Tag Archives: movement-building

Spring-ing into action? Yeah, good luck with that.

Posted on April 30, 2013 by

Finally, I am learning (I think). I am not, (wife-be-happy) going to dance to the Masochism Tango. There was a time I might have enthusiastically attended this, in Manchester on Saturday May 11th. No more. Why? Well, here’s the comment … Continue reading →

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The whines on the bus go round and round, round and round…

Posted on April 26, 2013 by

The left “extra-parliamentary left” is utterly hooked on proclaiming their own moral superiority, their victim status, on doling out little pats on the back to each other at miserabilist meetings/rallies. A shopping list of grievances. The grievances are all real … Continue reading →

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Whatever happened to the people who gave a damn?

Posted on March 19, 2013 by

As Gil Scott Heron sang here. Or did that just apply to not dying in the jungles of Vietnam… Two scenes from films spring to mind Warren Beatty as “Bulworth” lamenting whatever happened to Huey Newton etc etc and Halle … Continue reading →

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“Only Connect”: Red Pepper on Syriza, feminism and movements. (But oh, the turgidity.)

Posted on February 3, 2013 by

There are two pieces in the latest worthy Red Pepper (1) worthy of note (so far – I’ve not finished it). They are both book reviews. “Syriza in Greece has been the most successful in mobilising popular and electoral support … Continue reading →

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Movement-building: Insulin and unlocking energy

Posted on December 27, 2012 by

Not quite sure this metaphor* is going to be much use to anyone but myself, but here goes nuffink. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. It helps sugar in the blood get into the body’s cells, where the … Continue reading →

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Coasting and chilling

Posted on November 9, 2012 by

I am coasting. I have the curse of enough talent and energy to get through challenges on the seat of my pants (most of the time). I prepare for some of those challenges, and do well often/sometimes. But then I … Continue reading →

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And we can’t help falling in love with… us. #smugosphere

Posted on September 22, 2012 by

From “Devoke the Apocalypse“ “At Liberty Square we had created a feeling of utopianism. Utopianism as a feeling is hardly about the future; it is something that is felt—often overwhelmingly so—here and now. At Occupy I began to wonder whether … Continue reading →

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Climate of Despair: The past, present and future of the UK climate “movement”

Posted on September 17, 2012 by

I wrote this for the last issue of a (frankly unlamented) magazine called “Shift.” They’ve put it on their website, with no link to the main page, and no comments box.  Which tells you what they think of it, or … Continue reading →

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Activism and emotional needs being (un)met

Posted on August 15, 2012 by

This was going to a long and detailed post about intra-personal and group dynamics, covering burnout, individual and group momentum, self-care, the need for  compassion, love, solidarity etc. But then I thought, “Screw them all. Screw me too. I’ll post … Continue reading →

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XX marks the spot? Female-dominated meetings

Posted on August 7, 2012 by

Yes there are exceptions (many exceptions), but as a gross generalisation – for reasons that may have to do with genetics, or socialisation (and I am not particularly interested because the ‘genetics’ argument is a red herring) – women are … Continue reading →

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