,! ,EMPT9ESS ( 0,! ,LEFT0 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,WILLIAM ,GILLIS 

,TEXT 3 

,P]SONALLY1 ,I DON'T ?9K 0! LEFT0 ULTIMATELY REPRES5TS MU* ( ANY?+ COH]5T1 BUT RA!R CON/ITUTES A HI/ORICALLY CONT+5T COALITION ( IDEOLOGICAL POSITIONS4 ,BA/IAT & O!R FREE M>KET FOLKS SAT ON ! LEFT ( ! FR5* ASSEMBLY1 & :ILE WE MI<T TRY TO CLAIM ?AT AS P>T ( A CONSI/5T LEFTI/ M>KET TRADITION1 WE %\LD BE HONE/ ?AT ONE'S POSITION 9 ?AT P>TICUL> REVOLUTION -- MU* LESS REVOLUTION 9 G5]AL -- IS H>DLY 9DICATIVE ( V]Y MU*4 ,!RE >E ALWAYS REVOLUTION>IES :O DESIRE SY/EMS F> WORSE ?AN \R [N1 & SIMIL>LY !RE HAVE BE5 MANY BROADLY RECOGNIZ$ 0LEFTI/S0 :OSE DESIRES W]E UTT]LY ANA!MA TO LIB]ATION4 

,IT'S POPUL> !SE DAYS TO PA9T ! LEFT & RI<T AS EGALIT>IAN V]SUS HI]>*ICAL4 ,BUT NOT ONLY IS ?IS AN IMPOS$ READ ON A F> MESSI] HI/ORICAL & SOCIOLOGICAL REALITY1 BUT IT'S HONE/LY QUITE PHILOSOPHICALLY CONT5TLESS4 ,NO ONE IS P>TICUL>LY CLE> ON :AT EGALIT>IANISM MEANS1 OR EV5 HI]>*Y1 & MANY 9T]PRETATIONS >E NOT ONLY MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE1 !Y REVEAL SUPPOS$LY ID5TICAL CLAIMS AS ACTUALLY DEEPLY ANTAGONI/IC4 ,DOES EGALIT>IANISM MEAN EV]YONE GETS PRECISELY ! SAME WEAL? 7H[EV] ?AT'S SUPPOS$ TO BE MEASUR$78 ,DOES IT MEAN M]E LEGAL OR SOCIAL EQUALITY 9 ! AB/RACT REALM ( RELATIONS BE=E ,! ,PEOPLE OR ,! ,/ATE'S LEGAL SY/EM8 ,DOES IT MEAN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY = ECONOMIC /RIV+ OR DOES IT MEAN EQUAL ACCESS TO ! PEOPLE'S GRA9 /ORES8 ,DOES EQUALITY SUP]S$E ALL O!R VIRTUES LIKE LIB]TY8 ,IS IT BETT] TO ALL BE OPPRESS$ EQUALLY ?AN TO HAVE SOME A*IEVE GREAT] FRE$OM8 ,I'M NOT BE+ FACETI\S4 ,WE PAP] OV] !SE DEEP ISSUES ) 0WELL BUT COMMON S5SE0 & ! WI%FUL ASSUMPTION ?AT \R COMRADES WILL COME D[N ON ! M9UTIA ! SAME WAY WE W\LD1 %>+ \R 9TUITIONS ON V>I\S TRADE(FS1 BUT ?AT'S EMPIRICALLY NOT ! CASE4 ,WE CON/ANTLY DIFF]4 

,PEOPLE TALK AB\T 0COLLECTIVE DIRECT DEMOCRACY0 AS IF SOME?+ BE+ ! NE> UNANIM\S WILL ( SOME SOCIAL BODY CON/ITUTES AN EGALIT>IAN CONDITION4 ,&1 SURE1 IT DOES UND] SOME DEF9ITIONS4 ,BUT ! MOM5T ,I SEE SOME COLLECTIVE BODY TRY+ TO VOTE ON MY LIFE ,I DON'T WANT TO 0P>TICIPATE0 ,I WANT TO *UCK A BOMB AT IT4 ,LEFTI/S USE BO? ! SLOGANS 0P[] TO ! PEOPLE0 & 0ABOLI% P[]0 -- ?IS %\LD BE AN 9T5SE R$ FLAG TO EV]YONE ?AT COMPLETELY DIFF]5T CONCEPTUAL SY/EMS & VALUES >E AT PLAY4 ,IT'S DELUSIONAL 9 ! EXTREME TO SUPPOSE ?AT IF WE SAT D[N & TALK$ AB\T ?+S WE'D ALL 5D UP ON ! SAME PAGE4 ,! ASSUMPTION ( PAN-LEFTI/ SOLID>ITY OR A %>$ COMMON GOAL IS A COM=T+ LIE4 

,! LEFT ISN'T DEF9$ BY SOME SET ( AXIOMS 9 E?ICAL PHILOSOPHY ?AT WE CAN ALL AGREE ON & ?AN >GUE AB\T D]IVATIONS ( /RATEGY OR IMPLEM5TATION FROM4 ,! LEFT IS A HI/ORICAL COALITION ?R[N TOGE!R BY HAPP5/ANCE4 ,AS ) REVOLUTION WE T5D TO SELF-ID5TIFY AS ! UND]DOGS & BUILD \R COALITIONS FROM ! CLASSES WE RECOGNIZE AS UND]DOGS AGA9/ ! CLASSES WE RECOGNIZE AS RUL+ BUT ?IS LEADS TO ALL K9DS ( CONTORTIONS4 ,WE >E = ! RI<T TO *OOSE BECAUSE WOM5 >E ! UND]DOGS 9 PATRI>*Y4 ,BUT AT ! SAME TIME WE'RE PRO VEGAN BECAUSE ANIMALS >E ! 7SOMETIMES LIT]AL7 UND]DOGS 9 HUMAN DOM9ATION4 ,WAIT1 DO WE VALUE ALL LIV+ ?+S8 ,:AT C\NTS AS A DISCRETE LIV+ ?+8 ,DO WE VALUE !M EQUALLY OR IS ! LEVEL ( CONSCI\SNESS_/S5TI5CE IMPORTANT8 ,IS IT ! LEVEL ( DEP5D5CE OR /RA9 IT PLACES ON ANO!R P]SON8 ,SUDD5LY ! RESPONSES WE HAVE 9 SITUATIONS ) FAMILY MEMB]S V]SUS ! OV]DOGS ( *RI/IANITY SEEM+LY />T TO COME 9TO CONFLICT ) ! RESPONSES WE HAVE 9 SITUATIONS ) DISABL$ PEOPLE 7UND]DOGS674 ,I'M NOT SAY+ !RE ISN'T A WAY TO ?READ ALL !SE DYNAMICS1 TO F9D A CORE E?ICAL GUIDE & NUANC$ ATT5TIVE IMPLEM5TATION -- ,I ?9K !RE IS ONE 7AL?\< MY P>TICUL> APPROA* ( ULTIMATELY RECOGNIZ+ A VA/ SPECTRUM ( S5TI5CE_/CONSCI\SNESS BETWE5 ZYGOTES_/NEMATODES & ANYONE REMOTELY CLOSE TO A CONSCI\S HUMAN IS D5\NC$ BY A NUMB] ON ! LEFT AS 0UNEGALIT>IAN074 ,I'M PO9T+ \T ?AT \R RESPONSES R>ELY >ISE FROM AN E?ICAL ANALYSIS BUT FROM 9/9CTUAL RESPONSES TO ANY APPE>ANCE ( AN UND]DOG4 ,! LEFT IS R>ELY A PHILOSOPHY1 MORE (T5 A COALITION1 ) !ORY TACK$ ON TO S]VE ! GOALS ( B9D+ ?AT COALITION TOGE!R4 ,ONE C\LD EASILY IMAG9E UNIV]SES ) DIFF]5T HI/ORICAL PA?S :]E \TLAW+ ABORTION IS A CORE LEFTI/ PLANK1 SE5 AS DEEPLY 9T]RELAT$ ) OPPOS+ QUE]PHOBIA1 PATRI>*Y1 ABLEISM1 ETC4 ,OR ! LEFT C\LD OPPOSE LEGAL SANCTION1 BUT SUPPORT & BUILD GRASSROOTS SOCIAL & CULTURAL SANCTION AGA9/ ABORTION4 7,AGA91 = ! RECORD ,I'M PRO-*OICE47 

,UND]DOGISM IS A REALLY DANG]\S APPROA* TO ! WORLD4 ,IT'S A GOOD 0RULE ( ?UMB0 BUT IF Y\ KN[ ANY?+ AB\T ME IT'S ?AT ,I ABHOR SU* HEURI/ICS & SEE !M AS ! OPPOSITE ( RADICAL ANALYSIS4 ,UND]DOGISM IS H[ Y\ GET ?+S LIKE ZIONISM1 L59ISM1 POC NATIONALISM1 ,T,],FS1 ,S,W,],FS1 ETC4 ,ITS FAILURES >E MANIFOLD4 ,!RE'S A GOOD CASE ! LEFT IS NO?+ BUT UND]DOGISM -- 9 :I* CASE FASCISM IS ALMO/ ALWAYS LEFTI/4 ,M,R,AS DON'T APPROA* POLITICS LIKE A REACTION>Y ON ! RI<T SIDE ( ! ,FR5* ,E/ATES ,G5]AL1 CONSCI\SLY SEEK+ TO PRES]VE AN E/ABLI%$ RUL+ /RUCTURE1 !Y SEE !MSELVES AS ! UND]DOGS4 ,SURE1 !Y'RE NOT 79 ALMO/ EV]Y?+ BESIDES SOME FR+E CONTEXTS LIKE SOME BITS ( DIVORCE LAW71 BUT FUCK IT !Y'RE POT5TIAL UND]DOGS1 & ?AT /ATUS IS MORE ?AN 5\< TO REPRODUCE MU* ( ! /&>D /RUCTURES ( UND]DOGISM4 

,ONE MI<T 9T]JECT ?AT ! PROBLEM ) UND]DOGISM ( ! ALT-RI<T IS NOT JU/ !IR MISID5TIFICATION ( UND]DOGS BUT !IR HUNG] = P[]1 & ?IS IS C]TA9LY BROADLY TRUE 7AL?\< A FRACTION ( ! ALT-RI<T ACTUALLY SEEM LESS 9 IT = P[] BUT MORE 9 IT TO DR9K \TGR\P_/0OV]DOG0 TE>S74 ,BUT ?IS C]TA9LY APPLIES TO MU* ( ! LEFT 9 GOOD /&+4 ,C]TA9LY MANY AU?ORIT>IAN LEFTI/S HAVE HUNGRILY LAT*$ ONTO UND]DOGISM AS A POT5TIAL LADD] TO P[]4 ,I'VE MET FEM9I/ WRIT]S :O OP5LY ADMITT$ TO ME !Y'D BE PATRI>*AL IF !Y W]E M51 OR [N SLAVES IF !Y W]E ANTEBELLUM RI* :ITES4 

,YES1 ANY SET ( SM>T P]SONS :O RECOIL AT CLE> 9/ANCES ( OPPRESSION >E GONNA BROADLY CONV]GE ON A NUMB] ( POSITIONS OR ANALYZES4 ,BUT ! WAY !Y RECONCILE OR HOLD TOGE!R !SE ?+S MAY DIFF] DRAMATICALLY4 ,JU/ BECAUSE ! LEFT IS A /ABLE COALITION 9 \R PRES5T CONTEXT DOESN'T MEAN ASPECTS ( IT ?AT SEEM 9 P]FECT H>MONY WON'T BREAK 9 WILDLY DIFF]5T DIRECTIONS %\LD C]TA9 CONDITIONS *ANGE4 

,I HAVE REPEAT$LY 5C\NT]$ LEFTI/S :O'VE CLAIM ?AT VALU+ SOME ?+S ABOVE O!R ?+S IS HI]>*ICAL & ?US RI<T-W+ 7LEFTISM BE+ 9 !IR M9DS REPRES5T+ SOME?+ MORE LIKE /OICISM OR BUDDHISM74 ,SIMIL>LY Y\ F9D EPI/EMIC PLURALISM COMMON 9 ! MO/ HEADS-UP-!IR-ASS SECTORS ( LEFT ACADEMIA :O ?9K ?9K+ SOME MODELS ( ! WORLD >E MORE TRUE ?AN O!RS IS 0UNEGALIT>IAN0 OR EV5 0TOTALIT>IAN40 ,IT'S TEMPT+ TO JU/ LAU< AB\T HIPPIES & MOVE ON1 BUT !SE SORT ( HORRIFICALLY BAD DEF9ITIONS ( 0EGALIT>IANISM0 WILL SOMETIMES COME \T ( ! M\?S ( SM>T PEOPLE :O G5]ALLY HAVE !IR HEADS ON /RAI<T ! MOM5T !Y MOVE TO A CONTEXT !Y'RE UNUS$ TO4 

,N[ ,I HATE ! ,N,A,P1 BUT EV]YONE LAU<S AT ! ,N,A,P !SE DAYS = BE+ 0UNPRAGMATIC0 & ?IS HAS 9CREAS+LY BECOME TI$ TO A CASUAL 9DICTM5T ( ALL E?ICAL PHILOSOPHY ITSELF4 ,A TURN ?AT HAS BE5 5C\RAG$ BY ! TW9 9T]RELAT$ SC\RGES ( ! MOD]N 9T]NET F> LEFT3 TANKIES & NIHILI/S4 ,?IS MAKES S5SE IF -- AS P] SOCIAL JU/ICE -- Y\ SEE ! PO9T ( ! LEFT TO CREATE A SOCIAL FRAMEWORK ( ETIQUETTE & LOOSE IDEOLOGY ?AT CAN B9D A COALITION ( UND]DOG CLASSES TOGE!R4 ,?US ! 9CREAS+ REFRA9 ( 0Y\ CAN'T COMP>E60 ?AT HAPP5S :5EV] SOMEONE TRIES TO TEASE \T COMMONALITIES OR CONTRADICTIONS BETWE5 V>I\S CLAIMS1 POSITIONS OR PLANKS4 ,!RE IS1 FROM ?IS P]SPECTIVE1 NO COMMON ROOT OR UNIFY+ E?OS TO ! LEFT & WE %\LD NOT LOOK = ONE LE/ ! :OLE PROJECT FALL AP>T4 ,PHILOSOPHY1 E?ICS1 & CORE VALUES OR PR9CIPLES BECOME ! 5EMIES1 AS DOES BO? ME?ODOLOGICAL 9DIVIDUALISM & UNIV]SALISM4 ,!RE >E NEI!R 9DIVIDUAL EXP]I5CES NOR UNIV]SAL ONES1 JU/ RELATIVELY SIMPLI/IC CLASSES ( PEOPLE ) 9COMP>ABLE EXP]I5CES4 ,& WE B9D !M TOGE!R 9TO COMMON CAUSE BY BADG]+1 SOCIAL POSITION+1 POETIC AFFECTIVE APPEALS1 & ?REATS ( VIOL5CE4 

,! LEFT ISN'T UNIFI$ BY ANY?+4 ,M>XISM IS HALF DISCR$IT$ BY IDIOCY & MON/ROSITY & ! HALF ?AT SURVIV$ BECAME A WILDLY CONTRADICTORY MESS MORE PREOCCUPI$ ) OBSCURANTISM1 IRRATIONALITY & ANTI-REALISM TO HIDE ITS [N FAILURES ?AN GETT+ ANY?+ DONE MU* LESS *>T+ A PA?4 ,MO/ ( ! CONC]NS ( ! LEFT REF] TO OPPOS+ MY?OLOGIZ$ SUP]/RUCTURES ?AT WE >E LEFT FLAIL+ 9 ! ABS5CE ( OR :5EV] !IR COMPOSITION & BEHAVIOR *ANGE4 ,! LEFT IS1 9 %ORT1 UTT]LY ALL]GIC TO RADICALISM4 ,F5D+ (F ITS 9ADEQUACIES ) %ORT PUFFS ( EXTREMISM 9/EAD4 

,AS SOCIAL & IDEOLOGICAL COMPLEXITIES COMP\ND ?R\< ! RUNAWAY FE$BACK ( ! 9=MATION AGE !SE 9T]NAL T5SIONS & ! LAU<ABLY FRAIL TAP+ OV] WE'VE DONE WILL ONLY BECOME MORE CLE>4 

,!RE IS /ILL HOPE = A RADICAL AN>*ISM ?AT IS WILL+ TO ROOT ITS DISCUSSIONS ( FRE$OM & E?ICS CONCRETELY & EXPLICITLY4 ,BUT ?IS WILL NECESS>ILY 9VOLVE CA/+ (F FROM MANY ALLIES :O WE %>E SOME LIMIT$ 9TUITIONS OR MOM5T>Y PRESCRIPTIONS )4 ,OR AT LEA/ DISSOLV+ ! COM=T+ DELUSIONS ( A DEEP CAM>AD]IE4 

,! ONLY REASON ! LIE ( 0! LEFT0 HAS P]SI/$ = TWO C5TURIES IS ?AT ITS GR& ,MANI*EAN N>RATIVE ( TWO MORE OR LESS UNI=M TRIBES -- ONE 5LI<T5$ & ONE 9DECIPH]ABLY MORALLY CORRUPT -- 5ABLES A S5SE ( COMMUNITY ?AT PROVIDES PSY*OLOGICAL COM=T TO MANY4 ,TO MANY ON ! LEFT 7AS WELL AS ON ! NATIONALI/IC ETC RI<T7 A HUNG] = 0COMMUNITY0 IS ACTUALLY !IR PRIM>Y MOTIVATION4 ,:5 *ATT+ AT ! B> IT'S BETT] TO NOT LOOK TOO DEEP 9TO :Y Y\ BO? OPPOSE CAPITALI/S LE/ Y\ DISCOV] SOME?+ ?AT SUND]S RA!R ?AN B9DS4 

,BUT ! =MAT ( PRES5T 9T]NET TE*NOLOGIES HAS HAD ! REV]SE EFFECT4 ,9ESCAPABLE CONTACT ) ,! ,5EMY HAS L$ US TO PUT UP HO/ILE DISCURSIVE WALLS ?AT NATURALLY 5D UP CUTT+ \T \R TRADITIONAL ALLIES TOO1 CAUS+ BO? RI<T & LEFT TO FRACTURE 9 DESP]ATE ATTEMPTS TO F9D PURITY1 TRU/WOR?9ESS1 OR SOME K9D ( DEEP] B9D+4 ,! HAPP5/ANCE PO9TS ( UNITY ?AT WORK$ :5 WE HAD LITTLE *OICE 9 :O TO BEFRI5D >E N[ FRACTUR+ 9 ALL DIRECTIONS4 ,?IS IS L>GELY A GOOD ?+1 ! LA/ TWO DECADES HAVE SE5 ALL MANN] ( HORRORS LURK+ AMONG \R [N RANKS EXPOS$4 ,BUT ! PROCESS ?AT BR+S TO LI<T \R LACK ( COMMONALITY ) ! ANTI-SCI5CE LEFTI/ DEEP ECOLOGI/ :O WANTS TO KILL ALL HUMANS IS ALSO A PROCESS ?AT WILL ULTIMATELY RIP 0! LEFT0 TO UNSALVAGEABLE %R$S4 

,?IS %IP IS S9K+4 ,& JU/ BECAUSE MANY ( ! RATS >E FLEE+ DOESN'T MEAN WE %\LDN'T EI!R4 

,FROM 3 ,!,AN>*I/,LIBR>Y4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
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