Why I Am Not a Revolutionary

Many writers and thinkers I respect a great deal argue that the extant social order — which is in bell hooks’s terms white-supremacist-capitalist-patriarchy — is hopelessly morally corrupt and must be ended.  I agree with this, in fact.  The inhumanity of our system is evident; thus clearly it must be changed.  However, it’s common for these people with whom I agree (Twisty Faster is a good example) to hold that because this hopelessly morally corrupt social order is extant, and being hegemonic will not only fight to preserve itself, but has access to virtually limitless resources in order to do so¹, it is functionally impossible to reform, and must instead be overthrown by revolution.  And there, I do disagree.

First, I want to emphasize that it’s the conclusion I disagree with: the idea that the solution is revolution.  It is certainly true that the extant social order is very, very difficult to change.  But I reject revolution, as I’ll explain, on the grounds that it’s a cure worse than the disease.

Quick Hit: Cambridge Phelps-a-Thon

Apparently Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church  (sic) will be protesting in Cambridge, MA in a couple of weeks, over the continuing existence of a Gay-Straight Alliance at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.  This is close to home: I live only a few miles from there, and a good friend of mine went to Rindge.  The gall of these terrible people bringing their hatred here is astonishing, and it makes me very angry.

If you’re angry too, and you can spare some  money, please consider the Phelps-a-thon, which I think is one of the more effective counters to the WBC.  Phelps wants attention; he wants shouting matches with counterprotesters and even altercations, because that raises his profile.  Better to calmly display to him a sign showing how much money he’s raised so far for the causes he hates.

Neko Case: Middle Cyclone

Just a quick note.  I mentioned earlier that there’s a free mp3 download of a song from Neko Case’s upcoming album at her label’s site.  Turns out, you can also listen to the entire album streaming at NPR, until March 3rd (when it hits stores).  It’s as good as I expected, and I highly recommend you buy this album.