the deleuze thread and the k-punk one ?

Can anyone here help? I have been browsing the swatches of k-punk that can be found on the internet. I find it difficult to understand from these what k-punk is.

Is k-punk a sacred cow ?

should i read previous philosophies first before attempting to decipher his. is there 'a beginners guide to' or 'a k punk for dummies primer' i could attend?

The questions posed in that other thread were genuine. Is he someone i should follow, study, understand. is that what he wants, is that his purpose?

am i playing into his/your trap, about to be labelled a troll or grey vampire?

help
 

massrock

Well-known member
He's got a book coming out. That might help. Or you could email and ask.

Actually I thought it was kind of interesting that he allowed this possibly quite sensible response from a reader on his blog recently.
If there's a new organizational model of the "Gods Gardeners" it is "live it, now." You may think that's mumbo jumbo when the potential for a real transformation is seemingly non-existent. But I am perplexed why many left-wing bloggers I read aren't aware of new organizational models that actually exist right now, especially for food. One can dream of utopia while living in a cold world, thinking of the lack of transformative capabilities that exist--or one can also activily participate right now in models that seek to emulate (even a little bit) what a better world would actually be like. It's not that doing so means that you believe in "Mother Earth", reek of patchouli oil and are ignorant of what a true transformation *for everyone* would actually be like and what that transformation would actually require-----it's more that if you don't act and don't create "new modes of organization and management" *right now* you'll feel like you'll life will have been wasted.
Has something changed?
 

massrock

Well-known member
I'm answering you seriously but really just read what the guy has on his blog. Do you think he's actually saying something? Do you think he knows what it is?
 
he says an awful lot which i find obfuscates what he wants me to know. makes me think maybe he doesnt know either. what is the purpose ? revolution ? against what ?

the powers that be created the current global scenario by dumbing things down, using mass media and the education system to manipulate its zombies. its the zombie masses who consume flesh and body and force change, not the enlightened hi brow academics he appeals to. they arent going to revolt against anything. they might suggest something to replace the old with, but what is that?

generation why is looking for something to believe in, is he it ? is there a simple catchcry or a memorable slogan, to accompany the book, something i can wear on a tshirt or badge - 'turn on, tune in drop out', that sort of thing. if only 'turn on, boot up, jack in' weren't taken, then again maybe it doesn't matter who said what first. It's the thought that counts.
 

john eden

male pale and stale
Unfortunately us "dope smoking dissensus dads" were a great disappointment to K-Punk.

So I suspect he would be loathe for us to defend him or explain what he is on about.

Even if we wanted/were able to.
 

padraig (u.s.)

a monkey that will go ape
reading K-punk almost makes me want to root for capitalism. tho tbf, I get that feeling from a lot of theory-heavy [insert brand name of Marxism]. the sheer ivory tower irrelevance of it all can be kinda overwhelming.

Politeness is the first line of defence for the existing order

yes, let's all be jerks to each other. surely that will bring the murderous spectre of Kapitalism to its knees.
 

john eden

male pale and stale
yes, let's all be jerks to each other. surely that will bring the murderous spectre of Kapitalism to its knees.

I think there might be a point in there about bourgeois morality and manners being repressive.

But obviously that doesn't have to mean a total rejection of civility - even it if sounds weally wadical.

In any case, being a shouty cunt is also a bulwark of kapitalism.
 

padraig (u.s.)

a monkey that will go ape
I think there might be a point in there about bourgeois morality and manners being repressive.

nah, I've picked up on that. I just find it amusing that it's always bourgeois intellectuals who think that manners are (solely) a bourgeois affectation. quite easy to shout for chaos & upheaval from the sidelines.

surely worrying about people being too nice to each other is a sign of having too much time on your hands?
 

vimothy

yurp
Maybe you could look at liberalism as a political philosophy that could be caricatured as "politeness" -- everyone is free to have their own opinions as long as they don't impinge on anyone else. But this it is precisely this politeness that prevents anything more radical from emerging and disrupting the capitalist real. K-Punk is at war with liberalism (aka being polite).
 

john eden

male pale and stale
Maybe you could look at liberalism as a political philosophy that could be caricatured as "politeness" -- everyone is free to have their own opinions as long as they don't impinge on anyone else. But this it is precisely this politeness that prevents anything more radical from emerging and disrupting the capitalist real. K-Punk is at war with liberalism (aka being polite).

You could look at it like that I guess, but I don't see that as being very useful. I think what k-punk was doing was basically justifying his preferred mode of discourse - it's fine to shout at people and misrepresent their positions, and demand people are banned (because that is "antagonistic", which is good, mkay?)

But it isn't ok to take the piss out of people who do that for being wankers, or to suggest that they are banned.

Also, shouty and impolite disruption has been thoroughly commodified since punk, surely?
 

vimothy

yurp
It would be difficult to say of anyone whether their philosophy was constructed to justify their preferred social mode, or vice versa. How could you know? I couldn't even say that for sure about myself.

Re K-Punk specifically, I'm not in agreement--just trying to describe a position and that's what I see. He who shall not be named as well.
 

STN

sou'wester
I do often wonder how many of the people who grandstand about antagonistic discourse and flouting bourgeouis manners would actually be prepared to be rude or aggressive in person. I suspect not very many.

I read k-punk's blog and it is interesting - I wouldn't live my life by it, and I doubt he seriously expects me to.
 
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