Avalanche - The Anarchist correspondence zine Avalanche - The Anarchist correspondence zine 7 | Page 3

Editorial These moments lived in this society seems exceptionally prolific to cynicism and defeatism. And I’m speaking beyond concerns for my own well-being. These are attitudes you can encounter daily, in the form of an aspirational “shrewder than thou” or as a passe-partout to stroll through life without hindrance. But also, more sincere, it follows as the result of various degrees of burn-out or disillusionment. The capacity to revolt cannot rely only on the optimism of uncertainty. While rebellion hasn’t lost any of its urgency, this alone doesn’t preclude one of heading into a dead end. An anarchist position has to find its expression into actions, or it will be words in the wind soon proving their own flimsiness. The question then is how to? Moreover, how to intervene from an anarchist position in social relations? Because that is where the reproduction of authority is taking place. Against the organized dependency that puts us (alternately or even simultaneously) in the role of oppressed and oppressor, we should aim for autonomy. Starting from the refusal of representation and alienation, the attempt to to not let your life be molded by the demands and norms of this society. Maybe this used to be designated as individual emancipation. From this perspective, an anarchist project aiming for a social struggle encompasses direct action and informal organization, obstructing relationships of power to settle in. A rupture in itself, striving to widen. Surely, bubbles of alternative practices and improved relationships are not satisfactory. Every subversive attempt looks to sabotage the mechanism of control and submission and will meet accomplices. We can create ourselves moments of encounter or we can engage in moments of rage. These moments hold all their potentiality in the capacity to push forward a radical critique of all authority and to realize autonomy (meaning no representation, but direct action). Often we are (again) confronted with efforts of recruitment and recuperation, which fly the banner of unification. Be it through the convergence managed by leftist militants/bureaucrats of the assembly or through an appealing rhetoric imposing a hegemonic narrative (that out of all the traits of an ideology only lacks the consistency). Some have ambitions of being spokespersons (from the media intermediaries, to the power brokers, but also the self-styled intellectuals), which we should desecrate. While the integration machine of the welfare state is dwindling (anyway with limited access and manufacturing consuming and productive citizens), the illusions of many are shattered. These seem to be fertile soil for the new politics of the old identities, based in chimeras around race, ethnicity, nation, religion or other ideologies when wannabe leaders are trying to keep up with the latest fashion. This probably means some will think anarchists are behind the times. We like to think that we are out of time with this society and we will make sure to interfere in the rhythm of domination. [email protected] http://avalanche.noblogs.org