mi$$ towns! +he rubber wor&ers of the huge tire7bui$ding %$ants of A&ron, the first to wide$y em%$oy the effe#ti'e sit7down stri&e wea%on in the ear$y >?3-s, formed a $arge %art of that #ity0s 'ery si)eab$e =$an membershi%,D>?E or had #ome from A%%a$a#hian regions where the === was a$so strong! In >?3A, the 'ery mi$itant and interra#ia$ 4outhern +enant Farmers <nion was formed, and wou$d fa#e the f$ight of its $eaders, the indifferen#e of organi)ed $abor, and the ma#hine7guns of the $arge $andho$ders! Many of its a#ti'e members were former =$ansmen!D,-E And obser'ers of the <nited Auto Wor&ers ha'e #$aimed that some of the most mi$itant a#ti'ists in auto were former =$ansmen!D,>E +he &ey to a$$ these e am%$es of a%%arent$y dis%arate $oya$ties is a sim%$e one! As I wi$$ show, not on$y did some =$ansmen ho$d re$ati'e$y radi#a$ o%inions whi$e members of the In'isib$e Order, but in fa#t used the =$an, on o##asion, as a 'ehi#$e for radi#a$ so#ia$ #hange! +he re#ord in this area, though not ina##essib$e, has remained #om%$ete$y unde'e$o%ed! +he rise of the =$an began with the shar% e#onomi# de%ression that stru#& in the fa$$ of >?,-! In the 4outh, des%erate farmers organi)ed under the =$an banner in an effort to for#e u% the %ri#e of #otton by restri#ting its sa$e! BA$$ throughout the fa$$ and winter of >?,-1,, mas&ed bands roamed the #ountryside warning ginneries and warehouses to #$ose unti$ %ri#es ad'an#ed! 4ometimes they set fire to estab$ishments that defied their edi#t!CD,,E It was from this start that the =$an rea$$y began to grow and to s%read to the "orth, #rossing the Mason76i on $ine in the winter of >?,-1,>! D,3E +he === $eadershi% Bdisa'owed and a%%arent$y disa%%ro'ed ofCD,AE this aggressi'e e#onomi# a#ti'ism, and it is im%ortant to note that more often than not there was tension or o%%osition between offi#ia$s and members, a %oint I wi$$ return to $ater! In a southern union ha$$ in >?33, 4herwood Anderson 3ueried a $o#a$ re%orter about the use of the =$an for e#onomi# strugg$es: B+his %arti#u$ar ha$$ had former$y been used by a =u =$u =$an organi)ation and I as&ed the news%a%er man, F2ow many of these %eo%$e Dte ti$e wor&ersE were in on thatO0 FA good many,0 he said! 2e thought the =u =$u =$an had been rather an out$et for the wor&ers when Ameri#a was outward$y so %ros%erous! F+he boom mar&et ne'er got down to these,0 he said, ma&ing a swee%ing mo'ement with his arm!CD,5E =$an offi#ia$s ne'er s%o&e in fa'or of su#h uses of the =$an, but it was the e#onomi# and so#ia$ needs that often drew %eo%$e to the =$an, rather than re$igious, %atrioti#, or stri#t$y fraterna$ ones!D,IE +his is not to say that there wasn0t a mu$ti%$i#ity of #ontributing fa#tors usua$$y %resent as the new =$an rose to %rominen#e! +here was a wides%read fee$ing that the BP$orious CrusadeC of Wor$d War I had been a swind$e! +here was the des%erate boredom and monotony of regimented wor&7$i'es! +o this $atter frustration, a ===
I news%a%er a%%ea$ed for new members with the banner, BH<4+ +O /E/ </ +2E PAME! +2I4 4GOW GIFE I4 =IGGI"P ME!CD,KE And with these fee$ings, too, it is 3uite easy to imagine a form of %rogressi'e so#ia$ or %o$iti#a$ a#ti'ism being the resu$t! As 4tan$ey Frost #ommented in >?,A, Bthe =$an mo'ement seems to be another e %ression of the genera$ unrest and dissatisfa#tion with both $o#a$ and nationa$ #onditions @ the high #ost of $i'ing, so#ia$ in(usti#e, ine3ua$ity!!!!CD,LE Or, as Arthur 4#h$esinger, Hr! offhanded$y re'ea$ed in a #omment about 2uey Gong, Bdes%ite his %oor white sym%athies, he did not, $i&e 2ugo *$a#& in A$abama, (oin the =$an!CD,?E +he a#ti'ities of the =$an ha'e 'ery #ommon$y been referred to as Bmora$ reform,C and #ertain$y this &ind of effort was #ommon! Arti#$es su#h as, B*ehind the White 2oods: +he 5egeneration of O&$ahoma,C and B"ight75iding 5eformers,C from Fa$$ >?,3 issues of +he Out$oo& bes%ea& this side of =$an moti'ation!D3-E +hey te$$ how the =$an #$eaned u% gangs of organi)ed #rime and #ombated 'i#e and %o$iti#a$ #orru%tion in O&$ahoma and Indiana, a%%arent$y with a minimum of 'io$en#e or 'igi$antism! A$so wides%read were =$an attem%ts to %ut boot$eggers out of business, though we might re#a$$ here that %rohibition has fre3uent$y been endorsed by $abor %artisans, from the o%inion that the often high a$#oho$ #onsum%tion rates among wor&ers wea&ened the $abor mo'ement! In fa#t, the =$an not infre3uent$y atta#&ed $i3uor and sa$oon interests e %$i#it$y as for#es that &e%t wor&ing %eo%$e down! It is on the %$ane of Fmora$0 issues, furthermore, that another stereoty%e regarding the === @ that of its tota$ mora$ into$eran#e @ disso$'es at $east somewhat under s#rutiny! Char$es *ow$es, the a$most su##essfu$ write7in =$an #andidate in the >?,A 6etroit may7 ora$ty ra#e, was a di'or#e $awyer Mas we$$ as being %ro7%ub$i# wor&sN!It #annot be denied that anti7Catho$i#ism was a ma(or %$an& of =$an a%%ea$ in many %$a#es, su#h as Oregon! *ut at $east %art of this attitude stemmed from a Bbe$ief that the Catho$i# Chur#h was a ma(or obsta#$e in the strugg$e for women0s suffrage and e3ua$ity!CD3>E Margaret 4anger, the birth #ontro$ %ioneer, ga'e a $e#ture to =$answomen in 4i$'er Ga&e, "ew Hersey, a s%ea&ing engagement she a##e%ted with no $itt$e tre%idation! 4he feared that if she But7 tered one word, su#h as abortion, outside the usua$ 'o#abu$ary of these women they wou$d go off into hysteria!C A#tua$$y, a rea$ ra%%ort was estab$ished and the e'ening was a great su##ess! BA do)en in'itations to s%ea& to simi$ar grou%s were %rofferred! +he #on'ersation went on and on, and when we were fina$$y through it was too $ate to return to "ew Jor&!CD3,E At any rate, a #onne#tion #an be argued between Fmora$0 reform and more fundamenta$ reform attem%ts! BI wonder if anybody #ou$d e'er find any #onne#tion between this town0s e'ident immora$ities and some of the %$ant0s e'ident dissatisfa#tionOCD33E %ondered Whiting Wi$$iams in >?,>! 2e de#ided in the affirmati'e, that 'i#e in the #ommunity is the resu$t of anger in the mi$$ or fa#tory! And =$an members often showed an interest in a$so #ombating what they saw as the #auses of Fimmora$ities0 rather than sim%$y their manifestations! 2iram E'ans, a head of the =$an, admitted in a rare inter'iew in >?,3 that B+here has been a wides%read fee$ing among =$ansmen that in the $ast few years the o%eration of the "ationa$ Po'ernment has shown wea&ness indi#ating a %ossib$e need of rather fundamenta$ reform!CD3AE A >?,3 $etter to the editor of #he ew -epublic detai$s this awareness of the need for dee%7seated #hanges! Written by an o%%onent of the =$an, the %assage e %resses B+he Why of the =$anC:
K BFirst: +hroughout a$$ #$asses there is a growing s&e%ti#ism of demo#ra#y, es%e#ia$$y of the #urrent Ameri#an brand! Many Ameri#ans be$ie'e there is $itt$e e'en7handed (usti#e administered in the #ourts; that a %oor man has $itt$e #han#e against a ri#h one; that many (udges %ra#ti#a$$y buy their %$a#es on the ben#h or are %ut there by %owerfu$ interests! +he strong, ab$e young man #omes out of #o$$ege ready to do his %art in %o$iti#s, but with the sett$ed #on'i#tion that un$ess he #an gi'e fu$$ time there is no use Fbu#&ing u% against the ma#hine!0 Furthermore he be$ie'es the ma#hines to be e3ua$$y #orru%t! +he miner in West :irginia sees the %ower of the state en$isted on the side of the mine owner!CD35E +hroughout the $iterature there is a strong$y %re'ai$ing tenden#y to dea$ with the so#ia$ #om%osition of =$an membershi% by ignoring it a$together, or, more #ommon$y, by referring to it in %assing as Bmidd$e #$ass!C +his a%%roa#h enab$ed Hohn Me#&$in, whose #he Ku Klux Klan% & 'tudy of the &merican .ind M>?,AN is regarded as a #$assi#, to say that B+he a'erage =$ansman is far more in sym%athy with #a%ita$ than with $abor!CD3IEIn $arge %art this stems from $oo&ing at the to% =$an offi#ia$s, rather than at the ran& and fi$e members! Wi$$iam 4immons, 6!C! 4te%henson, and 2iram E'ans, the men who %resided o'er the =$an in the 0,-s had been, res%e#ti'e$y, a minister, a #oa$ dea$er, and a dentist! *ut the membershi% defi7 nite$y did not share this who$$y Bmidd$e #$assC ma&eu%! =enneth Ha#&son on$y %artia$$y a'oids the error by terming the =$an a B$ower midd$e7 #$ass mo'ement,CD3KE a 'ague a%%e$$ation whi#h he #orre#ts short$y thereafter: B+he greatest sour#e of =$an su%%ort #ame from ran& and fi$e non7union, b$ue7#o$$ar em%$oyees of $arge businesses and fa#tories!CD3LE 5eturning to the sub(e#t of so#io7%o$iti#a$ attitudes of =$an members, a'ai$ab$e e'iden#e stri&ing$y #onfirms my #ontention of a sometimes 3uite radi#a$ frame of mind! In the s%ring of >?,A, #he /utloo! maga)ine #ondu#ted a B/$atform of the /eo%$eC %o$$ by mai$! When it was found that an organi)ationa$ re3uest for ten thousand ba$$ots #ame from the "ew Hersey and /ennsy$'ania =u =$u =$an, %in& ba$$ots were su%%$ied so that they #ou$d be se%arate$y tabu$ated! +o 3uote the arti#$e, B/in& *a$$ots for the =u =$u =$anC: B+he ba$$ots returned a$$ #ame from towns and sma$$ #ities in "ew Hersey and /ennsy$'ania! Of the tota$ of >,>3? 'oters, A?- $isted themse$'es as 5e%ub$i#ans, on$y ?K as 6emo#rats, and 55, as Inde%endents! Among them are ,A3 women!CD3?E A%%ro imate$y two7thirds Mo'er K--N res%onded regarding their o##u%ations! B+he $argest sing$e grou% M,-?N is that of s&i$$ed wor&men; the ne t M>>5N is of $aborers!C +he rest in#$udes wor&ers Me!g! Brai$way menCN and farmers, %$us a s#attering of %rofessiona$s and mer#hants! +he women who $isted their o##u%ations were main$y housewi'es! 6es%ite the genera$$y high %er#entages of abstention on most of the issues, the resu$ts on the fo$$owing se$e#ted to%i#s show #$ear$y radi#a$ $eanings:DA-E
Percent BCom%u$sory freight redu#tionC B"ationa$i)ation of the rai$roads with #oo%erati'e administration by wor&ers, shi%%ers, and %ub$i#C BFedera$ Aid for FarmersC Co7o%erati'esC BFedera$ %ur#hase of wheatC B/ri#e fi ing of sta%$e farm %rodu#tsC BFurther e tension of farm #reditC BE3ua$ so#ia$, $ega$, and industria$ rights for womenC BAmendment enab$ing Congress to %re'ent e %$oitation of #hi$dren in industryC BFedera$ Anti7Gyn#hing GawC BEstab$ish Federa$ Em%$oyment *ureauC BE tension of %rin#i%$e of Federa$ aid for edu#ationC BAbo$ition of in(un#tions in $abor dis%utesC B"ationa$i)ation, and demo#rati# administration by te#hni#ians, wor&ers, and #onsumers, of #oa$ minesC BPo'ernment #ontro$ and distribution of high7 %ower transmissionC
Approved: Ignored: Condemned: 3KK 3 ,A 3,,3 3, A> A5 3L 3K ?> ,,3 33 K, IL IL K5 IK 5I 5A II? K3 K, IA A , , 5 > 3 > , 3 K 5 3
A$so fa'ored were immigration restri#tion and %rohibition! #he /utloo!, ob'ious$y dis%$eased with the res%onse, #ategori)ed the =$an %arti#i%ants as Bmore in#$ined to a##e%t %ana#eas at fa#e 'a$ue, wi$$ing to go farther! In genera$,C they #on#$uded, Bthis $eads to greater radi#a$ism, or F%rogressi'ism!0CDA>E +he =$an mo'ement de#$ined ra%id$y within a year of the %o$$, and resear#h substantiates the enduring 'a$idity of #he /utloo! editors0 #$aim that B+he %resent tab$e %ro'ides the on$y ana$ysis that has e'er been made of the %o$iti#a$ 'iews of members of the =u =$u =$an!CDA,E With this &ind of data, it is $ess sur%rising to find, for e am%$e, that the 4o#ia$ist /arty and the =$an formed a >?,A e$e#tora$ a$$ian#e in Mi$wau&ee to e$e#t Hohn =$eist, a 4o#ia$ist and a =$ansman, to the Wis#onsin 4u%reme Court!DA3E 5obert O! "esbitt %er#ei'ed, in Wis#onsin, a Btenden#y for Perman 4o#ia$ists, whose most #ons%i#uous o%%onents were Catho$i# #$ergy, to (oin the =$an!CDAAE +he e#onomi# %o%u$ist Wa$ter /ier#e was e$e#ted go'ernor in Oregon in >?,, by a strong agri#u$tura$ %rotest 'ote, in#$uding the endorsement of the =$an and the 4o#ia$ist /arty! =$an #andidates %romised to #ut ta es in ha$f, redu#e %hone rates, and gi'e aid to distressed farmers! DA5E A re#ent study of the =$an in GaPrande, Oregon re'ea$ed that it B%$ayed a substantia$ ro$e in su%%orting the stri&ersC during the nationwide rai$wor&ers0 stri&e of >?,,!DAIE
? In fa#t, the === a%%ea$ed not infre3uent$y to mi$itant wor&ers, des%ite the %ersistent stereoty%e of the =$an0s anti7$abor bent! An August >?,3 )orld*s )or! arti#$e des#ribed strong wor&er su%%ort for the =$an in =ansas; during the state7wide rai$road stri&e there in >?,,, the stri&ers Ba#tua$$y did f$o#& into the =$an in what seems to ha'e been $arge numbers!CDAKE Char$es A$e ander, who wrote the high$y regarded +he =u =$u =$an in the 4outhwest, though genera$$y subs#ribing to the anti7$abor =$an re%utation, #onfessed his own inabi$ity to #onfirm this image! 5eferring to himse$f, he said, Bthe writer has #ome a#ross on$y two instan#es of dire#t #onf$i#t between southwestern =$ansmen and union organi)ers, one in Ar&ansas and one in Gouisiana!CDALE Writing of O&$ahoma, Carter *$ue C$ar& (udged that B'io$en#e against the Internationa$ Msi#N Wor&ers of the Wor$d and radi#a$ farm and $abor grou%s was rare!!!CDA?E 2e found si ty7eight in#idents of =$an7re$ated 'io$en#e between >?,> and >?,5, on$y two of whi#h be$onged to the B<nioni)ationQ5adi#a$ismC #ategory!D5-E Po$dberg0s study of the === in Co$orado found that Bdes%ite #oa$ stri&es in >?,>, >?,,, and >?,K, whi#h %rimari$y in'o$'ed foreign @ born miners, the =$an ne'er resorted to the $anguage of the 5ed 4#are!C 6uring the Wobb$y7$ed stri&e of >?,K, in fa#t, the Canon City =$an formed an a$$ian#e with the IWW against their #ommon enemy, the ru$ing e$ite!D5>E :irginia 6urr, who was 2enry Wa$$a#e0s /rogressi'e /arty running mate in >?AL, gi'es us a %i#ture of the =$an of the 0,-s and $abor in the *irmingham area: B+he unions were bro&en!!!4o, the =u =$u =$an was formed at that %oint as a &ind of underground union and un$ess you were there and &new it, nobody wi$$ be$ie'e it! +hey wi$$ say, FOh, but the =$an was against the unions!0 We$$, it wasn0t!CD5,E Pera$d 6unne found that Bninety %er#ent of *irmingham0s union members were a$so in'o$'ed with the =$an,CD53E and that the =$an in the state at $arge atta#&ed the A$abama /ower Com%any and the inf$uen#e of the ru$ing *an&head fami$y whi$e #am%aigning for %ub7 $i# #ontro$ of the Mus#$e 4hoa$s dam %ro(e#t and go'ernment medi#a$ insuran#e!D5AE In the 0,-s the #orru%t and inert offi#ia$dom of the <nited Mine Wor&ers was %resided o'er by the auto#rati# Hohn G! Gewis! =u =$u ers in the union, though they had been offi#ia$$y barred from membershi% in >?,>, formed a #oa$ition with $eftists at the >?,A #on'ention in a fight for union demo#ra#y: B+hen the radi#a$7 s!!!#ombined with the sym%athi)ers of the hooded order to stri% Mr! Gewis of the %ower to a%%oint organi)ers!CD55E +hough this #ombination was narrow$y defeated, BGewis was out'oted in a first test of the 3uestion as to whether $o#a$ e e#uti'es and organi)ers shou$d be a%%ointed by the nationa$ offi#ia$s or by the ran& and fi$e! +he insurgents, headed by the de%osed A$e ander 2owat and s%urred on by the members of the =u =$u =$an, who e erted a $obbying inf$uen#e from the #on'ention doorways, #ombined to #arry the first 'ote!CD5IE +hough offi#ia$$y denied membershi%, strong$y %ro7<MW sour#es ha'e admitted that, in fa#t, a great many union members were =$ansmen! M#6ona$d and Gyn#h, for e am%$e, estimated that in >?,A eighty %er#ent of <MW 6istri#t >> MIndianaN members were enro$$ed in the ===D5KE! An e amination of the $roceedings of the >?,A union #on'ention su%%orts this %oint; areas of =$an strength, su#h as Indiana, I$$inois and /ennsy$'ania 'oted 'ery de#isi'e$y against Gewis, in fa'or of the e$e#tion of organi)ers by the ran& and fi$e! D5LE
>A ew -epublic arti#$e in Mar#h, >?,A to$d of the strength of the =$an in Wi$$iamson County, I$$inois, s#ene of the B2errin Massa#reC referred to abo'e! +he anti7=$an %ie#e sad$y shoo& its head at this turn of e'ents in an area of Bone hundred %er#ent unionism!CD5?E *uried in the midd$e of the a##ount is the &ey to the situation, an a##urate if grudging #on#ession that Bthe ina#tion of their $o#a$ $abor $eaders ga'e to the =u =$u =$an a fo$$owing among the miners!CDI-E +he fo$$owing ora$ history a##ount by Aaron *ar&ham, a West :irginia miner, is a %erfe#t i$$ustration of the =$an as a 'ehi#$e of #$ass strugg$e @ and of the reason for its offi#ia$ denun#iation by the <MW! It is worth 3uoting at $ength: BAbout that time >?,?, in Gogan County, West :irginia, a bun#h of stri&e7brea&ers #ome in with shotguns and a e hand$es! +ried to brea& u% union meetings! +he <MW deteriorated and went ba#& to a$most no e isten#e! It didn0t %arti#u$ar$y get fu$$ strength ti$$ about >?A?! And it don0t mu#h today in West :irginia! 4o most %eo%$e ganged u% and formed the =u =$u#& =$an!C +he =u =$u was the rea$ #ontro$$in0 fa#tor in the #ommunity! It was the $aw! It was in %ower to about >?3,! My dad was one of the $eaders ti$ he died! +he #om%any #a$$ed in the army to get the =u =$u out, but it didn0t wor&! +he union and the =u =$u was about the same thing!C +he su%erintendent of the mine got the big idea of ma&in0 it rougher than it was! +hey hau$ed him off in a meat wagon, and about ten more of the #om%any offi#ia$s! 2ad the mine shut down! +hey didn0t &i$$ Fem, but they didn0t #ome ba#&! +hey whi%%ed one of the foremen and got him out of the #ounty! +hey ga'e him twe$'e hours to get out, get his fami$y out!C +he <MW had a fie$d re%resentati'e, he was a $awyer! +hey tarred and feathered Fim for tryin0 to edge in with the #om%any! 2e #ome around, got mad, tryin0 to te$$ us we were wrong, when we #a$$ed a wi$d#at! 2e was ta&in0 the side of the #om%any! I used a sti#& to he$% tar Fim! And it wasn0t the first time!C +he =u =$u was formed on beha$f of %eo%$e that wanted a de#ent $i'ing, both b$a#& and white! 2a$f the #oa$ #am% was #o$ored! It wasn0t anti7 #o$ored! +he b$a#& %eo%$e had the same res%onsibi$ities as the white! +heir $awn was (ust as green as the white man0s! +hey got the same rate of %ay! +here was two #o$ored who be$onged to it! I remember those two niggers #omin0 around my father and as&in0 3uestions about it! +hey (oined! +he %astor of our #ommunity #hur#h was a #o$ored man! 2e was =u =$u ! It was the on$y %rote#tion the wor&in0 man had!C 4ure, the #om%any tried to %$ay one agin0 the other! *ut it didn0t wor&! +he #o$ored and the whites $i'ed side by side! It was somethin0 $i&e a #he#&erboard! +here0d be a white fami$y and a #o$ored fami$y! "o sir, there was no ra#ia$ %rob$em! Jeah, they had a #ertain fee$in0 about the #o$ored! +hey sure did! And they had a #ertain fee$in0 about the white, too! Anyone #ome into the #om7 munity had unsatisfa#tory dea$in0s, if it was #o$ored or white, he didn0t stay!CDI>E
>> Why ha'e the few, standard a##ounts of the =$an been seeming$y so far offO /rin#i%a$$y be#ause they ha'e fai$ed to $oo& at the =$an %henomenon Bfrom the bottom u%,C to see === %arti#i%ants as histori#a$ sub(e#ts! One resu$t of this is to ha'e o'er$oo&ed mu#h materia$ a$together! As most $abor attention fo#uses on the unions at the e %ense of the indi'idua$ wor&ers, so has the =$an been ig7 nored as a mo'ement re$e'ant to the history of wor&ing %eo%$e! #he +ean 0ears% & 1istory of the &merican )or!er, 192021933, by Ir'ing *ernstein, is wide$y regarded as the best treatment of $abor in the >?,-s! It does not mention the =u =$u =$an! 4imi$ar$y, the Gynds0 Midd$etown, that %remier so#io$ogi#a$ study of Mun#ie, Indiana in the 0,-s, bare$y mentions the =$anDI,E and then on$y in terms of a most margina$ area, re$igious %referen#e!DI3E Certain$y no one wou$d serious$y maintain that the === of the 0,-s was free from bigotry or in(usti#e! +here is truth in the #hara#7 teri)ation of the =$an as a moment of soured %o%u$ism, fermented of %ost7war disi$$usion! *ut it is a$so true that when $arge numbers of %eo%$e, fee$ing Ba sense of defeatCDIAE in an in#reasing$y urban 4outh, or their northern #ounter%arts, B#ons#ious of their growing inferiority,CDI5E turned to the =$an, they did not ne#essari$y ena#t some &ind of si#&, ra#ist sa'agery! On o##asion, they e'en turned, as we ha'e seen, to a fair$y radi#a$ a#ti'ism @ to the #hagrin of their #orru%t and #onser'ati'e $eadershi%! In fa#t, it was interna$ dissension @ %$us, to a $esser e tent, the return of re$ati'e %ros%erity in >?,5DIIE @ that brought about the %re#i%itous de#$ine of the =$an! 6ona$d Crowno'er0s study of the === in Gan#aster County, /ennsy$'ania dis#ussed some of the aborti'e efforts to form state and e'en nationa$ organi)ations a$ternati'e to the 'i#e and auto#ra#y %re'ai$ing at the to% of the In'isib$e Em%ire!DIKE B5e'o$t from within, not #riti#ism from without, bro&e the =$an!CDILE More fundamenta$$y, the mid7>?,-s, against the ba#&ground of a de#isi'e deformation %ro'ided by Wor$d War I,DI?E saw the rea$ arri'a$ of the #onsumer so#iety and the #u$tura$ dis%$a#ement of mi$itan#y it re%resented!DK-E +he abo'e resear#h, $imited and unsystemati# as it is, wou$d seem to raise more 3uestions than it answers! "onethe$ess, it may be %ossib$e to dis#ern here something of re$e'an#e #on#erning ra#ism, s%ontaneity and %o%u$ar 'a$ues in the #onte t of a 'ery im%ortant so#ia$ mo'ement!DK>E D>E 4tan$ey Frost, #he (hallenge of the Klan M"ew Jor&, >?I?N, %!>! D,E *etween fi'e and si mi$$ion is %robab$y the soundest figure! Morrison and Commager found Bgarnered in the "ortheast and Midwest an a$$7time %ea& of si mi$$ion members!C #he 4rowth of the &merican -epublic M"ew Jor&, >?5-N, 'o$! II, %!55I! Honathon 6anie$s estimated that Bthe su%%osed$y 4outhern organi)ation had s%raw$ed #ontinenta$$y from beginnings in At$anta in >?>5, u% from >--,--- members in >?,> to 5,---,--- in >?,A!C #he #ime 5etween the )ars MParden City, "ew Jor&, >?IIN, %! >-L! D3E Emerson Gou#&s, #he Ku Klux Klan in $ennsylvania% & 'tudy of ativism M"ew Jor&, >?3IN, %%! 'i, >, >?L! DAE =enneth Ha#&son, #he Ku Klux Klan in the (ity, 191621930 M"ew Jor&, >?IKN, %! i!
>, D5E Car$ 6eg$er, BA Century of the =$ans: A 5e'iew Arti#$e,C 7ournal of 'outhern 1istory M"o'ember >?I5N, %%! AA,1AA3! DIE Ha#&son, o%!#it!, %! ,3K! DKE Ibid!, %! ,3?! DLE 5obert Moats Mi$$er, B+he =u =$u =$an,C from #he #wenties% (hange and (ontinuity, Hohn *raeman, 5obert 2! *remner and 6a'id *rody, eds! MCo$umbus, >?ILN, %! ,>L! D?E 5obert G! 6uffus, B2ow the =u =$u =$an 4e$$s 2ate,C )orld*s )ee! MHune, >?,3N, %! >K?! D>-E =ath$een M! *$ee, )omen of the Klan M*er&e$ey, >??>N, %! >I?! D>>E 6eg$er, o%!#it!, %! A3K! D>,E Wi$$iam 4immons, head of the =$an in >?,>, testified @ without #ha$$enge @ that the %ost7war ra#e riots in Washington, East 4t! Gouis and Chi#ago too& %$a#e before there were any =$an members in those #ities! 4ee 1earings 5efore the (ommittee on -ules% 1ouse of -epresentatives, 'ixty8'eventh (ongress MWashington, >?,>N, %! K5! D>3E 6anie$ 4nowman, <4A: #he #wenties to 9iet am MGondon, >?ILN, %!3K! D>AE /reston W! 4$osson, #he 4reat (rusade and &fter M"ew Jor&, >?3-N, %! ,5L! D>5E 4ee +iterary ,igest: BRuaint Customs and Methods of the ===,C MAugust 5, >?,,N A 6efense of the =u =$u =$an,C MHanuary ,-, >?,3N, es%! %%! >L1>?; B+he =$an as the :i#tim of Mob :io$en#e,C M4e%tember L, >?,3N, %! >,; #he ation: BE'en the =$an 2as 5ights,C M6e#ember >3, >?,,N, %! I5A! D>IE 4ee Parin *urban0s BAgrarian 5adi#a$s and +heir O%%onents: /o$iti#a$ Conf$i#ts in 4outhern O&$ahoma, >?>-1>?,A,C 7ournal of &merican 1istory MHune >?K>N! *urban& argues that the 4o#ia$ist /arty and the =$an had different #onstituen#ies in O&$ahoma, but mu#h of his own data #ontradi#ts this #on#$usion! Es%! %%! ,-1,>! D>KE 4ee /au$ M! Ang$e0s 5loody )illiamsonM"ew Jor&, >?5,N, es%! %%! A, ,>- ,L1 ,?, >3K1>3L! D>LE 4ee Ir'ing *ernstein0s #he +ean 0ears% & 1istory of the &merican )or!er, 192021933 M*a$timore, >?IIN, %%! >1A3! D>?E Ha#&son, o%!#it, %! ,3?! A&ron had the eighth $argest member7 shi% of <!4! #ities! D,-E 4ee +homas 5! *roo&s0 #oil and #rouble M"ew Jor&, >?K>N, %! 3IL, and Hero$d 4! Auerba#h0s +abor and +iberty% #he +a:ollette (ommittee and the ew ,eal MIndiana%o$is, >?IIN, %! 3L! D,>E Ir'ing 2owe and *!H! Widi#&, #he ;&) and )alter -euther M"ew Jor&, >?A?N, %! ?! D,,E Hohn 2igham, 'trangers in the +and M"ew Jor&, >?ILN, %%! ,L?7 ,?-! D,3E 6ona$d A! Crowno'er, B+he =u =$u =$an in Gan#aster County, >?,31>?,A,C 7ournal of the +ancaster (ounty 1istorical 'ociety M>?IA, "o!,N, %! IA! D,AE 2igham, o%!#it, %! ,?-! D,5E 4herwood Anderson, $u<<led &merica M"ew Jor&, >?35N, %! >>A!
>3 D,IE "ei$$ 2erring, a 'eteran %rogressi'e and s#ho$ar from At$anta, has testified to this &ind of uti$i)ation of =$an organi)ation as enab$ed by a stru#ture that B$eft a fair measure of $o#a$ inde%en7 den#e of a#tion!C Getter to author, Mar#h ,5, >?K5! D,KE Mi$$er, o%!#it!, %! ,,A! D,LE Frost, o%!#it!, %! ,K-! D,?E Arthur M! 4#h$esinger, Hr!, #he $olitics of ;pheaval M*oston, >?I-N, %! A5! D3-E 4tan$ey Frost, B"ight75iding 5eformers,C #he /utloo! M"o'ember >A, >?,3N; Frost B*ehind the White 2oods; +he 5egeneration of O&$ahoma,C #he /utloo! M"o'ember ,>, >?,3N! D3>E 5obert =$an Po$dberg, 1ooded =mpire% the Ku Klux Klan in (olorado M<rbana, >?L>N, %! ,3! D3,E Margaret 4anger, &n &utobiography M"ew Jor&, >?3LN, %%! 3II7 3IK! D33E Frost, o%!#it!, %! LI! D3AE Frost, o%!#it!, %! LI! D35E Mary 2! 2erring, Bthe Why of the =$an,C MCorres%onden#eN #he ew -epublic MFebruary ,3, >?,3N, %! ,L?! D3IE Hohn Moffat Me#&$in, #he Ku Klux Klan% & 'tudy of the &merican .ind M"ew Jor&, >?,AN, %! ?L! D3KE Ha#&son, o%!#it!, %! ,A-! D3LE Ibid!, %! ,A>! D3?E B/in& *a$$ots for the =u =$u =$an,C #he /utloo! MHune ,5, >?,AN, %%! 3-I13-K! DA-E Ibid!, %! 3-K13-L! My %er#entages in'o$'e s$ight a%%ro ima7 tions; they are based on a'eraging the %er#entages gi'en for 5e%ub$i#ans, 6emo#rats, and Inde%endents %ro%ortiona$$y! DA>E Ibid!, %! 3-I! DA,E Ibid!, %! 3-L! DA3E Ha#&son, o%!#it!, %! >I,! DAAE 5obert O! "esbitt, )isconsin% & 1istory MMadison, >?K3N, %! AIK! DA5E Peorge 4! +urnbu$$, &n /regon (rusader M/ort$and, >?55N, %! >5-! B/romises and Gies,C Meditoria$N (apital 7ournal M4a$em, O#tober 3>, >?,,N! DAIE 6a'id A! 2orowit), B+he =u =$u =$an in GaPrande, Oregon,C #he Invisible =mpire in the )est, ed! 4hawn Gay M<rbana, >??,N, %! >?5! DAKE 5obert G! 6uffus, B+he =u =$u =$an in the Midd$e West,C )orld*s )or! MAugust, >?,3N, %! 3I5! DALE Char$es A$e ander, #he Ku Klux Klan in the 'outhwest MGouis7 'i$$e, >?I5N, %! ,5! DA?E Carter *$ue C$ar&, & 1istory of the Ku Klux Klan in /!lahoma! /h!6! 6issertation M<ni'ersity of O&$ahoma, >?KIN, %! >>5! D5-E Ibid!, %! >AK!
>A D5>E Po$dberg, o%!#it!, %%! >,,, >AI! D5,E :irginia 6urr, Inter'iew M#ondu#ted by 4usan +hrasher and Ha#3ue 2a$$, May >31>5, >?K5N, <ni'ersity of "orth Caro$ina Ora$ 2istory %ro(e#t! D53E Pera$d +! 6unne, 1ugo 5lac! and the 7udicial -evolution M"ew Jor&, >?KKN, %! >>A! D5AE Ibid!, %%! >>I, >>L, >,>! D55E Ce#i$ Carnes, 7ohn +. +ewis M"ew Jor&, >?3IN, %! >>I! D5IE Ibid!, %! >>A! D5KE 6a'id H! M#6ona$d and Edward A! Gyn#h, (oal and ;nionism M4i$'er 4%ring, Md, >?3?N, %! >I>! D5LE <nited Mine Wor&ers of Ameri#a, $roceedings of the #wenty8 inth (onsecutive and 'ixth 5iennial (onvention MIndiana%o$is, >?,AN, %! ILI! D5?E B=u =$u ing in the Miners0 Country,C #he ew -epublic MMar#h ,I, >?,AN, %! >,3! DI-E Ibid!, %! >,A! DI>E 4tuds +er&e$, 2ard +imes M"ew Jor&, >?K-N, %%! ,,?1,3-! DI,E 5obert and 2e$en Gynd, .iddletown M"ew Jor&, >?,?N! %%! 333, 3IA13II, AK?! DI3E Peorge *rown +inda$$, +he Emergen#e of the "ew 4outh M*aton 5ouge, >?IKN, %! >?I: B#arefu$ historians ha'e found that neither the ma(or #hur#h bodies and %eriodi#a$s nor fundamenta$ist $eaders e'er wor&ed #$ose$y with the =$an!C +here seems to ha'e been e'en $ess of a #onne#tion between the #hur#hes and the =$an in the "orth! DIAE Ibid, %! >?>! DI5E Peorge E! Mowry, #he ;rban ation M"ew Jor&, >?I5N, %! 3A! DIIE 6eg$er, o%!#it!, %! AA>! DIKE Crowno'er, o%! #it!, %%! I?1K-! DILE Gou#&s, o%!#it!, %! >I5! DI?E Ser)an, BOrigins and Meaning of Wor$d War I,C +e$os A?, es%! %%! >-K1>-L! DK-E 4tewart Ewen, (aptains of (onsciousness% &dvertising and the -oots of the (onsumer 'ociety M"ew Jor&, >?KKN! For e am%$e, %%! >L?1>?-, ,->! DK>E 4%e#ia$ than&s to "ei$$ 2erring of At$anta, 4usan +hrasher of "ew Mar&et, +ennessee, and *ob 2a$$ of #ha%e$ 2i$$, "orth Caro$ina!
>5
+he ra%id$y mounting to$$ of modern $ife is worse than we #ou$d ha'e imagined! A metamor%hosis rushes onward, #hanging the te ture of $i'ing, the who$e fee$ of things! In the not7so7distant %ast this was sti$$ on$y a %artia$ modifi#ation; now the Ma#hine #on'erges on us, %enetrating more and more to the #ore of our $i'es, %romising no es#a%e from its $ogi#! +he on$y stab$e #ontinuity has been that of the body, and that has be#ome 'u$nerab$e in un%re#edented ways! We now inhabit a #u$ture, a##ording to Furedi M>??KN, of high an iety that borders on a state of outright %ani#! /ostmodern dis#ourse su%%resses arti#u$ations of suffering, a fa#et of its a##ommodation to the ine'itabi$ity of further, systemati# deso$ation! +he %rominen#e of #hroni# degenerati'e diseases ma&es a #hi$$ing %ara$$e$ with the %ermanent erosion of a$$ that is hea$thy and $ife7affirming inside industria$ #u$ture! +hat is, maybe the disease #an be s$owed a bit in its %rogression, but no o'era$$ #ure is imaginab$e in this #onte t77whi#h #reated the #ondition in the first %$a#e! As mu#h as we yearn for #ommunity, it is a$$ but dead! M#/herson, 4mith7Go'in and *rashears M&merican 'ociological -eview ,--IN te$$ us that >? years ago, the ty%i#a$ Ameri#an had three #$ose friends; now the number is two! +heir nationa$ study a$so re'ea$s that o'er this %eriod of time, the number of %eo%$e without one friend or #onfidant has tri%$ed! Census figures show a #orres%onding$y shar% rise in sing$e7 %erson househo$ds, as the te#hno#u$ture 77 with its 'aunted .#onne#ti'ity. 77 grows steadi$y more iso$ating, $one$y and em%ty! In Ha%an .%eo%$e sim%$y aren9t ha'ing se . M=itamura ,--IN and the sui#ide rate has been rising ra%id$y! 1i!i!imori, or se$f7iso$ation, finds o'er a mi$$ion young %eo%$e staying in their rooms for years! Where the te#hno#u$ture is most de'e$o%ed, $e'e$s of stress, de%ression and an iety are highest! Ruestions and ideas #an on$y be#ome #urrents in the wor$d insofar as rea$ity, e terna$ and interna$, ma&es that %ossib$e! Our %resent state, de'o$'ing toward #atastro%he, dis%$ays a rea$ity in unmista&ab$e terms! We are bound for a head7on #o$$ision between urgent new 3uestions and a tota$ity77g$oba$ #i'i$i)ation77that #an %ro'ide no answers! A wor$d that offers no future, but shows no signs of admitting this fa#t, im%eri$s its own future a$ong with the $ife, hea$th, and freedom of a$$ beings on the %$anet! Ci'i$i)ation9s ru$ers ha'e a$ways s3uandered whate'er remote #han#es they had to %re%are for the end of $ife as they &now it, by #hoosing to ride the #rest of domination, in a$$ its forms! It has be#ome #$ear to some that the de%th of the e %anding #risis, whi#h is as massi'e$y dehumani)ing as it is e#o#ida$, stems from the #ardina$ institutions of #i'i$i)ation itse$f! +he dis#redited %romises of En$ightenment and modernity re%resent the %inna#$e of the gra'e mista&e &nown as #i'i$i)ation! +here is no %ros%e#t that this Order wi$$ renoun#e that whi#h has defined and maintained it, and a%%arent$y $itt$e $i&e$ihood that its 'arious ideo$ogi#a$ su%%orters #an fa#e the fa#ts! If #i'i$i)ation9s #o$$a%se has a$ready begun, a %ro#ess now unoffi#ia$$y but wide$y assumed, there may
>I be grounds for a wides%read refusa$ or abandonment of the reigning tota$ity! Indeed, its rigidity and denia$ may be setting the stage for a #u$tura$ shift on an un%re#edented s#a$e, whi#h #ou$d unfo$d ra%id$y! Of #ourse, a %aradigm shift away from this entren#hed, but 'u$nerab$e and fata$$y f$awed system is far from una'oidab$e! +he other main %ossibi$ity is that too many %eo%$e, for the usua$ reasons Mfear, inertia, manufa#tured in#a%a#ity, et#!N wi$$ %assi'e$y a##e%t rea$ity as it is, unti$ it9s too $ate to do anything but try to dea$ with #o$$a%se! It9s noteworthy that a growing awareness that things are going wrong, howe'er in#hoate and indi'idua$i)ed, is fue$$ed by a dee%, 'is#era$ unease and in many #ases, a#ute suffering! +his is where o%%ortunity resides! From this new %ers%e#ti'e that is #ertain$y growing, we find the wor& of #onfronting what fa#es us as a s%e#ies, and remo'ing the barriers to %$anetary sur'i'a$! +he time has #ome for a who$esa$e indi#tment of #i'i$i)ation and mass so#iety! It is at $east %ossib$e that, in 'arious modes, su#h a (udgment #an undo the death7ma#hine before destru#tion and domesti#ation inundate e'erything! A$though what9s gone before he$%s us understand our #urrent %$ight, we now $i'e in ob'ious sub(e#tion, on a %$ain$y greater s#a$e than heretofore! +he en'e$o%ing te#hno7 wor$d that is s%reading so ra%id$y suggests mo'ement toward e'en dee%er #ontro$ of e'ery as%e#t of our $i'es! Adorno9s assessment in the >?I-s is %ro'ing 'a$id today: .E'entua$$y the system wi$$ rea#h a %oint77the word that %ro'ides the so#ia$ #ue is 9integration977where the uni'ersa$ de%enden#e of a$$ moments on a$$ other moments ma&es the ta$& of #ausa$ity obso$ete! It is id$e to sear#h for what might ha'e been a #ause within a mono$ithi# so#iety! On$y that so#iety itse$f remains the #ause!. M egative ,ialectics, %! ,IKN! A tota$ity that absorbs e'ery .a$ternati'e. and seems irre'ersib$e! +ota$itarian! It is its own (ustifi#ation and ideo$ogy! Our refusa$, our #a$$ to dismant$e a$$ this, is met with fewer and fewer #ounter'ai$ing %rotests or arguments! +he bottom7$ine res%onse is more a$ong the $ines of .Jes, your 'ision is good, true, 'a$id; but this rea$ity wi$$ ne'er go away!. "one of the su%%osed 'i#tories o'er inhumanity ha'e made the wor$d safer, not e'en (ust for our own s%e#ies! A$$ the re'o$utions ha'e on$y tightened the ho$d of domination, by u%dating it! 6es%ite the rise and fa$$ of 'arious %o$iti#a$ %ersuasions, it is a$ways %rodu#tion that has won; te#hno$ogi#a$ systems ne'er retreat, they on$y ad'an#e! We ha'e been free or autonomous insofar as the Ma#hine re3uires for its fun#tioning! Meanwhi$e, the usua$ idioti# (udgments #ontinue! .We shou$d be free to use s%e#ifi# te#hno$ogies as too$s without ado%ting te#hno$ogy as $ifesty$e!. M:a$o'i# ,---N! .+he wor$ds #reated through digita$ te#hno$ogy are rea$ to the e tent that we #hoose to %$ay their games!. M6owns ,--5N! A$ong with the #ho&eho$d of %ower, and some $ingering i$$usions about how modernity wor&s, the Ma#hine is fa#ed with worsening %ros%e#ts! It is a stri&ing fa#t that those who manage the dominant organi)ation of $ife no $onger e'en attem%t answers or %ositi'e %ro(e#tions! +he most %ressing .issues. Me!g! P$oba$ WarmingN are sim%$y ignored, and %ro%aganda about Community Mthe mar&et %$us iso$ationN, Freedom Mtota$ sur'ei$$an#e so#ietyN, the Ameri#an 6ream M8N is so fa$se that it #annot be e %e#ted to be ta&en serious$y!
>K As 4ah$ins %ointed out M>?KKN, the more #om%$e so#ieties be#ome, the $ess they are ab$e to #o%e with #ha$$enges! +he #entra$ #on#ern of any state is to %reser'e %redi#tabi$ity; as this #a%a#ity 'isib$y fai$s, so do that state9s #han#es of sur'i'a$! When the %romise of se#urity wanes, so does the $ast rea$ su%%ort! Many studies ha'e #on#$uded that 'arious e#osystems are more $i&e$y to suffer sudden #atastro%hi# #o$$a%se, rather than undergo steady, %redi#tab$e degradation! +he me#hanisms of ru$e (ust might be sub(e#t to a %ara$$e$ de'e$o%ment! In ear$ier times there was room to maneu'er! Ci'i$i)ation9s forward mo'ement was a##om%anied by a safety 'a$'e: the frontier! Garge7s#a$e e %ansion of the 2o$y 5oman Em%ire eastward during the >,th7>Ath #enturies, the in'asion of the "ew Wor$d after >5--, the Westward mo'ement in "orth Ameri#a through the end of the >?th #entury! *ut the system be#omes .mortgaged to stru#tures a##umu$ated a$ong the way. M4ah$ins againN! We are hostages, and so is the who$e hierar#hi#a$ ensemb$e! +he who$e system is busy, a$ways in f$u ; transa#tions ta&e %$a#e at an e'er7a##e$erating rate! We ha'e rea#hed the stage where the stru#ture re$ies a$most who$$y on the #o7 o%tation of for#es that are more or $ess outside its #ontro$! A %rime e am%$e is the a#tua$ assistan#e gi'en by $eftist regimes in 4outh Ameri#a! +he issue is not so mu#h that of the out#ome of neo7$ibera$ e#onomi#s, but of the su##ess of the $eft in %ower at furthering se$f7managed #a%ita$, and #o7o%ting indigenous resistan#e into its orbit! *ut these ta#ti#s do not outweigh the fa#t of an o'era$$ inner rigidity that %uts the future of te#hno7#a%ita$ at gra'e ris&! +he name of the #risis is modernity itse$f, its #ontingent, #umu$ati'e weight! Any regime today is in a situation where e'ery .so$ution. on$y dee%ens the engu$fing %rob$ems! More te#hno$ogy and more #oer#i'e for#e are the on$y resour#es to fa$$ ba#& on! +he .dar& side. of %rogress stands re'ea$ed as the definiti'e fa#e of modern times! +heorists su#h as Piddens and *e#& admit that the outer $imits of modernity ha'e been rea#hed, so that disaster is now the $atent #hara#teristi# of so#iety! And yet they ho$d out ho%e, without %redi#ating basi# #hange, that a$$ wi$$ be we$$! *e#&, for instan#e, #a$$s for a demo#rati)ation of industria$ism and te#hno$ogi#a$ #hange 77 #arefu$$y a'oiding the 3uestion of why this has ne'er ha%%ened! +here is no re#on#i$iation, no ha%%y ending within this tota$ity, and it is trans%arent$y fa$se to #$aim otherwise! 2istory seems to ha'e $i3uidated the %ossibi$ity of redem%tion; its 'ery #ourse undoes what has been %assing as #riti#a$ thought! +he $esson is to noti#e how mu#h must #hange to estab$ish a new and genuine$y 'iab$e dire#tion! +here ne'er was a moment of #hoosing; the fie$d or ground of $ife shifts im%er#e%tib$y in a mu$titude of ways, without drama, but to 'ast effe#t! If the so$ution were sought in te#hno$ogy, that wou$d of #ourse on$y reinfor#e the ru$e of modern domination; this is a ma(or %art of the #ha$$enge that #onfronts us! Modernity has redu#ed the s#o%e a$$owed for ethi#a$ a#tion, #utting off its %otentia$$y effe#ti'e out$ets! *ut rea$ity, for#ing itse$f u%on us as the #risis mounts, is be#oming %ro ima$ and insistent on#e again! +hin&ing gnaws away at e'erything, be#ause this situation #orrodes e'erything we ha'e wanted! We rea$i)e that it is u% to us! E'en the $i&e$ihood of a #o$$a%se of the g$oba$ te#hno7stru#ture shou$d not $ure us away from a#&now$edgement of our de#isi'e %otentia$ ro$es, our res%onsibi$ity to sto% the engine of destru#tion! /assi'ity, $i&e a defeated attitude, wi$$ not bring forth de$i'eran#e! We are a$$ wounded, and %arado i#a$$y, this estrangement be#omes the basis for #ommuna$ity! A gathering of the traumati)ed may be forming, a s%iritua$ &inshi% demanding re#o'ery! *e#ause we #an sti$$ fee$ a#ute$y, our ru$ers #an rest no more
>L easi$y than we do! Our dee% need for hea$ing means that an o'erthrow must ta&e %$a#e! +hat a$one wou$d #onstitute hea$ing! +hings .(ust go on., #reating the #atastro%he on e'ery $e'e$! /eo%$e are figuring it out: that things (ust go on is, in fa#t, the #atastro%he! Me$issa 2o$broo& /ierson M#he $lace 0ou +ove is 4one ,--IN e %ressed it this way: .4udden$y now it hits, bi)arre$y easy to gras%! We are ine orab$y heading for the *ig Poodbye! It9s offi#ia$8 +he unthin&ab$e is ready to be thought! It is fina$$y in sight, after a$$ of human history behind us! In the %it of what is $eft of your miserab$e sou$ you fee$ it #oming, the definiti'e $oss of home, bigger than the #ause of one %erson9s tears! Jours and mine, the %ri'ate sob, wi$$ be (oined by a mass #rying!!!. Misery! Immiseration! +ime to get ba#& to where we ha'e ne'er 3uite gi'en u% wanting to be! .4tret#hed and stret#hed again to the e$asti# $imit at whi#h it wi$$ bear no more,. in 4%eng$er9s %hrase! En$ightenment thought, a$ong with the Industria$ 5e'o$ution, began in $ate >Lth #entury Euro%e, inaugurating modernity! We were %romised freedom based on #ons#ious #ontro$ o'er our destiny! *ut En$ightenment #$aims ha'e not been rea$i)ed, and the who$e %ro(e#t has turned out to be se$f7defeating! Foundationa$ e$ements in#$uding reason, uni'ersa$ rights and the $aws of s#ien#e were #ons#ious$y designed to (ettison %re7s#ientifi#, mysti#a$ sorts of &now$edge! 6i'erse, #ommuna$$y sustained $ifeways were sa#rifi#ed in the name of a unitary and uniform, $aw7enfor#ed %attern of $i'ing! =ant9s em%hasis on freedom through mora$ a#tion is rooted in this #onte t, a$ong with the Fren#h en#y#$o%edists9 %rogram to re%$a#e traditiona$ #rafts with more u%7to7date te#hno$ogi#a$ systems! =ant, by the way, for whom %ro%erty was san#tified by no $ess than his #ategori#a$ im%erati'e, fa'orab$y #om%ared the modern uni'ersity to an industria$ ma#hine and its %rodu#ts! :arious En$ightenment figures debated the %ros and #ons of emerging modern de'e$o%ments, and these few words ob'ious$y #annot do (usti#e to the to%i# of En$ightenment! 2owe'er, it may be fruitfu$ to &ee% this im%ortant histori#a$ #on(un#tion in mind: the near$y simu$taneous births of modern %rogressi'e thought and mass %rodu#tion! A%t in this regard is the %ers%e#ti'e of Min Gin M,-->N: .Con#ea$ing the so#ia$ origin of #ogniti'e dis#ourses and the idea of #ertainty is the inner re3uirement of modern Western ideo$ogy in order to (ustify or $egitimate its %osition by uni'ersa$i)ing its inte$$e#tua$ basis and #reating a new sa#red 3uasi7 trans#endan#e!. Modernity is a$ways trying to go beyond itse$f to a different state, $ur#hing forward as if to re#o'er the e3ui$ibrium $ost so $ong ago! It is bent on #hanging the future 77 e'en its own 77 With modernity9s stress on freedom, modern en$ightened institutions ha'e in fa#t su##eeded in nothing so mu#h as #onformity! Gyotard M>??>N summed u% the o'era$$ out#ome: .A new barbarism, i$$itera#y and im%o'erishment of $anguage, new %o'erty, mer#i$ess remode$ing of o%inion by media, immiseration of the mind, obso$es#en#e of the sou$!. Massified, standardi)ing modes, in e'ery area of $ife, re$ent$ess$y re7ena#t the a#tua$ #ontro$ %rogram of modernity! .Ca%ita$ism did not #reate our wor$d; the ma#hine did! /ainsta&ing studies designed to %ro'e the #ontrary ha'e buried the ob'ious beneath tons of %rint!. ME$$u$ >?IAN! Whi#h is not in any way to deny the #entra$ity of #$ass ru$e, but to remind us that di'ided so#iety began with di'ision of $abor! +he di'ided se$f $ed dire#t$y to di'ided so#iety!
>? +he di'ision of $abor is the $abor of di'ision! <nderstanding what #hara#teri)es modern $ife #an ne'er be far from the effort to understand te#hno$ogy9s ro$e in our e'eryday $i'es, (ust as it a$ways has been! Gyotard M>??>N (udged that .te#hno$ogy wasn9t in'ented by humans! 5ather the other way around! Poethe9s :aust, the first tragedy about industria$ de'e$o%ment, de%i#ted its dee%est horrors as stemming from honorab$e aims! +he su%erhuman de'e$o%er Faust %arta&es of a dri'e endemi# to moderni)ation, one whi#h is threatened by any tra#e of othernessQdifferen#e in its tota$i)ing mo'ement! We fun#tion in an e'er more homogeneous fie$d, a ground a$ways undergoing further uniformiti)ation to %romote a sing$e, g$oba$i)ed te#hno7grid! Jet it is %ossib$e to a'oid this #on#$usion by &ee%ing one9s fo#us on the surfa#e, on what is %ermitted to e ist on the margins! +hus some see Indymedia as a #ru#ia$ trium%h of de#entra$i)ation, and free software as a radi#a$ demand! +his attitude ignores the industria$ basis of e'ery high te#h de'e$o%ment and usage! A$$ the .wondrous too$s,. in#$uding the ubi3uitous and 'ery to i# #e$$ %hone, are more re$ated to e#o7disastrous industria$i)ation in China and India, for e am%$e, than to the #$ean, s$i#& %ages of )ired maga)ine! +he sa$'ationist #$aims of )ired are in#redib$e in their dis#onne#ted, infanti$e fantasies! Its adherents #an on$y maintain su#h giganti# de$usions by means of de$iberate b$indness not on$y to te#hno$ogy9s systemati# destru#tion of nature, but to the g$oba$ human #ost in'o$'ed: $i'es fi$$ed with to i#ity, drudgery, and industria$ a##idents! "ow there are nas#ent %rotest %henomena against the a$$7en#om%assing uni'ersa$ system, su#h as .s$ow food,. .s$ow #ities,. .s$ow roads.! /eo%$e wou$d %refer that the (uggernaut gi'e %ause and not de'our the te ture of $ife! *ut a#tua$ degradation is %i#&ing u% s%eed, in its dewor$ding, disembedding #ourse! On$y a radi#a$ brea& wi$$ im%ede its tra(e#tory! More missi$es and more nu&es in more #ountries is ob'ious$y another %art of the genera$ mo'ement of the te#hno$ogi#a$ im%erati'e! +he s%e#ter of mass death is the #rowning a#hie'ement, the #ondition of modernity, whi$e the %osthuman is the #oming te#hno7#ondition of the sub(e#t! We are the 'ehi#$e of the Megama#hine, not its benefi#iary, he$d hostage to its e'ery new $ea% forward! +he te#hnohuman #ondition $ooms, indeed! "othing #an #hange unti$ the te#hno$ogi#a$ basis is #hanged, is erased! Our #ondition is reinfor#ed by those who insist 77 in #$assi# %ostmodern fashion 77 that natureQ#u$ture is a fa$se binarism! +he natura$ wor$d is e'a#uated, %a'ed o'er, to the strains of the surrender7$ogi# that nature has a$ways been #u$tura$, a$ways a'ai$ab$e for sub(ugation! =oert 'an Mens'oort9s .E %$oring "e t "ature. M,--5N e %oses the domination of nature $ogi#, so %o%u$ar in some 3uarters: .Our ne t nature wi$$ #onsist of what used to be #u$tura$!. *ye7bye, non7engineered rea$ity! After a$$, he b$ithe$y %ro#$aims, nature #hanges with us! +his is the $oss of the #on#e%t of nature a$together 77 and not (ust the #on#e%t8 *ut the sign .nature. #ertain$y en(oys %o%u$arity, as the substan#e is destroyed: .e oti#. third wor$d #u$tura$ %rodu#ts, natura$ ingredients in food, et#! <nfortunate$y, the nature of e %erien#e is $in&ed to the e %erien#e of nature! When the $atter is redu#ed to an insubstantia$ %resen#e, the former is disfigured! /au$ *er&ett M,--IN #ites Mar and Enge$s to the effe#t that with #ommunism %eo%$e wi$$ .not on$y fee$ but a$so &now their oneness with nature,. that #ommunism is .the unity of being of man with nature!. Industria$7te#hno$ogi#a$ o'er#oming as its o%%osite77what b$atant
,%rodu#tionist rubbish! Gea'ing aside the #ommunism orientation, howe'er, how mu#h of today9s Geft disagrees with the mar ian ode to mass %rodu#tionO A neg$e#ted insight in Freud9s (ivili<ation and its ,iscontents is the suggestion that a dee%, un#ons#ious .sense of gui$t %rodu#ed by #i'i$i)ation. #auses a growing ma$aise and dissatisfa#tion! Adorno M>?IIN saw that re$e'ant to .the #atastro%he that im%ends is the su%%osition of an irrationa$ #atastro%he in the beginning! +oday the thwarted %ossibi$ity of something other has shrun& to that of a'erting #atastro%he in s%ite of e'erything!. +he origina$, 3ua$itati'e, utter fai$ure for $ife on this %$anet was the setting in motion of #i'i$i)ation! En$ightenment77$i&e the A ia$ Age wor$d re$igions ,--- years before77 su%%$ied trans#enden#e for the ne t $e'e$ of domination, an indis%ensab$e su%%ort for industria$ modernity! *ut where wou$d one now find the sour#e of a trans#ending, (ustifying framewor& for new $e'e$s of ra%a#ious de'e$o%mentO What new rea$m of ideas and 'a$ues #an be #on(ured u% to 'a$idate the a$$7en#om%assing ruin of $ate modernityO +here is none! On$y the system9s own inertia; no answers, and no future! Meanwhi$e our #onte t is that of a so#iabi$ity of un#ertainty! +he moorings of day7to7 day stabi$ity are being unfastened, as the system begins to show mu$ti%$e wea&nesses! When it #an no $onger guarantee se#urity, its end is near! Ours is an in#om%arab$e histori#a$ 'antage %oint! We #an easi$y gras% the story of this uni'ersa$ #i'i$i)ation9s ma$ignan#y! +his understanding may be a signa$ strength for enab$ing a %aradigm shift, the one that #ou$d do away with #i'i$i)ation and free us from the habitua$ wi$$ to dominate! A daunting #ha$$enge, to say the $east; but re#a$$ the #hi$d who was mo'ed to s%ea& out in the fa#e of #o$$e#ti'e denia$! +he Em%eror was wearing nothing; the s%e$$ was bro&en!
2006
,>
*y Hohn Ser)an :io$en#e, e'en terror, a$ways e ists on the %eri%hery of em%ire! +hey are the means by whi#h em%ire is #onso$idated, defended, e tended! 4imi$ar$y, em%ire must res%ond to atta#&, or its basis is forfeit! A$$ that is new about 4e%tember >> is that it didn0t o##ur on a distant hori)on! It was as if 5ome had been atta#&ed ,,--- years ago, at the height of its %ower! +he heart$and of em%ire has a 'ast and e'er7%resent meaning se%arab$e, and inse%arab$e, from those twin towers in Manhattan! E'eryday e isten#e, under the sign of the #a%ita$ and te#hno$ogy that the Wor$d +rade Center re%resented, a$so #ries out! We $i'e in a #u$ture of in#reasing em%tiness; there is a 'a#uum at the heart of our em%ire! E%idemi#s of i$$ega$ drugs su##eed one another, whi$e tens of mi$$ions, in#$uding #hi$dren as young as two, need antide%ressants to get through the day! A great hunger e ists for anesthesia in the fa#e of emotiona$ de'astation and $oss! E'eryone &nows that something is missing, that meaning and 'a$ue are steadi$y being $ea#hed out of dai$y $ife, a$ong with its 'ery te ture! .#he less people really live 8 or perhaps more correctly, the more they become aware that they haven*t really lived 8 the more abrupt and frightening death becomes for them, and the more it appears as a terrible accident.. +heodor Adorno0s obser'ation of de#ades ago seems e'en more %ertinent today! E %$oding (et$iners and anthra #an terrify; meanwhi$e a mu#h dee%er #risis triggers a far more %er'asi'e and fundamenta$ fear! +he em%ire is g$oba$! +here is nowhere to go to es#a%e its #orrosi'e barrenness! Frederi# Hameson reminded us that we $i'e in the most standardi)ed so#iety that has e'er e isted! In P$oba$ 4ou$, the %eri%ateti# /i#o Iyer u%s the ante, meditating on how the who$e wor$d now tends towards a uni'ersa$ sameness! A g$oba$ unity of a$ienness, of disorientation and dis#onne#tion, destined to resemb$e a ma$$ or an air%ort! /eo%$e now dress a$i&e in e'ery ma(or #ity in the wor$d! +hey drin& Co#a7Co$a, and wat#h many of the same +: shows! +he em%ire0s $ands#a%e of unrea$ity and routini)ation grows steadi$y more %atho$ogi#a$! 6amage to nature and 'io$en#e to the %sy#he #om%ete in a %ostmodern #u$ture of denia$, %un#tuated by eru%tions of the homi#ida$ at wor&, at home, at s#hoo$! We #an e %e#t to hear more and more a$arm be$$s that wi$$ wa&e us a$together! /ea#efu$ s$umber is unthin&ab$e! Who doesn0t &now, on some $e'e$, where this em%ire 7 this #i'i$i)ation 7 is ta&ing usO Our $iberation mo'ement needs to be 3ua$itati'e$y different from a$$ the fai$ed, $imited a%%roa#hes of the %ast! E'eryday $ife is waiting 7 waiting to be tru$y $i'ed! John Zerzan
,,
John Zerzan
,3
by Hohn Ser)an BWhy are we so angryO Jou wou$d do better to as& why there is so mu#h anger and frustration in modern so#iety genera$$y!C 7 <nabomber 4ure$y the most sho#&ing e'ent of this #entury was the systemati# murder of mi$$ions of Hews under Perman "ationa$ 4o#ia$ism! Fifty years on, we are witnessing a steadi$y a##e$erating e tin#tion ons$aught against most s%e#ies of $ife on this %$anet! *arring some &ind of o'erthrow of the %resent g$oba$ system of te#hno7#a%ita$, the e$imination of the $ast tra#es of free nature is ine'itab$e! And how mu#h e'iden#e is $eft, e'en now, of a hea$thy human s%e#iesO Mass de%ression, wides%read be$ief in bi)arre o##u$t notions, an e'er7rising sui#ide rate among the young, a$most uni'ersa$ drug use of one &ind of another, in#reasing$y #ommon homi#ida$ ram%ages! +he sym%toms of a ma$ignant so#ia$ order mu$ti%$y and dee%en to a #horus of %ain and deso$ation! Consider how debased the fabri# of $ife has be#ome in (ust the %ast #ou%$e of de#ades: from Honestown to the +o&yo subways, not forgetting *ho%a$, Chernoby$, the E on :a$de), Wa#o, O&$ahoma City, s#hoo$yard massa#resTsu#h horrors seem to be mu$ti%$ying, the #on'u$sions of a termina$$y diseased $ands#a%e! *ut the strugg$e for hea$th and freedom goes on! 4#obert /ar& and Warner Cree& were 'igorous$y defended, and a strong b$ow was stru#& with the tor#hing of the Oa&ridge 5anger 4tation! +he b$a#&s of 4t! /etersburg re%aid another murder by %o$i#e with automati# wea%ons fire! Meanwhi$e, the F?I e$e#tora$ far#e re#ei'ed its $owest turnout sin#e >?,A, as if our masters #ou$d ha'e be$ie'ed that the nothingness and denia$ of that $ong7running #on game #ou$d go on foo$ing most %eo%$e indefinite$y! 2ow far is it (ustified to go when we &now that 'oting and re#y#$ing #hange nothingO When we #ontem%$ate the 'ista of high7te#h barrenness, the boom in %risons and home$essness, the fa#t that a growing e#onomy means an e'en faster rate of destru#tion of the natura$ wor$dT Hoan of Ar# and the >?th #entury abo$itionist Hohn *rown em%$oyed 'io$en#e and ga'e their $i'es in strugg$e! +hese 'isionaries were #onsidered demented by their #ontem%oraries but are now re'ered! It may be that the <nabomber wi$$ be $oo&ed u%on simi$ar$y, as a &ind of warrior7%ro%het who, as Ar$een 6a'i$a wrote, Btried to sa'e us!C +o un7$earn our i$$usions is to begin to sa'e ourse$'es! Autonomous Anar#hists Anonymous /O *o >>33> Eugene, Oregon ?KAAHohn Ser)an is the author of Future /rimiti'e M>??A, AutonomediaN, Ruestioning +e#hno$ogy: A Criti#a$ Antho$ogy M#o7edited with A$i#e Carnes, Freedom /ressN and his >?LL bestse$$er, E$ements of 5efusa$ wi$$ be re7re$eased short$y by CAG /ress! 2e
,A has a$so written numerous essays, #o7edits Anar#hy Maga)ine, and is #om%$eting a boo& of new essays!
What ails us John Zerzan On the level of ersonal affli!tion or "is#ease$ %atters are stea"ily worsening& This situation !orres on"s to the "ee ening !risis at every level& 't the sa%e ti%e$ a!!or"ing to (i!helle (ary )elvi!a$ *we live in a so!iety that see%s in!reasingly nu%b to the !auses an" effe!ts of hu%an suffering&* +n this s here as with every other$ the ro%ises, rote!tions of te!hnologi!al !ivilization are failing on a gran" s!ale& Tuber!ulosis an" %alaria have grown resistant to %o"ern antibioti!s an" other stan"ar" %e"i!ines& -#!oli an" West .ile virus outbrea/s are now !o%%on in the 0&1& +nfe!tious "iseases of all /in"s$ on!e "e!lare" !on2uere"$ are on the rise& They a!!o% any the %a3or "egenerative illnesses that are a sta le of !ivilize" life& Rift 4alley fever$ %a" !ow "isease$ hanta virus$ -bola$ !holera$ et!& *'t least 56 %a3or %ala"ies have ree%erge" in novel$ %ore "ea"ly$ or "rug#resistant for%s in the ast 57 years$* ronoun!e" the February 5665 .ational Geogra hi!8s *War on Disease* survey& +t is har"ly sur rising that in"ustrialize" %e"i!ine is unable to re%e"y the toll that is inherent in in"ustrialize"$ stan"ar"ize"$ estrange" "aily life& +n fa!t$ u "ating a oint %a"e by +van +lli!h "e!a"es ago$ (i!hael J& Berens8 investigations have reveale" the e9tre%ely high levels of life# threatening infe!tions ro"u!e" by hos ital environ%ents an" other as e!ts of the health !are in"ustry :;# art Chi!ago Tribune series$ July 5665<& Re!ent stu"ies have shown that artifi!ial light !auses breast !an!er$ by su erse"ing the natural light !y!le& Foo" now !ontains only a s%all fra!tion of its for%er nutritional !ontent$ as a!/aging an" a earan!e !onsi"erations "i!tate that nutrients be bre" out of fruits an" vegetables& .onetheless$ health#threatening obesity$ e i"e%i! in the 0&1&$ has be!o%e a global roble% be!ause of the in!rease in 3un/ foo" an" ro!esse" foo"& (ore than 56 %illion '%eri!ans ## %ostly wo%en ## suffer fro% often "evastating autoi%%une "isor"ers$ su!h as lu us$ Crohn8s "isease$
,5
%ulti le s!lerosis$ an" rheu%atoi" arthritis& (any affli!tions atta!/ wo%en al%ost e9!lusively$ notably anore9ia an" buli%ia& )il"e Bru!h fin"s that anore9ia is ty i!ally about a young wo%an8s *struggle for !ontrol$ for a sense of i"entity$ !o% eten!e an" effe!tiveness&* ' struggle within a atriar!hal$ %ale#"efine" !ulture that a!tively e9!lu"es her fro% all of those fun"a%ental hu%an "i%ensions& (i!helle (ary )elvi!a8s 1tarving for 1alvation :=>>>< fo!uses on eating "isor"ers as a yearning for %eaning an" wholeness in the !onte9t of how very %u!h is %issing$ es e!ially for wo%en& J&'& 1ours8 1tarving to Death in a 1ea of Ob3e!ts testifies$ fro% its title onwar"$ to the un"erlying "e rivation or e% tiness at the base of these life#threatening !on"itions& (argaret Talbot observe" that hysi!al in!a a!itation has been one of the few ways in whi!h wo%en !oul" effe!tively absent the%selves fro% their assigne" "uties an" roles& Fibro%yalgia an" !hroni! fatigue syn"ro%e are a%ong the illnesses$ suffere" by %illions$ that %ust be seen in light of wo%en8s basi!ally uni% rove" !on"ition in so!iety& Countless for%s of suffering$ fro% '+D1 to !an!er to "e ression$ are e9 erien!e" within the in!reasingly unhealthy regi%e of te!hnology an" !a ital& There !an be no *!ure* so long as we all %ust strive to en"ure the blu"geoning !on"itions of "aily life& Rural '%eri!a now rese%bles a !onstellation of %eth labs an" O9y!ontin su ly networ/s$ while e i"e%i! "rug use varies only in ter%s of whi!h nar!oti! is %ost o ular in a given season& What /in" of so!iety is it in whi!h the teen sui!i"e rate has been !li%bing for "e!a"es an" self#%utilation is !o%%on la!e? (ale se9ual fun!tion will be!o%e "e en"ent on har%a!euti!als li/e 4iagra$ a "evelo %ent far less grotes2ue than the growing nu%ber of to""lers on anti#"e ressants& The te!hno#worl" serves u in!reasingly bizarre *solutions* to the roble%s it !ontinues to !reate$ not forgetting the rising levels of both !li%ati! te% eratures an" environ%ental to9ins& @har%a!euti!al !or oration @fizer ro!lai%s$ *Life is our life8s wor/$* as if anyone nee"e" a re%in"er of the geneti! engineering an" hu%an !loning in our future to whi!h !yber#leftists li/e Donna )araway have no ob3e!tions& 'n in!reasingly overwor/e" o ula!e labors in a %ore an" %ore an9iety# rone$ "estabilize" !onsu%er voi"& The nee" to be "iverte" fro% a glaringly i% overishe" resent an" future is a""resse" in boo/s li/e .eal Gabler8s Life the (ovieA )ow -ntertain%ent Con2uers Reality :=>>B<$ a oint e9 lore" in greater "e th by writers su!h as '"orno an" Debor"$ but a!!urate an"
,I
ti%ely all the sa%e& 'n" in 3ust four years :.ew Cor/ Ti%es$ B,D,65<$ Gabler says$ this situation has be!o%e 2ualitatively %u!h worse& We now get only short#han"$ trun!ate" versions of es!a e that he ter%s the illusion of entertain%ent& -rsatz or otherwise$ entertain%ent is now 2uite ossibly the ri%ary value of %o"ern life$ re!isely be!ause reality has be!o%e unbearable& But of !ourse it is only *!he%i!al i%balan!es* that are sai" to a!!ount for this %assive i%%iseration& This rea!tionary an" "es erate !lai% res on"s to heno%ena su!h as the fa!t that 5&B %illion /i"s ha" what is eu he%isti!ally !alle" a *runaway e9 erien!e* in =>>>$ by "iagnosing %ost of the% with a seu"o#%e"i!al !on"ition !alle" *!on"u!t "isor"er&* ' %i"#5665 survey !on"u!te" by the .ational 1lee Foun"ation showe" that E>F of '%eri!ans e9 erien!e" so%e inso%nia after 1e te%ber ==& :Gla9!o Well!o%e$ by the way$ s ent G=E&7 %illion ro%oting @a9il in O!tober 566=&< -ven %ore noteworthy is their fin"ing that 7=F of the o ulation were alrea"y inso%nia! "uring the revious yearH What will new olls on slee lessness$ an9iety$ "e ression$ et!& reveal in light of %ore syste%i! ba" newsA revelations that !or orations$ s!ien!e$ the Re" Cross$ et al& are routinely frau"ulent$ that >6F of stu"ents !heat$ that %ale athletes begin steroi" use in a"oles!en!e$ an" so on an" on&& Davi" Barlow8s 'n9iety an" its Disor"ers :5665< "is!usses the high revalen!e an" !hroni!ity of a range of su!h !on"itions$ li/e ani! atta!/s$ obsessive#!o% ulsive "isor"ers$ an" various hobias& )e !on!lu"es that the aggregate toll on so!ial life *"warfs even the %ost essi%isti! esti%ates&* (any have !harte" a stea"y rise of %ore serious %ental illnesses that began with an" !orres on" to the in"ustrialization of so!iety$ as "o!u%ente" for e9a% le in The +nvisible @lagueA the Rise of (ental +llness fro% =I76 to the @resent$ by Torrey an" (iller :566=<& The answer to this s!ourge is obviously "ein"ustrialization$ the un"oing of the root !ause of all this an" other !rises in hysi!al an" %ental health& 1o!iety is a ra!/et$ an" its every"ay ra!ti!es are no longer hi""en fro% us& .onetheless$ as every"ay life be!o%es stea"ily %ore i% overishe"$ !hea ene"$ surveille"$ stan"ar"ize"$ an" otherwise "ebase"$ the offi!ial version :in %any %ore as e!ts than %entione" in this arti!le< revails$ with its star/ o%issions an" lies& 's Derri!/ Jensen has it$ it is
,K
truly a *!ulture of %a/e believe&* (ar9 ina!!urately re"i!te" that growing %aterial overty woul" bring revolution& ' %ore lausible fore!ast to"ay is that growing sy!hi! or e%otional suffering %ay infor% a wi"es rea" refusal of this no#future reality&
,L
!hose f"#"re$
by John Zerzan
My ad'i#e or e hortation is the same to e'eryone, but es%e#ia$$y to you who ha'e the most to $ose: Fight *a#&! We9re on a death mar#h with the destination #oming into #$ear 'iew! *i$$ Hoy, founding CEO and #hief s#ientist of 4un Mi#rosystems, says we ha'e maybe thirty years before geneti# engineering, nanote#hno$ogy, and roboti#s be#ome fu$$y se$f7re%$i#ating! +he high7te#h *ra'e "ew Wor$d wi$$ then ru$e us dire#t$y! One hundred s%e#ies of %$ant and anima$ $ife go e tin#t e'ery day, and that number #ontinues to in#h u%ward! +he o#eans are dying! /ro$iferating studies te$$ us that g$oba$ warming, in#reasing steadi$y, wi$$ &i$$ the bios%here within a few de#ades! O)one ho$es get bigger, and #an#er has be#ome e%idemi# as air, water, and soi$ be#ame in#reasing$y to i#! From the age of two #hi$dren are now $iab$e to be %res#ribed 5ita$in andQor anti7 de%ressants to drug them into #om%$ian#e with an e'er more em%ty, unhea$thy $ife7 wor$d! =ids shooting &ids at s#hoo$ has be#ome a$most a #ommon%$a#e, (oining the horror of mu$ti%$e7homi#ide ram%ages at home, wor&, or *urger =ing! +he teenage sui#ide rate has tri%$ed o'er the %ast three de#ades, and forty to fifty mi$$ion Ameri#ans are on /ro)a#! .Mystery. aff$i#tions7for whi#h there is no &nown #ause7 from #hroni# fatigue syndrome and fibromya$gia to Fa$se Memory 4yndrome torture mi$$ions, as do eating disorders, hea$th7threatening obesity, and a host of other &inds of immiseration! A steri$e, iso$ating, te#hni#i)ed so#iety, tru$y %atho$ogi#a$ in its engu$fing im%o'erishment! 5esist! *rea& ran&s! +rust your desires! It9s not you who9s fu#&ed u%! +he #an#er7$i&e domination of te#hno$ogy and #a%ita$ must be sto%%ed and dismant$ed! After thirty years a #urrent of radi#a$ o%%osition is de'e$o%ing and it needs you! +he new mo'ement is anar#hy, whi#h is about freedom, hea$th, authenti#ity! Crossing the thresho$d into your adu$t years, how mu#h freedom, hea$th and authenti#ity do you thin& the Megama#hine wi$$ ma&e %ossib$e for youO 6oes it not offer, instead, a .$ife. of mediation, hierar#hy, and iso$ation on a dying %$anetO We humans didn9t a$ways $i'e $i&e this! Our an#estors, who used fire to #oo& fibrous 'egetab$es >!K mi$$ion years ago, had a 3ua$itati'e$y different e isten#e unti$ (ust >-,--- years ago! Our ado%tion of agri#u$ture brought di'ision of $abor and domesti#ation! <nti$ then, humans $i'ed in &ee%ing with an ega$itarian ethos with am%$e $eisure time, gender e3ua$ity, and no organi)ed 'io$en#e! Ar#heo$ogi#a$ studies in 'arious %arts of the wor$d demonstrate this, our true history! <n&nown to most, this has been the mainstream 'iew %resented in anthro%o$ogy and ar#heo$ogy te tboo&s for the %ast few de#ades! It sounds uto%ian, but it9s now the genera$$y a##e%ted %aradigm, and has had heartening im%$i#ations for a growing
,? number of us in the new #u$ture of o%%osition! If we on#e7and for so $ong7$i'ed in ba$an#e with nature and ea#h other, we shou$d be ab$e to do so again! +he #atastro%he that9s o'erta&ing us has dee% roots, but our %re'ious state of natura$ anar#hy rea#hes mu#h further into our shared history! Che#& out your $ife, as so$d to you by this $ying system! For you, and for a$$ of us, we must brea& the s%e$$ of denia$ and re#$aim our birthright! Come a$i'e and fight8
3-
3> Can e'eryday $ife rea$$y be ena#ted on this basis mu#h $ongerO 4u%%ort for su#h a ghast$y, immiserating set7u% is eroding, but not near$y fast enough!
A%ri$ 3- was a 4aturday! It was raining in Eugene! What a sur%rise! +he %hone rang and I thought, what an ob'ious way to ha'e su##umbed to te#hno$ogy! Interru%ting my usua$ wa&eu% of #offee and toast, I wa$&ed o'er and %i#&ed u%! :oi#e #$aimed it was =en "ob$e, G!A! *ureau Chief of the "ew Jor& +imes! Wanted to ta$& about <nabomber, as in where do su#h ideas #ome from! I showed some interest in the to%i# and he said he9d get a f$ight and be o'er that e'ening! Anyway, su#h was the o%ening to my Warho$ian fifteen minutes of fame, for whi#h the re'iews ha'e been mi ed! Hust before this en#ounter, I9d been stru#& by the few $ines I9d read that su%%osed$y were at the heart of <nabomber9s .anar#hist. #riti3ue, name$y hisMON desire for the erasure of industria$ so#iety in fa'or of radi#a$$y de#entra$i)ed modes of $i'ing! It was rather stunning to rea$i)e that in effe#t, e'eryone was hearing, at $east minima$$y, what had heretofore been #om%$ete$y b$o#&ed from %ub$i# awareness! +he mere fa#t of this .mass brea&through. of sorts, in the absen#e of any further information M#on#erning <nabomber9s 35,--- word treatise, most notab$yN, was of ma(or signifi#an#e to me, as we$$ as raising se'era$ 3uestions a$ong the way! Certain$y, and e %$i#it$y, <nabomber9s $etha$ stri&es were the reason for the "ew Jor& +imes interest in me! =en "ob$e9s #a$$ #ame (ust a wee& or so after the death by %a#&age bomb of a to% /5 e e# in #harge of %ro%aganda su%%orting the #$ear #utting of forests! /redating this &now$edge by a few de#ades is my &now$edge of the essentia$ fun#tion of media! It is twofo$d: to maintain the genera$ $e'e$ of ob$i'iousness #reated by more fundamenta$ institutions $i&e wor& and s#hoo$, and to assist the #ir#u$ation of #ommodities 'ia ad'ertising and other #ommer#ia$ information! It #an be argued that <nabomber9s a#ts of 'io$en#e, es%e#ia$$y as mediated by the night$y news, $end themse$'es to the stu%efying ro$e that media %$ay! In the fami$iar 6ebordian #onstru#tion, the .so#iety of the s%e#ta#$e. is that in whi#h $ife as $i'ed gi'es way to $ife as re%resented! +he images of the <nabomber9s 'engean#e are thus .s%e#ta#u$ar,. that is, ob(e#ts of %assi'e #onsum%tion or entertainment and hen#e %art of the o'era$$ so#ia$ #onfinement! 2owe'er, it is harder to see the a##om%anying #riti3ue, if I understand it #orre#t$y, as (ust an image that ser'es media and its 'a$ues and interests! +here may be a #urious minor irony, by the way, in the fa#t that it is (ourna$ists who ha'e brought out the radi#a$ &erne$ of the <nahomber9s ideas! M+his wou$d be es%e#ia$$y ironi# if it turns out that some of us ha'e assumed a greater radi#a$ $u#idity for his ideas than they a#tua$$y %ossess!N *ut I digress! Mindfu$ of media9s basi# fun#tions, I met with the +imes9 "ob$e, as agreed, and did so out of a desire to situate, am%$ify, and if %ossib$e dee%en the #riti3ue of industria$ so#iety raised by <nabomber! I thought at the time, and sti$$
3, thin&, that to ha'e de#$ined to ma&e use of the %ub$i# s%a#e that had been o%ened wou$d ha'e been a fai$ure on my %art! A few sur%rises were in store when the arti#$e a%%eared eight days $ater, on 4unday, May L, >??5! For one thing, it had not o##urred to me that the %ie#e wou$d ta&e the form it did! +he fi'e #o$umn arti#$e, head$ined ./rominent Anar#hist Finds A$$y in 4eria$ *omber,. was #ast as a %rofi$e of me, as mu#h as a dis#ussion of the whys and wherefores of a #riti3ue of industria$ #i'i$i)ation! I su%%ose it shou$d ha'e #ome as no sur%rise that the %ress wou$d re$y, on#e again, on the manufa#ture of a s%e#ta#u$ar image! *y this (ustifying $ogi# I was #ast not on$y as .%rominent. but a$so as something of a .guru,. e'en an .ido$,. to those in radi#a$, anti7te#h #ir#$es! +o tai$or this image e'er further, I be#ame a shadowy figure, .rum%$ed. and as#eti#, as befits, I su%%ose, the %o%u$ar idea of a bearer of misfit ideas! +he %ie#e was #arried by other %a%ers a$$ o'er the #ountry, and %ro'o&ed angry rea#tions from some of them! +he May >A Omaha 4unday Wor$d 2era$d+he ne t sur%rise was the huge amount of attention the +imes arti#$e immediate$y engendered from other media, in#$uding te$e'ision, ta$& radio, boo& %ub$ishers, and other news%a%er re%orters! Without ha'ing to #onsu$t more abstra#t #riteria, it was fair$y easy to re(e#t the re3uests for +: a%%earan#es Me!g! .Pood Morning Ameri#a., .6ate$ine.N due to the $a#& of time a'ai$ab$e for a minima$$y #oherent %resentation, and their nonsuitabi$ity for anything a%%roa#hing a serious #onte t! *ut I did %arti#i%ate in ha$f a do)en ta$& radio %rograms, main$y out of "ew Jor& Mby te$e%honeN! Jet another de'e$o%ment that I shou$d ha'e anti#i%ated, but didn9t, was the negati'e rea#tion to my #o$$aboration with the media! I began to get wind of this fair$y ear$y on, re#ei'ing a bit of 'ague$y arti#u$ated, but unmista&ab$e o%%osition! Fee$ing a $itt$e hurt, I fired off an .o%en $etter. of sorts to two do)en %eo%$e in th# mi$ieu, #ha$$enging %ossib$e nay7sayers to state their 'iews! I ho%ed to bring us a$$ further a$ong through an e #hange, but my effort fi))$ed; I got on$y a #ou%$e of res%onses! +his arti#$e is a more %ub$i# se#ond effort! +he se#ond ob(e#tion, $ess wea&, re$ates to media9s ro$e in s%e#ta#u$ar so#iety! It is e'i$ and un#$ean, the argument runs, to ha'e any dea$ings with mainstream media, on %rin#i%$e! *ut as "ea$ =eating %oints out, .the on$y way to a'oid the media is by insu$ating yourse$f, forming some &ind of s%e#ia$i)ed sub7e$ite, re%$ete with %ub$i#ations!. We &now that media are #om%$i#itous, %art of the ensemb$e of modern domination; we are aware of the deformations that ma&e u% media9s usua$ #ontent! *ut if our mo'ement is going anywhere, it is e treme$y un$i&e$y that we #ou$d a'oid media attention e'en if we wanted to! =eating suggests that it wou$d be se$f7margina$i)ing to ha'e no in%ut, and the %oint, as I understand it, is #onta#t and dia$ogue with a$$ of our fe$$ow inmates! It is noteworthy that the #riti3ue is une'en$y diffused! A number of #o$umns ha'e a%%eared in %o%u$ar %ub$i#ations Me!g! .E /$uribus <nabomber,. +he "ew Jor&er, August >5N noting that <nabomber9s anti%athy to the %resent industria$ order finds #onsiderab$e resonan#e in Ameri#an so#iety! 4imi$ar$y, =ir&%atri#& 4a$e9s 5ebe$s Against the Future has made a $arge im%a#t this year with its neo7$uddite #a$$ for the o'erthrow of industria$ism! Meanwhi$e, Anar#hy and Fifth Estate, our own $eading %ub$i#ations, now a%%ear on$y on#e or twi#e a year, and in the %ages of the $atter9s
33 $atest issue it was de%ressing to find two $etters to the editor, by su%%osed anar#hists, ad'o#ating the ba$$ot! I ha%%en to be as in'o$'ed as I ha'e e'er been with our media, with FE and Anar#hy, and with other 3ua$ity %eriodi#a$s su#h as E tra%hi$e and =as%ahraster! I am definite$y not ad'o#ating swit#hing to the mainstream! *ut maybe my %arti#u$ar e %erien#e with the media #an gi'e us a$$ an e #use to %ause and #onsider how to %ro#eed, in the #onte t of a fai$ing dominant #u$ture! Are we serious about mounting a rea$ #ha$$enge to a$$ that isO For some of us, this is not a game! *y ta&ing thought now, we #an be better %re%ared for o%enings to #ome!
3A
Silen%e
'ilence used to be, to 'arying degrees, a means of iso$ation! "ow it is the absen#e of si$en#e that wor&s to render today9s wor$d em%ty and iso$ating! Its reser'es ha'e been in'aded and de%$eted! +he Ma#hine mar#hes g$oba$$y forward and si$en#e is the dwind$ing %$a#e where noise has not yet %enetrated! Ci'i$i)ation is a #ons%ira#y of noise, designed to #o'er u% the un#omfortab$e si$en#es! +he si$en#e7honoring Wittgenstein understood the $oss of our re$ationshi% with it! +he unsi$ent %resent is a time of e'a%orating attention s%ans, erosion of #riti#a$ thin&ing, and a $essened #a%a#ity for dee%$y fe$t e %erien#es! 4i$en#e, $i&e dar&ness, is hard to #ome by; but mind and s%irit need its sustenan#e! Certain$y there are many and 'aried sides to si$en#e! +here are im%osed or 'o$untary si$en#es of fear, grief, #onformity, #om%$i#ity Me!g! the AI647awareness .4i$en#eX6eath. formu$ationN, whi#h are often interre$ated states! And nature has been %rogressi'e$y si$en#ed, as do#umented in 5a#he$ Carson9s %ro%heti# 4i$ent 4%ring! "ature #annot be definiti'e$y si$en#ed, howe'er, whi#h %erha%s goes a $ong way in e %$aining why some fee$ it must be destroyed! .+here has been a si$en#ing of nature, in#$uding our own nature,. #on#$uded 2eidegger,D>E and we need to $et this si$en#e, as si$en#e, s%ea&! It sti$$ does so often, after a$$, s%ea& $ouder than words! +here wi$$ be no $iberation of humans without the resurre#tion of the natura$ wor$d, and si$en#e is 'ery %ertinent to this assertion! +he great si$en#e of the uni'erse engenders a si$ent awe, whi#h the 5oman Gu#retius meditated u%on in the >st #entury *CE: .First of a$$, #ontem%$ate the #$ear, %ure #o$or of the s&y, and a$$ it #ontains within it: the stars wandering e'erywhere, the moon, the sun and its $ight with its in#om%arab$e bri$$ian#e! If a$$ these ob(e#ts a%%eared to morta$s today for the first time, if they a%%eared to their eyes sudden$y and une %e#ted$y, what #ou$d one #ite that wou$d be more mar'e$ous than this tota$ity, and whose e isten#e man9s imagination wou$d $ess ha'e dared to #on#ei'eO.D,E 6own to earth, nature is fi$$ed with si$en#es! +he a$ternation of the seasons is the rhythm of si$en#e; at night si$en#e des#ends o'er the %$anet, though mu#h $ess so now! +he %arts of nature resemb$e great reser'es of si$en#e! Ma /i#ard9s des#ri%tion is a$most a %oem: .+he forest is $i&e a great reser'oir of si$en#e out of whi#h the si$en#e tri#&$es in a thin, s$ow stream and fi$$s the air with its brightness! +he mountain, the $a&e, the fie$ds, the s&y 7 they a$$ seem to be waiting for a sign to em%ty their si$en#e onto the things of noise in the #ities of men!.D3E 4i$en#e is .not the mere absen#e of something e$se!.DAE In fa#t, our $ongings turn toward that dimension, its asso#iations and im%$i#ations! *ehind the a%%ea$s for si$en#e $ies the wish for a %er#e%tua$ and #u$tura$ new beginning! Sen tea#hes that .si$en#e ne'er 'aries!!!!.D5E *ut our fo#us may be im%ro'ed if we turn away from the uni'ersa$i)ing %$a#e$essness of $ate modernity! 4i$en#e is no doubt #u$tura$$y s%e#ifi#, and is thus e %erien#ed 'arious$y! "e'erthe$ess, as /i#ard argues, it #an #onfront us with the .origina$ beginnings of a$$ things,.DIE and %resents ob(e#ts
35 to us dire#t$y and immediate$y! 4i$en#e is %rimary, summoning %resen#e to itse$f; so it9s a #onne#tion to the rea$m of origin! In the industria$$y7based te#hnos%here, the Ma#hine has a$most su##eeded in banishing 3uietude! A natura$ history of si$en#e is needed for this endangered s%e#ies! Modernity deafens! +he noise, $i&e te#hno$ogy, must ne'er retreat 7 and ne'er does! For /i#ard, nothing has #hanged human #hara#ter so mu#h as the $oss of si$en#e!DKE +horeau #a$$ed si$en#e .our in'io$ab$e asy$um,. an indis%ensab$e refuge that must be defended!DLE 4i$en#e is ne#essary against the mounting sound! It9s feared by mani%u$ati'e mass #u$ture, from whi#h it remains a%art, a means of resistan#e %re#ise$y be#ause it does not be$ong to this wor$d! Many things #an sti$$ be heard against the ba#&ground of si$en#e; thus a way is o%ened, a way for autonomy and imagining! .4ense o%ens u% in si$en#e,. wrote Hean7Gu# "an#y!D?E It is to be a%%roa#hed and e %erien#ed bodi$y, inse%arab$y from the wor$d, in the si$ent #ore of the se$f! It #an high$ight our embodiment, a 3ua$itati'e ste% away from the ha$$mar& ma#hines that wor& so reso$ute$y to disembody us! 4i$en#e #an be a great aid in unb$o#&ing ourse$'es from the %re'ai$ing, addi#ti'e information si#&ness at $oose in so#iety!D>-E It offers us the %$a#e to be %resent to ourse$'es, to #ome to gri%s with who we are! /resent to the rea$ de%th of the wor$d in an in#reasing$y thin, f$attened te#hnos#a%e! +he re#ord of %hi$oso%hy 'is7a7'is si$en#e is genera$$y disma$, as good a gauge as any to its o'era$$ fai$ure! 4o#rates (udged si$en#e to be a rea$m of nonsense, whi$e Aristot$e #$aimed that being si$ent #aused f$atu$en#e!D>>E At the same time, howe'er, 5aou$ Mort$ey #ou$d see a .growing dissatisfa#tion with the use of words,. .an enormous in#rease in the $anguage of si$en#e. in #$assi#a$ Pree#e!D>,E Mu#h $ater, /as#a$ was terrified by the .si$en#e of the uni'erse,.D>3E and 2ege$ #$ear$y fe$t that what #ou$d not be s%o&en was sim%$y the untrue, that si$en#e was a defi#ien#y to be o'er#ome! 4#ho%enhauer and "iet)s#he both em%hasi)ed the %rere3uisite 'a$ue of so$itude, di'erging from anti7si$en#e 2ege$, among others! 6eser'ed$y we$$ &nown is a #ommentary on Odysseus and the 4irens Mfrom 2omer9s OdysseyN by 2or&heimer and Adorno! +hey de%i#t the 4irens. effort to sidetra#& Odysseus from his (ourney as that of Eros trying to stay the for#es of re%ressi'e #i'i$i)ation! =af&a fe$t that si$en#e wou$d ha'e been a more irresistib$e means than singing!D>AE ./henomeno$ogy begins in si$en#e,. a##ording to 2erbert 4%iege$berg!D>5E +o %ut %henomena or ob(e#ts somehow first, before ideationa$ #onstru#tions, was its founding notion! Or as 2eidegger had it, there is a thin&ing dee%er and more rigorous than the #on#e%tua$, and %art of this in'o$'es a %rimordia$ $in& between si$en#e and understanding!D>IE /ostmodernism, and 6errida in %arti#u$ar, deny the wides%read awareness of the inade3ua#y of $anguage, asserting that ga%s of si$en#e in dis#ourse, for e am%$e, are barriers to meaning and %ower! In fa#t, 6errida strong$y #astigates .the 'io$en#e of %rimiti'e and %re$ogi#a$ si$en#e,. denoun#ing si$en#e as a nihi$ist enemy of thought!D>KE 4u#h strenuous anti%athy demonstrates 6errida9s deafness to %resen#e and gra#e, and the threat si$en#e %oses to someone for whom the symbo$i# is e'erything! Wittgenstein understood that something %er'ades e'erything sayab$e, something whi#h is itse$f unsayab$e! +his is the sense of his we$$7&nown $ast $ine of the +ra#tatus Gogi#o7/hi$oso%hi#us: .Of that whi#h one #annot s%ea&, one shou$d remain si$ent!.D>LE
3I Can si$en#e be #onsidered, a%%roa#hed, without reifi#ation, in the here and nowO I thin& it #an be an o%en, strengthening way of &nowing, a generati'e #ondition! 4i$en#e #an a$so be a dimension of fear, grief 7 e'en of madness and sui#ide! In fa#t, it is 3uite diffi#u$t to reify si$en#e, to free)e it into any one non7$i'ing thing! At times the rea$ity we interrogate is mute; an inde of the de%th of the sti$$ %resent si$en#eO Wonder may be the 3uestion that best gi'es answers, si$ent$y and dee%$y! .4i$en#e is so a##urate,. said Mar& 5oth&o,D>?E a $ine that has intrigued me for years! +oo often we disru%t si$en#e, on$y to 'oi#e some detai$ that misses an o'era$$ sense of what we are %art of, and how many ways there are to destroy it! In the Antar#ti#a winter of >?33, 5i#hard *yrd re#orded: .+oo& my dai$y wa$& at A/M!!! I %aused to $isten to the si$en#e!!!the day was dying, the night being born 7 but with great %ea#e! 2ere were im%onderab$e %ro#esses and for#es of the #osmos, harmonious and sound$ess!.D,-E 2ow mu#h is re'ea$ed in si$en#e through the de%ths and mysteries of $i'ing nature! Annie 6i$$ard a$so %ro'ides a fine res%onse to the din: .At a #ertain %oint you say to the woods, to the sea, to the mountains, to the wor$d, "ow I am ready! "ow I wi$$ sto% and be who$$y attenti'e! Jou em%ty yourse$f and wait, $istening!.D,>E It is not on$y the natura$ wor$d that is a##essib$e 'ia si$en#e! Cioran indi#ated the se#rets in the si$en#e of things, de#iding that .A$$ ob(e#ts ha'e a $anguage whi#h we #an de#i%her on$y in tota$ si$en#e!.D,,E 6a'id Mi#hae$ Ge'in9s +he *ody9s 5e#o$$e#tion of *eing #ounse$s us to .$earn to thin& through the body!!!we shou$d $isten in si$en#e to our bodi$y fe$t e %erien#e!.D,3E And in the inter%ersona$ s%here, si$en#e is a resu$t of em%athy and being understood, without words mu#h more %rofound$y than otherwise! "ati'e Ameri#ans seem to ha'e a$ways %$a#ed great 'a$ue on si$en#e and dire#t e %erien#e, and in indigenous #u$tures in genera$, si$en#e denotes res%e#t and se$f7 effa#ement! It is at the #ore of the :ision Ruest, the so$itary %eriod of fasting and #$oseness to the earth to dis#o'er one9s $ife %ath and %ur%ose! Inuit "orman 2a$$endy assigns more insight to the si$ent state of awareness #a$$ed inuina3tu& than to dreaming!D,AE "ati'e hea$ers 'ery often stress si$en#e as an aid to serenity and ho%e, whi$e sti$$ness is re3uired for su##ess in the hunt! +hese needs for attenti'eness and 3uiet may we$$ ha'e been &ey sour#es of indigenous a%%re#iation of si$en#e! 4i$en#e rea#hes ba#& to %resen#e and origina$ #ommunity, before the symbo$i# #om%romised both si$en#e and %resen#e! It %redates what Ge'inas #a$$ed .the unity of re%resentation,.D,5E that a$ways wor&s to si$en#e the si$en#e and re%$a#e it with the home$essness of symbo$i# stru#tures! +he Gatin root for si$en#e, si$ere, to say nothing, is re$ated to sinere, to a$$ow to be in a %$a#e! We are drawn to those %$a#es where $anguage fa$$s most often, and most #ru#ia$$y, si$ent! +he $ater 2eidegger a%%re#iated the rea$m of si$en#e, as did 2o$der$in, one of 2eidegger9s im%ortant referen#e %oints, es%e#ia$$y in his Gate 2ymns!D,IE +he insatiab$e $onging that 2o$der$in e %ressed so %owerfu$$y re$ated not on$y to an origina$, si$ent who$eness, but a$so to his growing #om%rehension that $anguage must a$ways admit its origin in $oss! A #entury and a ha$f $ater, 4amue$ *e#&ett made use of si$en#e as an a$ternati'e to $anguage! In =ra%%9s Gast +a%e and e$sewhere, the idea that a$$ $anguage is an e #ess of $anguage is strong$y on offer! *e#&ett #om%$ains that .in the forest of symbo$s. there is ne'er 3uiet, and $ongs to brea& through the 'ei$ of $anguage to si$en#e!D,KE "orthru% Frye found the %ur%ose of *e#&ett9s wor& .to $ie in nothing other than the restoration of si$en#e!.D,LE
3K Our most embodied, a$i'e7to7this7earth se$'es rea$i)e best the $imits of $anguage and indeed, the fai$ure of the %ro(e#t of re%resentation! In this state it is easiest to understand the e haustion of $anguage, and the fa#t that we are a$ways a word9s $ength from immedia#y! =af&a #ommented on this in .In the /ena$ Co$ony,. where the %rinting %ress doub$ed as an instrument of torture! For +horeau, .as the truest so#iety a%%roa#hes a$ways nearer to so$itude, so the most e #e$$ent s%ee#h fina$$y fa$$s into si$en#e!.D,?E Con'erse$y, mass so#iety banishes the #han#e of autonomy, (ust as it fore#$oses on si$en#e! 2o$der$in imagined that $anguage draws us into time, but it is si$en#e that ho$ds out against it! +ime in#reases in si$en#e; it a%%ears not to f$ow, but to abide! :arious tem%ora$ities seem #$ose to $osing their barriers; %ast, %resent, future $ess di'ided! *ut si$en#e is a 'ariab$e fabri#, not a uniformity or an abstra#tion! Its 3ua$ity is ne'er far from its #onte t, (ust as it is the fie$d of the non7mediated! <n$i&e time, whi#h has for so $ong been a measure of estrangement, si$en#e #annot be s%atia$i)ed or #on'erted into a medium of e #hange! +his is why it #an be a refuge from time9s in#essan#y! Purneman), near the o%ening of Wagner9s /arsifa$, sings .2ere time be#omes s%a#e!. 4i$en#e a'oids this %rimary dynami# of domination! 4o here we are, with the Ma#hine engu$fing us in its 'arious assau$ts on si$en#e and so mu#h e$se, intruding dee%$y! +he note "orth Ameri#ans s%ontaneous$y hum or sing is *7natura$, whi#h is the #orres%onding tone of our I- #y#$es %er se#ond a$ternating #urrent e$e#tri#ity! MIn Euro%e, P7shar% is .natura$$y. sung, mat#hing that #ontinent9s 5- #y#$es %er se#ond AC e$e#tri#ity!N In the g$oba$i)ing, homogeni)ing "oise Sone we may soon be further harmoni)ed! /i#o Ayer refers to .my growing sense of a wor$d that9s singing the same song in a hundred a##ents a$$ at on#e!.D3-E We need a refusa$ of the roar of standardi)ation, its information7noise and harried, surfa#e .#ommuni#ation. modes! A "o to the unre$enting, #o$oni)ing %enetrabi$ity of non7si$en#e, %ushing into e'ery non7%$a#e! +he rising ra#&et measures, by de#ibe$ u%7 ti#&s and its %o$$uting rea#h, the degrading mass wor$d 7 6on 6eGi$$o9s White "oise! 4i$en#e is a rebu&e to a$$ this, and a )one for re#onstituting ourse$'es! It gathers in nature, and #an he$% us gather ourse$'es for the batt$es that wi$$ end debasement! 4i$en#e as a %owerfu$ too$ of resistan#e, the unheard note that might %re#ede insurre#tion! It was, for e am%$e, what s$a'e masters feared most!D3>E In 'arious Asian s%iritua$ traditions, the muni, 'owed to si$en#e, is the %erson of greatest #a%a#ity and inde%enden#e 7 the one who does not need a master for en$ightenment! D3,E +he dee%est %assions are nurtured in si$ent ways and de%ths! 2ow e$se is res%e#t for the dead most signa$$y e %ressed, intense $o'e best transmitted, our %rofoundest thoughts and 'isions e %erien#ed, the uns%oi$ed wor$d most dire#t$y sa'oredO In this grief7stri#&en wor$d, a##ording to Ma 2or&heimer, we .be#ome more inno#ent. through grief!D33E And %erha%s more o%en to si$en#e 7 as #omfort, a$$y, and strongho$d! Footnotes D>EY Martin 2eidegger, )hat is a #hing> MChi#ago, 2enry 5egnery Com%any, >?IKN, %! ,LL! D,EY Ruoted in /ierre 2adot, #he 9eil of Isis, trans$ated by Mi#hae$ Chan MCambridge, MA: *e$$&na% /ress, ,---N, %% ,>,7,>3!
3L D3EY Ma /i#ard, #he )orld of 'ilence MChi#ago: 2enry 5egnery Com%any, >?5,N, %! >3?! DAEY *ernard /! 6auenhauer, 'ilence% the $henomenon and Its /ntological 'ignificance M*$oomington: Indiana <ni'ersity /ress, >?L-N, %! 'ii! D5EY Chang Chung7Juan, /riginal #eachings of (h?an 5uddhism M"ew Jor&: :intage, >?K>N, %! >,! DIEY /i#ard, o%!#it!, %! ,,! DKEY Ibid!, %! ,,>! DLEY 2enry 6a'id +horeau, .A Wee& on the Con#ord and Merrima#& 5i'ers,. in #he )or!s of #horeau, edited by 2enry 4eide$ Canby M*oston: 2oughton Miff$in, >?AIN, %! ,A>! D?EY Hean7Gu# "an#y, +istening, trans$ated by Char$otte Mande$$ M"ew Jor&: Fordham <ni'ersity /ress, ,--KN, %! ,I! D>-EY I first en#ountered this term in +ed Mooney9s no'e$, =asy #ravel to /ther $lanets M"ew Jor&: Farrar 4traus U Pirou , >?L>N! D>>EY Aristot$e, )or!s of &ristotle, trans$ated by 4! Forster, :o$! :II, /rob$emata MO ford: C$arendon /ress, >?,KN, %! L?I, $ines ,-7,I! D>,EY 5aou$ Mort$ey, :rom )ord to 'ilence I M*onn: 2anstein, >?LIN, %! >>-! D>3EY *$aise /as#a$, $ensees, edited by /hi$$i%e 4e$$er M/aris: *ordas, >??>N, %! ,5I! D>AEY Fran) =af&a, $arables, #ited in Peorge 4teiner, +anguage and 'ilence M"ew Jor&: Atheneum, >?IKN, %! 5A! D>5EY 2erbert 4%iege$berg, #he $henomenological .ovement, :o$! +wo M+he 2ague: Martinus "i(hoff, >?I?N, %! I?3! D>IEY Martin 2eidegger, .Getter on 2umanism,. 5asic )ritings M4an Fran#is#o: 2ar%er 4an Fran#is#o, >??,N, %! ,5L! D>KEY Ha#3ues 6errida, )riting and ,ifference, trans$ated by A$an *ass MChi#ago: <ni'ersity of Chi#ago /ress, >?KLN, %! >3-! D>LEY Gudwig Wittgenstein, #ractatus +ogico8$hilosophicus MGondon: 5out$edge, >?KAN, %! L?! D>?EY Ruoted in Hames E! *! *res$in, -oth!o% & 5iography MChi#ago: <ni'ersity of Chi#ago /ress, >??3N, %! 3LK! D,-EY Ruoted in 2annah Mer&er, +istening M"ew Jor&: 2ar%erCo$$ins, >??AN, %! >,K! D,>EY Annie 6i$$ard, #eaching a 'tone to #al! M"ew Jor&: 2ar%er/erennia$, >?L,N, %% L?7?-! D,,EY E! M! Cioran, #ears and 'aints, trans$ated by I$in#a Sarifo%o$7Hohnson MChi#ago: <ni'ersity of Chi#ago /ress, >??5N, %! 53! D,3EY 6a'id Mi#hae$ Ge'in, #he 5ody?s -ecollection of 5eing M*oston: 5out$edge, >?L5N, %% I-7I>! D,AEY "orman 2a$$endy, Inu&suit: 'ilent .essengers of the &rctic M+oronto: 6oug$as U M#Intyre, ,---N, %% LA7L5!
3? D,5EY Emmanue$ Ge'inas, $roper ames, trans$ated by Mi#hae$ *! 4mith M4tanford CA: 4tanford <ni'ersity /ress, >??IN, %! A! D,IEY Emery Edward Peorge, 1olderlin?s @&rs $oetica@% & $art8-igorous &nalysis of Information 'tructure in the +ate 1ymns M+he 2ague: Mouton, >?K3N, %% 3-L, 3I3, 3IK! D,KEY 4amue$ *e#&ett, .Perman $etter. dated ? Hu$y >?3K, in C!H! A#&er$ey and 4!E! Pontors&i, #he 4rove (ompanion to 'amuel 5ec!ett M"ew Jor&: Pro'e /ress, ,--AN, %! ,,>! D,LEY "orthru% Frye, .+he "ightmare Gife in 6eath,. in H!6! O92ara, editor, #wentieth (entury Interpretations of .alloy, .alone ,ies, and #he ;nnamable MEng$ewood C$iffs, "H: /renti#e72a$$, >?K-N, %! 3A! D,?EY +horeau, o%!#it!, %! ,A>! D3-EY /i#o Ayer, #he 4lobal 'oul M"ew Jor&: =no%f, ,---N, %! ,K>! D3>EY Mar& M! 4mith, +istening to ineteenth8(entury &merica MCha%e$ 2i$$: +he <ni'ersity of "orth Caro$ina /ressN, %! IL! 4ee a$so +homas Merton, #he 'trange Islands M"ew Jor&: "ew 6ire#tions, >?5KN; s%e#ifi#a$$y, this %assage from .+he +ower of *abe$: A Mora$ity.: Geader: Who is 2eO Ca%tain: 2is name is 4i$en#e! Geader: <se$ess8 +hrow him out8 Get 4i$en#e be #ru#ified8 D3,EY A$e Wayman, .+wo traditions of India 7 truth and si$en#e,. $hilosophy =ast and )est ,A MO#tober >?KAN, %% 3L?7A-3! D33EY Ma 2or&heimer, ,awn and ,ecline: "otes >?,I7>?3> and >?5-7>?I? M"ew Jor&: 4eabury /ress, >?KLN, %! >A-!
A-
John Zerzan
A> more te#hno$ogy we ha'e, the more we seem to be burdening %eo%$e and dehumani)ing them, %erha%s ma&ing them into these %ie#es of te#hno$ogy themse$'es so that they #an0t fee$ anything anymore!C In +ur&ey, a##ording to some anar#hists there, a bridge from re$igious fundamenta$ism to %rimiti'ism has been bui$t, at $east by a few! +hey ha'e traded the es#a%ist Mand therefore a$ways rea#tionaryN uto%ia of the after$ife for the effort to #onfront te#hno$ogy and #a%ita$ in the here and now! A 'ery ho%efu$, if so far inade3uate$y dis#ussed %henomenon! About two years ago M+i&&un, HanQFeb >???N, 6a'id Ehrenfe$d %redi#ted B+he Coming Co$$a%se of the Age of +e#hno$ogy!C 2is summary: B+e#hno7e#onomi# g$oba$i)ation is nearing its a%ogee; the system is se$f7destru#ting! +here is on$y a short but 'ery damaging %eriod of e %ansion $eft!C +o redeem the #o$$a%se and a'oid further 'i#timi)ation, we must find renewed reso$'e and so$idarity! It0s #ru#ia$ that we underta&e the ine'itab$e de#onstru#tion of te#hno$ogy energeti#a$$y and #ons#ious$y! +hose who e$e#t to %assi'e$y endure e'er7 worsening %ersona$, so#ia$, and %$anetary #onditions, or to f$ame out in sui#ida$ a#ts of terror, are fundamenta$$y %ower$ess against a massi'e$y destru#ti'e system! B"o one #ou$d ha'e be$ie'ed that these massi'e towers #ou$d (ust #ome down $i&e this,C de#$ared an in#redu$ous C"" re%orter on 4e%tember >>! +hey did fa$$, so#ia$ systems and e'en #i'i$i)ations fa$$, this order wi$$ fa$$! Creati'e resistan#e and resi$ien#e ha'e ne'er been so needed! "e'er has there been so mu#h at sta&e; ne'er has the %ros%e#t of $iberation from the no7future death mar#h of #i'i$i)ation been %erha%s more feasib$e!
A,
Levica danas Dzon Zerzan Preen Anar#hy #>5, Winter ,--A! A'a(, (osu'e& (e tu, u i)'esno( meri, men(a(u#Zi se i %one&ad us%e'a(u#Zi da %rona[e na#ine &a&o da %re%a&u(e isto, staro sran(e! *es&ra(no %o'rsni $e'i, $ibera$ni B%rogresi'#iC o#ig$edno nema(u ni&a&'e 'e)e sa os$obo[en(em, bas&ao i ne&o$i&o %re)i'e$h $en(inoidnih autoritara#a! Oni nisu 'redni ni %omena! A$i, tu (e ne&o$i&o no'i(ih mane'ara, &o(i mo)da )as$u)u(u ma$i &riti#&i os'rt! 4o#i(a$ni forum, &a&o u s'o(im Bg$oba$nimC, ta&o i u s'o(im $o&a$nim ob$i#ima, na(no'i(i (e mama# )a s'e $e'i#are, u&$(u#u(u#Z i i &omuniste &o(i tra)e no'o uto#iste u %ostso'(ets&o( eri! "a demonstra#i(ama %roti' P7L, ,-->! godine, s$edbeni#i 4o#i(a$nog foruma da$i su s'e od sebe da anarhiste i)ru#e %o$i#i(i, a )atim 'redno radi$i na siren(u $a)i o u#in&u Crnog b$o&a u \eno'i! "a %ros$ogodisn(em s&u%u P$oba$nog 4o#i(a$nog foruma u /orto A$egreu M*ra)i$N, ti etatisti 1 i$i ma&ar oni na du)nosti 1 na('e#Zi deo 'remena su %ro'e$i s$a'e#Zi re)im bra)i$s&og $e'i#ars&og %resedni&a Gu$e i fi)i#&i na%ada(u#Zi anarhiste na u$i#ama! "afta$ins&i BanarhistaC "oam Coms&i (edan (e od g$a'nih $idera 4o#i(a$nog foruma! 4 nama su i da$(e Bantietatisti#&i &omunistiC, ia&o, %o s'emu sude#Zi, ne idu nigde! +a( %o(am (os%ri'$a#i ne&e $(ude, a$i (e besmis$en i &ontradi&toran! Antietatisti#&im &omi#Zima (osu'e& osta(e da &riti&u(u maso'nu %roi)'odn(u i g$oba$nu trgo'inu, %osto o#ig$edno nasto(e da sa#u'a(u s'e sustins&e tehno$os&e as%e&te modernog %oret&a! A$i, nemogu#Ze (e imati g$oba$nu %roi)'odn(u i trgo'inu be) '$asti 1 &a&o god (e )'a$i 1 &o(a bi us&$a[i'a$a ta( masi'ni sistem i u%ra'$(a$a n(ime! /arti#i%atorna e&onomi(a MB/are&onCN Ma(&$a A$berta MMi#hae$ A$bert, SMagN t'rdi da fun&#i(u dr)a'e mo)e da %reu)me ogroman i)nos sastana&a7sati, u &o(ima bi u#est'o'a$i s'i $(udi, &o(i bi ta&o odre[i'a$i %roi)'odne i trgo'ins&e &'ote, itd! A&o (e ne&ome %rioritet da u%ra'$(a s'etom &o(i 'e#Z tr%imo, onda #Ze mu o'i odbo(ni %red$o)i mo)da i)g$edati ra)umno! /ri$i#no druga#i(i fenomen, ug$a'nom e'ro%s&i, (este Binsure&#ionisti#&iC %ristu% Minsure&#i(a X %obuna; na%! %re'!N, &o(i i)g$eda %redsta'$(a
A3
amorfni hibrid ne&o$i&o &ontradi&tornih stru(a! < nasto(an(u da ma&sima$i)u(u (edinst'o neo%hodno )a dosti)an(e stan(a %obune, insure&#ionisti &ao da minima$i)i(u %oten#i(a$no neu(edin(u(u#Ze ras%ra'e o ne&im s%e#ifi#nim %itan(ima! +a&a' %ristu% ri)i&u(e da u (ednom trenut&u %o#ne da %otis&u(e ide(e! < me[u'remenu, insure&#ionisti#&i teoreti#ar A$fredo *onano MA$fredo *onannoN i)$a)e &riti#i %o&rete )a na#iona$no os$obo[en(e Mdr)a'e u sen#iN, do& drugi i) tog &am%a ra)'i(a(u 'r$o $u#idnu &riti&u #i'i$i)a#i(e! M>N +reba re#Zi i da (e *onano godinama bio %rogan(an i )at'aran od strane ita$i(ans&ih '$asti )bog s'og hrabrog su%rotsta'$(an(a! M,N Mo)da (e insure&#ioni)am 'ise nedefinisana tenden#i(a nego ideo$ogi(a, de$imi#no $e'i#ars&a, de$imi#no anti$e'i#ars&a, a$i genera$no anarhisti#&a! Ono sto s'im tim gru%ama i %o(edin#ima &o(i nagin(u $e'i#i nedosta(e (este s%remnost da se suo#e s teme$(ima domina#i(e, sa od$u#nos#Z u i fo&usiranos#Z u ne%hodnim da bi se to( domini#i(i sta$o )a 'rat! Preen Anar#hy #>5, Winter ,--A! "a%omene: >! :ideti sa(tQ #aso%is =i$$ing =ing Aba#us, &o(i donosi 'e$i&i bro( te&sto'a A$freda *onana, torins&e gru%e 6ia'o$o in #or%o i drugih Binsure&#ionistaC! Mna%! %re'!N ,! Afredo *onano se trenutno na$a)i na ods$u)en(u sestogodisn(e )at'ors&e &a)ne )bog %ri%adnosti Boru)ano( bandiC i Bsub'er)i'no( organi)a#i(iC! =onta&t: A$fredo M! *onanno, :ia /a%inano, >3A>33, +rieste, Ita$y! <%r&os ra)i$a)en(u sa Binsure&#ionistimaC u ne&im %itan(ima, te&sto'i A! *onana, 4ase =, Anona, 6i'o$o in #or%o, itd!, i da$(e s%ada(u u na(#es#Z e ob(a'$(i'ane i #itirane materi(a$e u B%rimiti'isti#&imC %ub$i&a#i(ama! 6rugi 'e$i&i i)'or nadahnu#Za i na('e#Za )a(edni#&a $(uba' bora#a i) o'a d'a tabora (esu situa#ionisti; istina, ta $(uba', u oba s$u#a(a, ni(e idi$i#na, a$i to (e ono sto (o( da(e %osebnu dra)! 4to se ti#e u%otrebe s'ih tih #udnih eti&eta Minsure&!!!1 %rimiti!!!1 situa#ionistiN mo)da 'redi %og$edati &rata& &omentar Hohna Moora! Mna%! /re'!N
AA
Secanje na Fredija Perlmana Dzon Zerzan 4a Fredi(em sam %r'i %ut stu%io u &onta&t >?K5! godine! +ada (e u i)dan(u *$a#& U 5ed %ri%remao )bir&u te&sto'a %od na)i'om 4indi&ati %roti' re'o$u#i(e, u &o(u (e u&$(u#io i mo( te&st /obuna %roti' rada, &o(i se nesto rani(e %o(a'io u i)dan(u +e$osa! < isto 'reme, Fredi me (e u%o)nao sa reda&#i(om radi&a$ne detroits&e %ub$i&a#i(e Fifth Estate! "as(edini susret dogodio se godinu dana &asni(e, u 4an Fran#is&u! On i Gore(n su %ro'e$i &od mene ne&o$i&o dana to&om s'og %uto'an(a &ro) =a$iforni(u! Ono sto me (e &od n(ega na('ise )a%an(i$o bi$a (e n(ego'a energi(a, n(ego'a )udn(a )a )i'otom! 6o& su se ras%a&i'a$i, 'ideo sam &a&o i) torbe is%ada bo#i#a sa $e&om &o(i (e u)imao )bog sr#anih %rob$ema! M*io (e to (edan Bba%s&i $e&C, (edini $e& &o(i (e %ristao da u)ima, is%ri#a$a nam (e Gore(n; na%! i)d!N Gore(n mi (e re&$a da se uo%ste ne oba)ire na $e&ars&a u%utst'a, sto (e bi$o o#ig$edno, (er se ni(e odre&ao (a&e, #rne &afe i %usen(a8 4e#Zam se i (ednog i)$eta to&om te %osete! Fredi i (a smo ima$i ras%ra'u o 2ege$u! On (e insistirao na sustins&om )na#a(u 2ege$a, &a&o s'e %o#in(e sa 2ege$om, do& sam mu (a go'orio da )abora'i na 2ege$a! *i$o (e to u 'reme &ada se %o(a'i$a n(ego'a &n(iga Getters of Insurgents; ta &n(iga (e i)'rsi$a ogorman uti#a( na $(ude &o(e sam %o)na'ao! +o$i&o s(a(nih u'ida, to$i&o i)a)o'nih t'rdn(i, %osebno u odnosu na uobi#a(ena $e'i#ars&a dostignu#Za! Hedan %ri(ate$(, &o(i (e tada bio u )at'oru, a &o(i (e &n(igu %ro#itao %re mene, re&ao mi (e: B4$ede#Zi %ut do[i u %osetu te& &ada %ro#itas tu &n(igu8C Fredi (e bio #o'e& ta&o )i'og duha, a o%et %ot%uno ot'oren i srda#an! 4 n(im (e u'e& bi$o )aba'no! 4u'ise &asno sam sh'atio da nam se 'ise ne#Ze %ru)iti %ri$i&a da u)i'amo u dru)en(u, &ao sto (e to bi$o to&om te n(iho'e %osete! "asta'i$i smo da se do%isu(emo s'e do n(ego'e smrti >?L5! godine! Od Fredi(a sam mnogo nau#io; u)i'ao sam u n(ego'im te&sto'ima, u na#inu na &o(i (e %rimen(i'ao na(ra)$i#iti(a sti$s&a resen(a! =o$i&o god da (e bio odma&ao u &riti#i #i'i$i)a#i(e, &ao i u drugim istra)i'an(ima, siguran sam da bi otisao i da$(e, da (e mogao da sa nama ostane bar ma$o du)e! Hud)in, Oregon, >5! de#embar ,--,!
A5
Sit acionistic!a internacionala: "ritic!i vod Dzon Zerzan =ra(em >?5-7tih, sa#i#a a'angardnih umetni&a, )ga[ena im%oten#i(om umetnosti, dos$a (e do )a&$(u#&a da (e (edini %ra'i &reati'ni %oduh'at %ot%una %romena )i'ota i s'eta! +a&o (e, u %ar re#i, nasta$a 4itua#ionisti#&a interna#iona$a M4IN! 4I (e odba#i$a #e$u drust'enu organi)a#i(u )asno'anu na na(amnom radu i robi, &ao i s'a&i ob$i& hi(erarhi(e, %redsta'$(an(a, )rt'o'an(a i %osredo'an(a! 4'i %anduri modernog drust'a 1 %rofesori, $e'i#ari, %sihi(atri, sindi&a$isti, ideo$o)i, e&s%erti 1 bi$i su ra)ot&ri'eni i isme(ani u ime )i'ota &ao ob$asti neograni#ene )e$(e i ne%re&idnog )anosa! 4'o( anti%o$iti#&i %rogram situa#ionisti su hrani$i na(%oeti#ni(im i na(s%ontani(im ost'aren(ima uto%ista, anarhista, $udih %esni&a, nihi$ista i drugih o%asnih ne)ado'o$(ni&a, ra#una(u#Z i tu i do%rinos n(iho'e so%st'ene Bradi&a$ne sub(e&ti'nostiC! A$i, o'i re'o$u#ionari su smatra$i i da (e %otrebno ra)raditi mnogo %re)i#ni(i organi)a#ioni %rogram! +a&o su i)gradi$i s'o(u strates&u teori(u, u 'e$i&o( meri )asno'anu na Mar&su! P$a'ni %odsti#a( bi$a su is&ust'a %ro$eters&og samou%ra'$(an(a, to (est, Bradni#&ih sa'etaC 1 od 5usi(e >?-5, =ronstata >?,>, 4%ani(e &ra(em >?3-7tih, do Ma[ars&e >?5I! +a&o su u s'o(u teori(u situa#ionisti une$i &ontradi&#i(u &o(u ni&ada nisu us%e$i da ra)rese! 4 (edne strane, t'rdi$i su da (e samo ne%osredna, e&s%erimenta$na i strast'ena a&ti'nost 'redna )i'ota! 5ad mora biti u&inut u &orist s$obodne, &reati'ne igre u &o(o( #Ze s'a %ra'i$a i oni &o(i ih donose ta&o[e biti %redmet igre! <%ra'o du)tog g$a'nog %ra'#a s'og de$o'an(a, situa#ionisti su ra)'i$i &riti&u $e'i#e &ao dosadnog, ire$e'antnog nasta'$(a#a starog s'eta i n(ego'e $ogi&e! A$i, magi#na mo#Z sub(e&ti'nosti 1 tog so&a &o(im (e o'a gru%a %rodrma$a #e$u E'ro%u i ta&o na(a'i$a %obunu i) ma(a >?IL 1 bi$a (e %ri)em$(ena tes&im ba$astom Bso'(etaC! BA%so$utna '$astC sa'eta (e 'ise nego o#ig$edno %roti're#i$a ide(i o u&idan(u '$asti! B<nitarna i g$oba$naC &oordina#i(a %roi)'odn(e %utem hi%ermoderne tehno$ogi(e 1 )bog s'og masi'nog &ara&tera i fun&#i(e 1 ta&o[e (e bi$a u su%rotnosti s a%so$utno nedirigo'anim, samoos$oba[a(u#Zim i nes%utanim %o(edin#em! =a&o bi ta st'ar sa sa'etima uo%ste fun&#ionisa$aO I )ar na ta( na#in, &ro) sistem Btrans&ontinenta$nog s'ets&og %$ans&og %ro#esaC, ne afirmismimo
AI
s%e#i(a$i)a#i(u, )a &o(u smo %rethodno ut'rdi$i da (e nu)no autoritarnaO "a()ad, &a&o bi i %re&o &oga ta Bis&$(u#i'a '$ast sa'etaC bi$a Btehni#&i s%ro'edenaCO I%a&, #a& i u) s'e unutrasn(e &onf$i&te, 4I (e da$a ne%ro#en(i' do%rinos, i)me[u osta$og i )ato sto (e %o&a)a$a sta (edna sa#i#a od$u#nih $(udi mo)e da %ostigne! 4I (e %ru)i$a 'e$i&i %odsti#a( mnogima &o(i su tada %o&usa'a$i da arti&u$isu s'o(u &riti&u i &renu da$(e! Sbog s'ega toga, i to treba re#Zi, situa#ionisti su na sebe na'u&$i mr)n(u s'ih brani$a#a %ros$osti, u&$(u#u(u#Z i tu i %ra&ti#no s'e fra&#i(e $e'i#e!] <sa'si u fa)u stagna#i(e %o#et&om >?K-7tih, 4I (e radi(e u&inu$a samu sebe nego da nasta'i da$(e &ao %u&a sen&a ne&ada )i'e si$e; s'e 'e#Zi bro( n(enih obo)a'a$a#a MB%ro7situCN bio (e ta&o %re%usten so%st'enim resursima! I%a&, s'ega ne&o$i&o B%rosituaC bi$o (e o)bi$(no %ri'u#eno %o%u$arnos#Z u 4I &o(a (e i da$(e ras$a u andergraund &rugo'ima! Oni su se %oisto'eti$i sa situa#ionisti#&im ide(ama i nasta'i$i da ih %ro%agira(u Mnigde ta&o inten)i'no &ao u *er&$i(uN! A$i, 'ime (e %o#e$o da se h$adi; nigde 'isu nisu mog$i da se #u(u g$aso'i %o%ut 6eboro'og i$i :ane(gemo'og! <br)o, u &rat&om ra)ma&u i sa s'ega ne&o$i&o i)u)eta&a, ti o&asne$i situa#ionisti 'rati$i su se u o&ri$(e na(tu%$(e $e'i#e, oda&$e su bu&'a$no s'i i %oti#a$i! <%r&os )a$osnom %adu tih %o(edina#a, ug$a'nom i) ob$asti 4an Fran#is&a, u Bu$tra$e'i#ars&uC %o$iti&u, autenti#ni o%o)i#ioni %o&ret ra)'i(a se sirom )em$(e, &ao sto (e to %rimetio Sa& E$i$ MHa#3ues E$$u$N u s'om te&stu BOd >?K-7tih do >?L-7tihC M4o#iety, >?L-N: BI)g$eda da i)me[u institu#i(a i drust'enog te$a %osto(i &ontradi&#i(a, &o(a se i)ra)a'a ne)ado'o$(st'om radni&a n(iho'im sindi&atima, odbi(an(em rada me[u om$adinom, ne%o'eren(em $e'i#ara u n(iho'e %arti(e i gra[ana u $o&a$ne '$asti! /rime#Zu(u se o%adan(e i gubita& intereso'an(a, sto do'odi u %itan(e $egitimnost s'ih tih institu#i(a!C /reu)eto i) Hohn Ser)an: Hust another bri#& in the wa$$, Anar#hy: A Hourna$ of 6esire Armed, br! ,?Q >??>, bro( %os'e#Zen 4I! /r'i deo te&sta (e ob(a'$(en u o&'iru &riti#&og dodat&a )a Pi 6ebor: 6rust'o s%e&ta&$a, anarhi(aQ b$o& A5, /orodi#na bib$iote&a br! A, ma( ,--3!
AK
John Zerzan &i'otin(ski sno'i A,a li nam Be potrebno da <namo i da li uopCte moDemo <nati mnogo o drugim DivotinBama> .oDda nam Be naBviCe potrebno sa<nanBe da bi trebalo da im se pridruDimo u nBihovoB nepripitomlBenosti.E A e!ada Be postoBao !omunalni Divot organi<ama, unutar Bedinstvenog e!osistema. Fivot se hranio Divotom, ali ne na destru!tivan naGin. Ha! ni danas ne bi trebalo da gubimo i< vida da Be pobeda pripitomlBavanBa dale!o od !onaGne. .noge vrste, i< ra<liGitih ra<loga, ostaBu van nBegove putanBe. *KrotitelB lavova <apravo ne !roti niCta*, podseIa nas ,Don 1arington. /n mora ostati u granicama !oBe su povu!le maG!e.E ]]] O'o (e doba beste$esnosti, u &o(em na^e ose_an(e od'o(enosti od )em$(e %osta(e s'e sna`ni(e i u &o(em se od nas oae&u(e da )abora'imo s'o(u anima$nost! A$i, mi smo `i'otin(e i ra)'i(a$i smo se, &ao i one, u s&$adu s drugim te$esnim formama i as%e&tima s'eta! <m i au$a se ra)'i(a(u &ro) te$o, ^to (e naain na &o(i i druge `i'otin(e %renose )naaen(a 1 i$i (e ta&o bi$o, do %oaet&a moderniteta "a$a)imo se na samom 'rhu $an#a ishrane, ^to od nas aini (edinu `i'otin(u &o(a ni&ome ni(e %otrebna! 2am$et (e bio da$e&o od istine &ada (e $(uds&a bi_a na)'ao b$e%otom s'eta i u)orom )a `i'otin(eB!D>E Mar& +'en (e bio mnogo b$i`e: bT (edina `i'otin(a &o(a #r'eni od stida! I$i ima tu %otrebu!BD,E Ob$i& `i'ota &o(i (e 'ero'atno na(s$abi(e %ri$ago[en st'arnosti, s na(man(im ^ansama )a o%stana&, me[u na(man(e deset mi$iona `i'otin(s&ih 'rsta Mod aega na('e_i bro( aine inse&tiN! G(uds&a bi_a s%ada(u i me[u s'ega ne&o$i&o 'rsta sisara &o(e ubi(a(u s'o(e b$i`n(e be) %o'oda i$i )bog e&stremne g$adi! G(uds&a 'rsta (e (edinst'ena, a$i to 'a`i i )a s'e druge 'rste! "e ra)$i&u(emo se od osta$ih, %o s'emu sude_i, ni^ta 'i^e nego ^to se osta$e 'rste ra)$i&u(u i)me[u sebe! "e$(uds&e `i'otin(s&e 'rste se %o %ra'i$u od$i&u(u )adi'$(u(u_om s%osobno^_u )a %ona^an(e na osno'u informa#i(a &o(e dobi(a(u od s'og o&ru`en(a! +o su bi_a instin&ta, a$i to smo i mi! 6`o)ef :ud =raa MHose%h Wood =rut#hN se %itao, b&o (e dub$(e u%o)nat
AL
sa s'etom u &o(em `i'iOBD3E /ri$ago[a'an(e na '$astiti s'et (e &ogniti'ni %ro#es! A&o se u%itamo &o(a (e 'rsta na(%ametni(a, na(bo$(i odgo'or, na('ero'atni(e, g$asi: s'e! Mis$im da (e 2enri *eston to i)ra)io na di'no %odsti#a(an naain: b"a n(ih g$edamo s 'isine, )bog n(iho'e nedo'r^enosti, )bog n(iho'e tragiane sudbine, &o(a im (e dode$i$a ob$i& mnogo ni`i od na^eg! I tu %ra'imo gre^&u, 'e$i&u gre^&u! "aime, `i'otin(e ne treba meriti %o ao'e&u! One se &re_u u s'etu stari(em i %ot%uni(em od na^eg, do'r^ene i #e$o'ite, obdarene ras%onom au$a &o(i smo mi i$i i)gubi$i i$i ga ni&ada nismo ni ste&$i, `i'e_i s g$aso'ima &o(e mi ni&ada ne_emo auti!BDAE "egde to&om osamdesetih, %o)na'ao sam osobu &o(a (e s'o(e i)'anredne antiautoritarne te&sto'e i $et&e %ot%isi'a$a sa bK- `i'otin(aB! Od tada, ta 'rsta %oisto'e_i'an(a ni(e %resta$a da me oaara'a! 6ugo %risutna )abrana ta&'og aina, &ao i onog na('e_eg greha, antro%omorfi)ma, name_e se u %ri$iano drugaai(em duhu! < nasto(an(u da se ta stra^na gre^&a is%ra'i, do$a)imo do toga da bma(mun ne mo`e da %obesni: on is%o$(a'a agresi'nost! cdra$ ne mo`e da ose_a na&$onost; on %o&a)u(e ud'araa&o i$i rodite$(s&o %ona^an(e! Pe%ard se ne %$a^i $a'a; on %ribega'a be&st'u Mflight behaviorNB!D5E Sa^to u tom redu&ti'nim %ristu%u ne bismo i^$i (o^ da$(e i %rosto i)ba#i$i `i'otin(e i) s'og reani&aO +o se 'e_ de^a'a, a&o (e /!sfords!i reGni! <a mlade MO ford Hunior 6i#tionaryN ne&i %o&a)ate$(! I)dan(e i) ,--?! (e done$o ne&e no'e tehno7i)ra)e, &ao ^to su +witter i m%3, do& su imena ra)nih `i'otin(a, 'rsta dr'e_a, itd!, i)brisana!DIE "a()ad, de#a Mi osta$iN ima(u s'e man(e dodira s %rirodom! A$i, nema )amene )a dire&tan dodir sa `i'im s'etom, a&o (o^ u'e& treba da s%o)namo ^ta )naai biti `i'o bi_e! "a^ s'et se su`a'a i isu^u(e, odseaen od `i'otin(s&e &u$ture, od ob$asti tog )a(ednia&i us'a(anog %ona^an(a! Od onoga ^to (e Ha&ob fon I&s&u$ MHa#ob 'on <e &d$$, >LIA1 >?AAN na)'ao ;mwelt, uni'er)um )nan s'a&o( 'rsti! +reba$o bi da budemo ot'oreni )a )a(edni^t'o na^ih &orena, &ao i )a %osto(e_i ne$(uds&i `i'i s'et! Amfibi(e %osto(e 'e_ 3-- mi$iona godina; %ti#e ne&ih >5- mi$iona! :i$ini &on(i#i u)ima(u od biosfere isto &o$i&o i %re >-- mi$iona godina, do& 'rstu 2omo, &o(a ne %osto(i du`e od 3 mi$iona godina, aine `i'otin(e &o(e 1 od %oaet&a %ri%itom$(a'an(a i #i'i$i)a#i(e 1 ni&ada nisu )ado'o$(ne, &o(e sta$no s$ede ne&e no'e %rohte'e! Sar %riroda ni(e tu )bog sre_e s'ih 'rsta, a ne samo (edneODKE Ose_amo ne^to s$iano tome, do& u 'a&uumu #i'i$i)a#i(e tragamo )a oa)ama di'$(ine! b0"ada0 (e st'oren(e s &ri$imaB, %isa$a (e Emi$i 6i&inson!DLE <g$a'nom smo i)gubi$i ose_a( )a %risust'o i$i auru `i'otin(a, )a bi_a &o(a s'o(a te$a is%un(a'a(u ta&o #e$o'ito, ta&o %ot%uno! G(udi i) tradi#iona$nih,
A?
uro[enia&ih &u$tura nisu i)gubi$i tu s'est! Oni ose_a(u da su u srodst'u sa s'ime ^to (e `i'o! "e&e od tih 'e)a osta$e su i &od nas i mogu se %re%o)nati u ne&im ma$im st'arima 1 na %rimer, u na^o( instin&ti'no( $(uba'i %rema %esmi %ti#a! "i(e s'e med i m$e&o ni u ne$(uds&om domenu, naroaito u o'om u)drmanom i %oreme_enom s'etu! 4i$o'an(e (e %rime_eno i &od orangutana, de$fina, fo&a, muf$ona, di'$(ih &on(a i ne&ih %ti#a, ia&o ni &od (edne od tih 'rsta ono ni(e norma!D?E A$i aa& i u `i'otin(s&im dru^t'ima s (asnom domina#i(om mu`(a&a, `en&e %o %ra'i$u osta(u samodo'o$(ne i odgo'orne )a so%st'eno i)dr`a'an(e, )a ra)$i&u od 'e_ine $(uds&ih M%ri%itom$(enihN dru^ta'a! < st'ari, u ne&im gru%ama, `en&e se stara(u o s'ima! "a %rimer, $a'i#e %onosno idu u $o'!D>-E 4'a&o &rdo $oso'a %red'odi ne&a `en&a, obdarena mudro^_u (ednog &o(ota, 'u&a, risa, &uguara i $(uds&og bi_a! +a&o[e, mnogi smatra(u da se ne$(uds&a bi_a mogu %o(edinaano ra)$i&o'ati, &ao i mi! 6i$i(a A&e$i (e )a&$(uai$a da bma(muni i ao'e&o$i&i ma(muni 'arira(u u s'o(im nara'ima isto &o$i&o i $(uds&a bi_aB,D>>E do& (e *ari Go%e) %isao o bu%ad$(i'o ra)$iaitim indi'idua$nim osobinamaB 'u&o'a!D>,E A$i, me[u mnogim ne%ri%itom$(enim `i'otin(ama %rime_u(e se i odsust'o starih, onemo_a$ih i uginu$ih `i'otin(a! /itamo se &a&o tu de$u(e b$ana# ishraneB, da $i to )naai da 'u&o'i ubi(a(u samo one `i'otin(e &o(e su iona&o %ri &ra(u 1 stare, bo$esne, %o're[eneO /rema Go%e)u, to bi se mog$o grubo )a&$(uaiti! D>3E 2i(erarhi(a i domina#i(a me[u `i'otin(ama (e stara %ret%osta'&a, aesto %ot%uno neuteme$(ena! "a ide(u da (e me[u n(ima obiano, a&o ne i u'e&, %risutan ne&i bhi(erarhi(s&i %oreda&B, do^ao (e (edan nor'e^&i student )oo$ogi(e, >?,, M+hor$eif 4#h(e$deru%7Ebbe, >L?A1>?KIN! "(ego'a teori(a (e nasta$a na osno'u %osmatran(a doma_ih &o&o^&i i) n(ego'og d'ori^ta, da bi se onda %ro^iri$a u ob$asti %rouaa'an(a `i'otin(a, &ao )ara)a! +o (e &$asiaan %rimer %ro(e&#i(e %ri%itom$(enog $(uds&og s'eta, u &o(em su hi(erarhi(a i domina#i(a )aista %ra'i$o! A$i n(iho'u na'odnu uni'er)a$nost obara ain(eni#a da se bhi(erarhi(s&i %oreda&B doma_e `i'ine ne sre_e u di'$(im (atima! Isto ta&o %ogre^na bi$a (e fro(do's&a %aradigma o ubi$aa&om ri'a$st'u i)me[u oae'a i sino'a &ao %rirodnom stan(u! Ona (e %rob$ematiana 'e_ u s$uaa(u $(udi; (o^ 'i^e, u odnosu na ne$(uds&a bi_a! Mason i Ma&arti MMasson i M#CarthyN %i^u da oae'i me[u )ebrama, &i'i(ima, dabro'ima, 'u&o'ima i mungosima %rih'ata(u s'o(e %otomst'o i %o&a)u(u 'e$i&u na&$onost %rema n(emu!D>AE Hu`noameria&i 'unasti ma(muni %au#i Mmuri3uiN, mu`(a#i i `en&e, neagresi'ni su, to$erantni i &oo%erati'ni! e$ana& 4ti'a =em%era M4te'e =em%erN, bSabran(en %ristu% a$fa mu`(a#imaB, ba'i se istra`i'an(ima ma(muna %au&o'a =aren 4trier, &o(a
5-
%odri'a(u u're`eno 'i[en(e mu^&ih %rimata!D>5E =od a)i(s&ih gibona, %rimata &o(i `i'e u %aro'ima, mu`(a#i mogu ostati sa s'o(im %artner&ama dugo %os$e )a'r^et&a se&sua$ne a&ti'nosti!D>IE 6`on M(ur MHohn MuirN (e o%isao &a&o (e (edna gus&a na%a$a $o'#a da bi )a^titi$a s'og ran(enog %artnera: b"i&ada rani(e nisam %omis$io da bi di'$(a gus&a mog$a biti o%asna i$i s%osobna )a ta&o %$emenitu, samo%o`rt'o'anu odanost!BD>KE 6i'$(e gus&e se %are monogamno, to&om #e$og `i'ota! Me[u $(uds&im bi_ima ^iro&o su ras%rostran(ene dru^t'ene #rte &ao ^to su rodite$(s&a briga, )a(ednia&a %otraga )a hranom i u)a(amna dobrota i$i u)a(amna %omo_! Meri Mid`$i MMary Midge$yN uo%^teno go'ori o bn(iho'o( %rirodno( s&$onosti &a $(uba'i i u)a(amnom %o'eren(uB!D>LE +a&o[e, &a $(uba'i i %o'eren(u %rema drugima, &ao ^to su $(uds&a bi_a, do taa&e da se ona i negu(u! ca& Pra'en MHa#3ues Pra'enN i)nosi )a%an(u(u_e %rimere de#e &o(u su us'o(i$i 'u&o'i, med'edi, ga)e$e, s'in(e i o'#e!D>?E < s'o(o( neodo$(i'o( &n(i)i ,esert 'olitaire, u'e& s'ad$(i'i Ed'ard E(bi %omi^$(a da `abe ai(u (e %esmu s$u^ao, to rade i) ra)nih %ra&tianih ra)$oga, ba$i i i) s%ontane $(uba'i i ra)draganostiB!D,-E "! 6`! *eri$ M"orman Hohn *erri$$N i)(a'$(u(e: b*iti %ti#a )naai biti `i' na inten)i'ni(i naain nego bi$o &o(e drugo `i'o bi_e, u&$(uau(u_i i ao'e&aT one `i'e u s'etu u &o(em %osto(i samo sada i &o(i (e na(ae^_e is%un(en rado^_u!BD,>E 6`o)ef :ud =raa (e smatrao da na^a s%osobnost )a radost atrofira! ci'otin(ama (e, %rime_u(e on, bradost mnogo 'a`ni(a i %ristu%aani(e nego nama!BD,,E I)g$eda da u %os$edn(e 'reme ra)ne 'rste ne$(uds&e inte$igen#i(e %oain(u da se u'a`a'a(u 'i^e nego rani(e! 6o&umentarni fi$m 6`ona 2o%tasa i =ristin 4am(ues$on MHohn 2a%tas, =ristine 4amue$sonN, #o!yo )a!a, i) ,->3, %osmatra sna$a`$(i'e grads&e 'rane! =a&o, na %rimer, &oriste &$(uno'e da bi grane ob$i&o'a$e u &u&e &o(ima s&ida(u $ar'e s dr'e_a! Podine ,--,, (edna 'rana i) "o'e =a$edoni(e, %o imenu *eti, bi$a (e, %rema (ednom istra`i'aau sa O&sfords&og <ni'er)iteta, %rog$a^ena )a %r'u `i'otin(u &o(a (e na%ra'i$a a$at&u )a odre[eni )adata&, be) %robe i gre^&e, ^to %rimati oaig$edno te& treba da %ostignu! /rema 6`! 2 :i$i(amsu MH! 2! Wi$$iamsN, %ona^an(e s$ono'a bu'e& u&a)u(e na inte$igen#i(u &o(a %rona$a)i odgo'ara(u_a re^en(a )a te^&o_eB!D,3E Ho^ 'i^e i)nena[u(u no'a sa)nan(a o onim `i'otin(ama )a &o(e obiano mis$imo da se na$a)e (o^ ni`e u b$an#u ishraneB! =atrin 2armon =erid` M=atherine 2armon CourageN (e u&a)a$a na do sada ne%o)nate s%osobnosti o&to%oda! bMo`e da %rona[e i)$a) i) $a'irinta, da ot'ara teg$e, &oristi a$at&e! I)g$eda da aa& ima i ne&u 'rstu sofisti#iranog
5>
unutra^n(eg `i'ota!B =erid` da$(e i)(a'$(u(e da o&to%od bima mo)a& drugaai(i od s&oro s'a&og st'oren(a &o(e bismo mog$i smatrati inte$igentnimB!D,AE Odat$e s'e 'e_e )animan(e )a bh$adno&r'nu inte$igen#i(uB, s neda'nim istra`i'an(ima &o(a su ot&ri$a da mo)a& gmi)a'a#a ni(e ta&o nera)'i(en &ao ^to smo mis$i$i! Pu^teri i &orn(aae, na %rimer, %o&a)u(u )adi'$(u(u_u s%osobnost )a re^a'an(u %rob$ema!D,5E ca& Pra'en (e bio )a%an(en &ada (e sh'atio da se metod )a tra`en(e i)$a)a i) $a'irinta b(edne buba^'abe (ed'a ra)$i&o'ao od metoda %a#o'aB, i da se )adi'$(u(u_a dostignu_a sisara bsre_u %ono'o, u s&oro identianom ob$i&u, &od inse&ataB!D,IE =ada (e rea o $a'irintima i s$ianim b)ada#imaB, treba dodati da se u &ontro$isanim, $aboratori(s&im e&s%erimentima, be) ob)ira o &o(o( (e 'rsti rea, mo`e do_i do 'r$o ma$o 'a`nih istina! /am_en(e (e )a mnoga `i'a bi_a 'a`na %omo_ u %re`i'$(a'an(u! 5ado'i )oo$oga +e#ura Ma#u)a'e M+etsuro Mat)uawaN %o&a)u(u da ^im%an)e ima(u da$e&o bo$(e %am_en(e od $(udi!D,KE Sri&a'#i ima(u s$u^ni ras%on mnogostru&o 'e_i od na^eg! /ae$e mogu da 'ide u$tra$(ubiaastu s'et$ost, &o(a (e )a nas ne'id$(i'a! /ara)its&e osi#e MI#hneumonoideaN mogu da osete miris &ro) a'rsto dr'o! Monarh $e%tir M6anaus %$e i%%usN ima au$o u&usa d'esta hi$(ada %uta oset$(i'i(e od $(uds&og (e)i&a! *a$egari se u s'om &retan(u ori(enti^u %rema M$eanom %utu! eet'orono`ne `i'otin(e, one be) %ot&o'i#a, 'ero'atno us%e'a(u da uh'ate ra)na isi(a'an(a i 'ibra#i(e &o(e su )a nas i)gub$(ene! fta (e s %sima i maa&ama, &u_nim $(ubim#ima, &o(i se na[u stotinama &i$ometara da$e&o od s'o(ih domo'a, a o%et ne&a&o %rona[u %ut do n(ihO < mnogim ta&'im s$uaa(e'ima mo`emo se %o)'ati samo na ne&u 'rstu te$e%ati(e! Ho^ mnogo toga bi se mog$o re_i o daro'ima `i'otin(a! I$i o n(iho'o( igri! "ema niaeg bantro%omorfianogB u )a%a`an(u da se `i'otin(e igra(u! /og$eda(mo samo ud'aran(e &od %ti#a! Hednom sam u )oru %osmatrao %redi'ni %$es &anads&ih `dra$o'a! "(iho' %$es (e nadahnuo be)bro(na $(uds&a dru^t'a! fta (e s di'$(im gus&ama, %red ai(om nenadma^nom gra#io)no^_u, e$egan#i(om i %os'e_eno^_u mi, $(uds&a bi_a, mo`emo samo da se %ostidimoO /o(edinaane `i'otin(e i) mnogih 'rsta %o&a)u(u s'est o ra)$i#i i)me[u bsebeB i bdrugogB! /ri%adni& (edne 'rste u'e& mo`e da %re%o)na drugog %ri%adni&a iste 'rste! +a 'rsta samo%re%o)na'an(a (e oaig$edna! 6rugi s$uaa( %redsta'$(a(u gri)$i(i, &o(i se &ri(u od %og$eda $(udi i drugih `i'ih bi_a! /risutna (e s'est da se #e$o te$o 1 i$i bsebst'oB, a&o ho_ete 1 mora sa&riti! A$i, da $i ne$(uds&a bi_a sh'ata(u da su bsebst'aBO 6a $i su samos'esna na ta( naain da sh'ata(u s'o(u smrtnostO Mnogi u&a)u(u na ta( na'odni nedostata& samoref$e&si(e i od n(ega %ra'e g$a'nu $ini(u %ode$e i)me[u
5,
$(udi i osta$ih `i'otin(a! /ae$e &oriste )na&e, a$i nisu toga s'esne! Me[utim, na osno'u aega %ret%osta'$(amo ^ta %ae$e i$i druge `i'otin(e )na(u i$i ne )na(uO fim%an)e i orangutani se %re%o)na(u u og$eda$u, a$i ne i gori$e! fta to taano go'oriO Ima mnogo nere^enih %itan(a, u st'ari, ne mo`emo da odgo'orimo ni na %itane &o$i&o (e s'esno i$i nes'esno $(uds&o %ona^an(e, naroaito u s'et$u ain(eni#e da (e s'est &od nas ne^to %ot%uno neuh'at$(i'o! 4$o`eni, s'estrani i ada%ti'ni odgo'ori &o(e 'idimo &ao %ra'i$o me[u `i'im bi_ima na o'o( %$aneti, mogu, a$i i ne mora(u biti 'o[eni samos'e^_u! A$i, samos'est 'ero'atno ni(e is&$(uai' fenomen, u smis$u bs'e i$i ni^taB! 5a)$i&e i)me[u $(uds&ih i osta$ih `i'ih bi_a nisu radi&a$ne; one su 'ero'atno 'i^e st'ar ste%ena! Ho^ 'a`ni(e, mi aa& ne mo`emo ni da %o(mimo s'esnost drugaai(u od na^e! "a^e sh'atan(e samos'esti, ia&o &ra(ne mag$o'ito, %osta$o (e )$atno meri$o )a 'redno'an(e ne$(uds&ih bi_a! 6rugi graniani &riteri(um (e (e)i&: da $i smo (edina 'rsta &o(a ga %osedu(eO I te d'e odredni#e obiano idu )a(edno, &ao %ret%osta'&a da se s'est mo`e i)ra)iti samo &ro) (e)i&! < is&u^en(u smo da (e)i& 'idimo &ao ob(a^n(en(e s'esti, da se %itamo da $i se o s'esti mo`e go'ori samo &od bi_a &o(a se s$u`e (e)i&om! Saista (e te^&o )amis$iti stan(e na^ih umo'a be) os$on#a u (e)i&u! A$i, a&o (e (e)i& (edina osno'a misaonog %oret&a, onda bi ne$(uds&e `i'otin(e `i'e$e u %ot%uno neure[enom s'etu! :u&o'i, %si, de$fini, s$ono'i, &ito'i, da na'edem samo ne&e, ima(u ras%on g$aso'nih %romena s$iaan $(uds&om! b/esmeB grba'ih &ito'a su s$o`ene forme &u$turnog i)ra`a'an(a na 'e$i&im uda$(enostima! < #e$ini g$edano, mogu_e (e da (e `i'otin(s&i )o' 'i^e st'ar ain(en(a, a ne )naaen(a! A&o %og$edamo simbo$i&o )naaen(e, &o(e se smatra &ara&teristianim )a na^u 'rstu, 'ide_emo da ono ne %osto(i me[u na^im `i'otin(s&im sa%utni#ima! < s'om %rirodnom stan(u, %a%aga(i ni&ada ne o%ona^a(u $(uds&i g$as; 'rste )a &o(e (e %rime_eno da to rade u )atoaeni^t'u, to ni&ada ne rade u di'$(ini! /rimati trenirani da &oriste (e)i& ni&ada to ne rade &ao $(udi! 2erbert +eras M+erra#eN, ne&ada ube[eni istra`i'aa (e)i&a ao'e&o$i&ih ma(muna, %ostao (e (edan od na(`e^_ih &ritiaara te %ret%osta'&e! /o&u^a( da se bi)'uae ne&o$i&o mr'i#a (e)i&a od ^im%an)e &o(i oae&u(e nagraduB, ne donosi ni^ta naroaito )naaa(no, &a`e +eras!D,LE ci'otin(e ne rade ono ^to $(udi rade %omo_u (e)i&a, naime, ne %ra'e simbo$e &o(i )amen(u(u st'ari!D,?E =ao ^to &a`e +im Ingo$d, bone ne %o&ri'a(u to& is&ust'a &on#e%tua$nom re^et&om i, samim tim, ne de^ifru(u to is&ust'o u ob$i&u simbo$a!BD3-E Sadi'$(u(u_e bogatst'o signa$a, na(ra)$iaiti(ih 'rsta, ni(e isto ^to i simbo$i)a#i(a! =ada ne&o
53
st'oren(e %o&a)u(e s'o(e namerne %ostu%&e, ono to aini be) %otrebe da ih o%isu(e, da ih %redsta'$(a! /esni& 5iaard Prosman M5i#hard ProssmanN (e 'ero'ao (e da (e istina b%ut &o(i se sam ot&ri'aB!D3>E ca& Ga&an (e u ori(enta#i(i %rema %redsta'$(an(u 'ideo nedostata&; `i'otin(e ne %ate od tog nedostat&a, &o(i aini $(uds&i sub(e&t! < sr#u %rirode, %isao (e 6`o)ef :ud =raa, na$a)e se 'rednosti b&o(e (e)i& (o^ ni(e dosegaoB; dodao (e i da se $e%ota `dra$o'a na$a)i bs one strane %otrebe )a reaimaB!D3,E 6ugo sam se %itao &a&o to da nas to$i&o mnogo `i'otin(a g$eda u oaiO fta time ho_e da &a`uO Pa'in Ma&s'e$ MMa we$$N (e u`i'ao u b)aau[eno rado)na$omB %og$edu &anads&og mors&og %raseta M%or%oise; /ho#oenidaeN,D33E do& (e &n(iga 6a(en Fosi, 4orile u magli M6iane Fossey, 4orillas in the .ist, >?L3N %una %rimera gori$a i $(udi &o(i )ure (edni u druge s %o'eren(em! 6`on M(ur (e %isao o 4ti&inu, %su sa A$(as&e, s &o(im (e %re`i'eo (ednu o%asnu situa#i(u: b4naga n(ego'og &ara&tera $e`i u oaima! I)g$eda$e su stare &ao %$anine 1 i isto to$i&o m$ade, isto to$i&o di'$(e!BD3AE 6`ona Ge(na MHohn GaneN su %ri'u&$e oai a$igatora, ^to (e bi$o bne)abora'no is&ust'o! "(iho'e #rne oai su bi$e mirne &ao da )ure &ro) mi$ione &i$ometara i$i godina!BD35E Mo`da se tu mo`e nauaiti (o^ ne^to, od tih dire&tnih %ro)ora, od te ot'orenosti i ne%osrednosti, umesto &ro) 'ero'atno nere^i'a %itan(a o s'esti i (e)i&u! I &ada bismo ne&a&o mog$i da g$edamo tim oaima, da $i bismo onda )aista 'ide$i sebeO Oai su og$eda$o ne%osredne ot'orenosti! O'de mo`emo s%omenuti i smrt, &ao mo`da %os$edn(e ne%osredno is&ust'o i$i s'a&a&o (edno od n(ih! Goren A()$i MGoren Eise$eyN (e, &ada se i sama b$i`i$a s'om &ra(u, oseti$a da di'$(a bi_a umiru bbe) %itan(a, be) )nan(a o mi$osti uni'er)uma, )na(u_i samo sebe i s'o( '$astiti %ut &a &ra(u!BD3IE < &n(i)i Ernesta 4etona7+om%sona, 5iografiBa Bednog gri<liBa ME! 4eton7+hom%son, 5iography of a 4ri<<ly, >?->N, reaeno (e mnogo toga o smrti! 6anas smo uda$(eni(i nego i&ada od rea$nosti smrti 1 &ao i od `i'otin(a! =a&o se na^i `i'oti su`a'a(u, +oroo'e reai i) >L5?! )'uae (o^ istiniti(e: bI)g$eda da u Ameri#i (o^ ni(edan ao'e& ni(e umro; naime, da biste umr$i, %r'o morate `i'eti!BD3KE Mog$o bi se dodati da nisu $(udi ti &o(i )na(u &a&o se umire, 'e_ `i'otin(e! =ao da su s'ega toga bi$i s'esni, $(udi su &renu$i da se s'ete ne&im %robranim 'rstama! /ri%itom$(a'an(e (e 'rsta smrti, s'o[en(e `i'otin(s&e 'ita$nosti na stan(e %otain(enosti! =ada se `i'otin(e &o$oni)u(u i %ris'o(e, i %ri%itom$(eni i %ri%itom$(i'aai %ro$a)e &ro) &'a$itati'nu redu&#i(u! +o (e ona %os$o'iana bna('e_a gre^&a u $(uds&o( istori(iB, )a obe strane! 6ire&tne `rt'e, &o(e su ne&ada bi$e u stan(u da se same stara(u o sebi,
5A
gube na autonomi(i, s$obodi &retan(a, 'e$iaini mo)ga i onome ^to (e =raa na)'ao bhero(s&im osobinamaB!D3LE 6oma_a s'in(a (e $(uds&a t'ore'ina s&oro isto &o$i&o i se$(a&o' tra&tor! 4amo (e treba u%orediti s di'$(om s'in(om! 6i'$(e )naai s$obodno! /rema 6`onu M(uru, di'$(e o'#e %redsta'$(a(u stan(e %re /ada; nasu%rot tome, &a`e on, bA&o (e doma_a o'#a ne&i %o&a)ate$(, onda (e ao'e&o'o de$o bi$o degradira(u_e, &a&o )a n(ega )a samog, ta&o i )a n(ego'e %odre[ene!BD3?E "i'o sa'r^enst'a ne&e `i'otin(e, %rema "iaeu, mogao se meriti time b&o$i&o su bi$e di'$(e i sna`ne da se odu%ru %ri%itom$(a'an(uB! DA-E < &onte&stu o%^teg %otain(a'an(a, 6e('id "a(bert na)i'a tu institu#i(u bdomese&ra#i(omB,DA>E a ne i)nena[u(u ni %rimedbe )bog toga ^to se )a di'$(e i doma_e %ri%adni&e ne&e 'rste &oriste iste reai! Industri(a$i)am (e, nara'no, doneo da$e&o gori `i'ot, u maso'nim ra)merama, maso'nu bedu, )bog ishrane maso'nog dru^t'a! Soo$o^&i 'rto'i i mors&i %ar&o'i su %o&a)ate$(i da$(eg %orob$(a'an(a, %ra'i dodata& o%^tem )atoaeni^t'u! =a&o se nefabri&o'ani, nemasifi&o'ani s'et %o'$aai, grani#a i)me[u %ri%itom$(enog i ne%ri%itom$(enog se )amu_u(e! 4&oro s'e )ahte'a ne&a&'o u%ra'$(an(e, s'e do o&simorona &ao ^to (e bu%ra'$(an(e di'$(inomBMwi$d$ife managementN! 4ada smo u st'ari u^$i u no'o doba %ri%itom$(a'an(a, u&$(uau(u_i i ne)abe$e`enu es&a$a#i(u &ontro$isanog `i'otin(s&og ra)mno`a'an(a, u %os$edn(ih ne&o$i&o de#eni(a!DA,E /ot%uno nebio#entriani, humanistia&i mit o besmrtnosti deo (e etosa %ri%itom$(a'an(a; n(ego'i ritua$i su fo&usirani na `rt'o'an(e, a ne na s$obodu `i'ota %re %ri%itom$(a'an(a! Fro(do' edi%o's&i mode$ %orodi#e %$od (e %ri%itom$(a'an(a &ro) &o(e su %ro^$i i `i'otin(e i figura o#a! Ga&ano'e formu$a#i(e aesto do$a)e i) )a%a`an(a o )atoaenim `i'otin(ama, &ao ^to se i %o(mo'i bab(e&taBDA3E i$i bsta$ne %retn(eB Hu$i(e =riste'e u osno'i %o)i'a(u na ain %ri%itom$(a'an(a! A$i, ne%ri%itom$(eni ne uaest'u(u u asimi$a#i(i u %o&orenu #e$inu, u fro(do's&om i$i ne&om drugom smis$u! "e&ada (e %osto(ao &omuna$ni `i'ot organi)ama, unutar (edinst'enog e&osistema! ci'ot se hranio `i'otom, a$i ne na destru&ti'an naain! ea& ni danas ne bi treba$o da gubimo i) 'ida da (e %obeda %ri%itom$(a'an(a da$e&o od &onaane! Mnoge 'rste, i) ra)$iaitih ra)$oga, osta(u 'an n(ego'e %utan(e! b=rotite$( $a'o'a )a%ra'o ne &roti ni^taB, %odse_a nas 6`on 2arington!DAAE On mora ostati u grani#ama &o(e su %o'u&$e maa&e! b4&oro s'e u 'e)i s &ito'ima (e o%iain(a'a(u_a misteri(aB, )a&$(uai$a (e 6a(en A&erman M6iane A#&ermanN!DA5E :ende$ *eri MWende$$ *erryN #itira s'o(u &_er&u u %esmi eviJenoB DivotinBi: b"adam se da negde %osto(i ne&a `i'otin(a &o(u (o^ ni&o ni(e 'ideo! I nadam se da (e ni&ada ni&o ne_e ni 'ideti!BDAIE 6a $i nam (e %otrebno da )namo i da $i uo%^te mo`emo )nati mnogo o drugim `i'otin(amaO Mo`da nam (e na('i^e
55
%otrebno sa)nan(e da bi treba$o da im se %ridru`imo u n(iho'o( ne%ri%itom$(enosti! =ant (e na%ra'io straho'itu gre^&u &ada (e go'orio o $(uds&o( su%eriornosti! b=ao (edino bi_e na )em$(i obdareno s%o)na(om, on s'a&a&o %o$a`e %ra'o na titu$u gos%odara %rirode!BDAKE :o$t :itman (e dao (ednosta'an odgo'or: b"e go'orite )a &orn(aau da (e be)'redna samo )ato ^to ni(e ne^to drugo!BDALE :a`no (e %rimetiti da su `en&e te &o(e dominira(u onim ^to se na)i'a `i'otin(s&om eto$ogi(om M&ara&tero$ogi(omN, &ao i da su da$e&o man(e s&$one da s$ede =anta u n(ego'o( nastrano( ori(enta#i(i! I$u)i(a o $(uds&o( domina#i(i %rirodnim s'etom %o%rima ra)ne ob$i&e! Hedan od n(ih (e %ret%osta'&a da nam na^a domi^$(atost donosi dugoroanu sigurnost! Sabora'$(amo da nas ta&'a ori(enta#i(a, dugoroano g$edano, mo`e do'esti u o%asnost! "a^e i)gub$(ene 'e)e, na^a i)gub$(ena s'est do'e$a nas (e u doba u`asa s'ih 'rsta! =ao ^to (e O$aus M(uri MMurieN (ednom re&ao, b< e'o$u#i(i $(uds&og duha, $(ude mo`e )adesiti ne^to mnogo gore od g$adiB!DA?E I ca& 6erida (e %oaeo da u'i[a 'e$i&i )naaa( %itan(a anima$nosti )a $(ude, &ao neaeg %resudnog )a bsu^tinu i budu_nost ao'eaanst'aB!D5-E 4$i&a s$obodne `i'otin(e %odstiae na san(aren(e, ona (e sne'aae'a %o$a)na taa&a! < me[u'remenu, `i'a st'arnost )a(edni^t'a me[u 'rstama i%a& o%sta(e! G(udi i) naroda Inui%at i P'iain MPwi#h0inN, &o(i i da$(e %utu(e be) ma%a i odre[u(u %ra'a# be) &om%asa, )na(u da ir'asi nose u s'o(im sr#ima deo n(ih, &ao ^to i oni u s'o(im sr#ima nose ir'ase!D5>E :era u ne%osrednost, u dire&tne 'e)e, ni(e )amr$a! bA$i %ita( )'i(eri, i %ouait _e te; %ti#e nebes&e %ita(, i ra)(asnit _e ti! I$i se ra)go'ori sa )em$(om, nauai_e te, i ribe _e ti mors&e %ri%o'(editi!B M*ib$i(a, Ho' >,: K1 LND5,E Sa 'reme bora'&a na Ar&ti&u, 6`onatan :oterman MHonathan WatermanN (e %oaeo da se uda$(a'a od te od'o(enosti, od %ri%itom$(a'an(a: b/r'o sam s&inuo sat! Mo(a s%osobnost da osetim ra)$iaite i ne%o)nate mirise %osta$a (e ne'ero'atno u)nemira'a(u_a! I)g$eda da (e i s$uh %oaeo da mi se %o%ra'$(a!BD53E 6a$e&o od Ar&ti&a, osta#i te dimen)i(e u'e& su mog$i da se osete! Me$'i$ (e u %ri)oru u$(e^ure 'ideo &o$osa$no %osto(an(e be) &o(eg osta(emo ne%ot%uni! /rise_amo se i :ird`ini(e :u$f i n(enog %o)i'an(a na `i'otin(s&e 'o&abu$are i odnose me[u 'rstama! "e^to #e$o'ito, ne^to %o'e)ano, %osto(a$o (e mi$ionima godina %re %o(a'e 'rste 2omo! < nas$e[e nam (e %reneto ne^to ^to (e 2enri *eston fi(en M4heahanN na)'ao b`i'otin(s&om 'eromB, )a &o(u (e smatrao da (e uni^tena s %oaet&om Mehania&og doba!D5AE I)gub$(eni smo, a$i druge `i'otin(e nam %o&a)u(u na %ra'i %ut! /ne su ta( %ra'i %ut!
5I
"edosta(e nam to stan(e b$a`enst'a, a$i i%a& )namo &o$i&o (e toga ugro`eno! Gori O$man MGaurie A$$manN, o %esmi (edne miaigens&e %ti#e: bOdmah mogu da &a`em da ne )na &o$i&o (e ugro`ena! Sna samo da %e'a, danas, na 'rhu (ednog m$adog &anads&og bora! =$(un (o( (e ot'oren, %un neba &o(e se ^iri i)a n(e!BD55E E'o i stiho'a 5iaarda Prosmana, &o(i %o)i'a(u na %o'rata& dre'no( radosti: '!ovaIemo novi um i !onaGno shvatiti da Be duh DivotinBa.D5IE I da$(e smo `i'otin(e, bi_a o'e %$anete, sa s'im n(enim i)'ornim %oru&ama &o(e ae&a(u u na^em bi_u! D>E "a'edeno u Mar# 6! 2auser, )ild .inds M"ew Jor&: 2enry 2o$t and Com%any, ,---N, str! K-! D,E =onrad Goren), +he Waning of 2umaneness M*oston: Gitt$e, *rown and Com%any, >?LKN, str! K-! D3E A$do Geo%o$d, & 'and (ounty &lmanac M"ew Jor&: *a$$antine *oo&s, >?KIN, str! L3! DAE 2enry *eston, #he /utermost 1ouse M"ew Jor&: 4t! Martin0s Priffin, ,--3N, str! ,5! D5E Heffrey Moussaieff Masson i 4usan M#Carthy, )hen =lephants )eep M"ew Jor&: 6e$a#orte /ress, >??5N, str! 3A! Me[u de$ima &o(a u&a)u(u na %oma& od anti7antro%omorfi)ma na$a)e se i 5uth 5udner, &s! ow the 5easts M"ew Jor&: Mar$owe U Com%any, ,--IN i 1ow :orests #hin! M*er&e$ey: <ni'ersity of Ca$ifornia /ress, ,->3N! DIE Eoin O0Carro$$, bO ford Hunior 6i#tionary 6ro%%ing 0"ature0 WordsB, (hristian 'cience .onitor, February ?, ,--?! DKE 5u`an %rimer su%rotnog 'i[en(a do$a)i od &omunist&in(e O&sane +imofe(e'e MO ana +imofee'aN, 1istory of &nimals% &n =ssay on egativity, Immanence and :reedom MMaastri#ht: Han 'an Ey#& A#ademie, ,->,N, s %redgo'orom 4$a'o(a ci`e&a! +imofe(e'a osu[u(e %rirodu )bog ot%ora &o(i %ru`a tehno$ogi(i, do& u sito 'reme, bi)arno, o `i'otin(ama go'ori &ao o %rirodnim &omunistima8 :ideti str! >AI1>AK! DLE "a'edeno u 4usan 2anson, Icons of +oss and 4race MGubbo#&: +e as +e#h <ni'ersity /ress, ,--AN, str! >L,! D?E Masson and M#Carthy, op. cit!, str! >A-!
5K
D>-E *arbara "os&e, 1umans and /ther &nimals MGondon: /$uto /ress, >?L?N, str! >>5! D>>E :era "orwood, .ade from this =arth MCha%e$ 2i$$: +he <ni'ersity of "orth Caro$ina /ress, >??3N, str! ,35! D>,E *arry Go%e), /f )olves and .en M"ew Jor&: 4#ribner C$assi#s, ,--AN, str! >L! D>3E Ibid!, str! 55! D>AE Masson and M#Carthy, op. cit!, str! K,! D>5E 4te'e =em%, b"o A$%ha Ma$es A$$owedB, 'mithsonian, 4e%tember ,->3, str! 3?1A>! D>IE "os&e, op. cit!, str! >>I! D>KE Hohn Muir, #he 'tory of .y 5oyhood and 0outh M*oston: 2oughton Miff$in, >?>,N, str! >5>! D>LE Mary Midg$ey, #he =thical $rimate M"ew Jor&: 5out$edge, >??AN, str! >3>! D>?E Ha#3ues Pra'en, on81uman #hought M"ew Jor&: 4tein and 6ay, >?IKN, str! IL! D,-E Edward Abbey, ,esert 'olitaire% & 'eason in the )ilderness M"ew Jor&: *a$$antine *oo&s, >?K>N, str! >5K! D,>E Hose%h Wood =rut#h, #he 4reat (hain of +ife M*oston: 2oughton Miff$in, >?5IN, str! ,,A! D,,E Ibid!, str! ,,K! D,3E H! 2! Wi$$iams, =lephant 5ill MGondon: 5u%ert 2art76a'is, >?5-N, str! 5L! D,AE =atherine 2armon Courage, bA$ien Inte$$igen#eB, )ired, O#tober ,->3, str! LA! D,5E Emi$y Anthes, bCo$db$ooded 6oes "ot Mean 4tu%idB, ew 0or! #imes, "o'ember >?, ,->3, str 6>, 65! D,IE Pra'en, op. cit!, str! >,K! D,KE Hustin M#Curry, bChim%s Are Ma&ing Mon&eys Out of <sB, #he /bserver, 4e%tember ,L, ,->3! D,LE "a'edeno u 4te%hen *udians&y, If a +ion (ould #al! M"ew Jor&: Free /ress, >??LN, str! A5! D,?E =e$$y O$i'er, &nimal +essons% 1ow #hey #each ;s to be 1uman M"ew Jor&: Co$umbia <ni'ersity /ress, ,--LN, str! >LI!
5L
D3-E +im Ingo$d, =volution and 'ocial +ife M"ew Jor&: Cambridge <ni'ersity /ress, >?LIN, str! 3>>! D3>E 5i#hard Prossman, b+he +ruthB, &nimals MMinnea%o$is: Sygote /ress, >?L3N, str! A,>! D3,E Geo%o$d, op .cit!, str! >-,! D33E Pa'in Ma we$$, -ing of 5right )ater M*oston: "on%arei$ *oo&s, ,->>N, str! A5 D3AE Edwin Way +ea$e, #he )ilderness )orld of 7ohn .uir M*oston: 2oughton Miff$in, >?5AN, str! ,L>! D35E Hohn Gane, )aist ,eep in 5lac! )ater MAthens: <ni'ersity of Peorgia /ress, ,--,N, str! A?! D3IE Goren Eise$ey, #he ight (ountry MGin#o$n: <ni'ersity of "ebras&a /ress, >??KN, str! >K3! D3KE 2enry 6a'id +horeau, #he 7ournal, 1K3"21KL1, ed! 6amion 4ear$s M"ew Jor&: "ew Jor& 5e'iew of *oo&s, ,--?N, str! 5L5 Mbe$e^&a od ,,! o&tobra >L5?N! D3LE =rut#h, op. cit!, str! >-,! D3?E Mi#hae$ /! Cohen, #he $athless )ay% 7ohn .uir and &merican )ilderness MMadison: <ni'ersity of Wis#onsin /ress, >?LAN, str! >K3, >KI! DA-E Hennifer 2am, b+aming the *eastB, na'edeno u Hennifer 2am and Matthew 4enior, eds!, &nimal &cts M"ew Jor&: 5out$edge, >??KN, str! >5L! DA>E 6a'id A! "ibert, &nimal /ppression and 1uman 9iolence% ,omesecration, (apitalism, and 4lobal (onflict, Co$umbia <ni'ersity /ress, ,->3! ,omesecration: od domestication i desecration Ms&rna'$(en(eN! b,omese!raciBa (e sistemats&a %ra&sa nasi$(a &o(om se dru^t'ene `i'otin(e %orob$(u(u i bio$o^&i men(a(u, ^to )a ishod ima %ost'aren(e, %otain(a'an(e i ugn(eta'an(e!B M6! A! "ibertN DA,E C$i'e 5oots, ,omestication MWest%ort C+: Preenwood /ress, ,--KN, str! ii! DA3E /re$a)no stan(e i)me[u ob(e&ta i sub(e&ta, u ra)'o(no( teori(i Hu$i(e =riste'e! :ideti %o(mo'e abBect i abBection! M/rim! %re'!N DAAE "a'edeno u Gane, op. cit!, str! >,5! DA5E 6iane A#&erman, #he .oon by )hale +ight M"ew Jor&: 5andom 2ouse, >??>N, str! >>,!
5?
DAIE Wende$$ *erry, b+o the <nseeab$e Anima$B, na'edeno u Ann Fisher7 Wirth and Gaura7Pray 4treet, eds!, #he =copoetry &nthology M4an Antonio +g: +rinity <ni'ersity /ress, ,->3N, str! >KL! DAKE Immanue$ =ant, trans! H!C! Meredith, (ritiMue of 7udgement MO ford <ni'ersity /ress, >?5,N, /art ,, 4e#tion A3>! DALE Wa$t Whitman, +eaves of 4rass M"ew Jor&: Gibrary of Ameri#a, ,->>N, se#tion >3! DA?E "a'edeno u Honathan Waterman, )here .ountains are ameless M"ew Jor&: W! W! "orton, ,--5N, str! ,3K! D5-E "a'edeno u Geonard Gaw$or, #his is ot 'ufficient M"ew Jor&: Co$umbia <ni'ersity /ress, ,--KN, str! K! D5>E Waterman, op. cit!, str! ,>,! D5,E /oaeta& %r'og stiha (e %reu)et i) hr'ats&og %re'oda Herusa$ims&e *ib$i(e, gde se e&s%$i#itno go'ori o b)'erimaB, a ne o bsto#iB, &ao u %re'odu 6aniai_7=arad`i_ i$i u )'anianom hr'ats&om %re'odu *ib$i(e: bSa%ita( sto&u, nauai_e teB, itd! M$rim. prev.N D53E Ibid!, str! >-! D5AE Hohn "e$son, b2enry *eston 4heahanB, 2ar'ard Maga)ine, 4e%tember7O#tober ,->3, str! A-! D55E Gaurie A$$man, :ar :rom #ame MMinnea%o$is: <ni'ersity of Minnesota /ress, >??IN, str! K3! D5IE Prossman, op. cit!, b+he "ew ArtB, str! ,!