Tag Archives: smugosphere

The Perils of Positive Feedback(s). Nowt to do with Climate, everything to do with the Smugosphere

Posted on April 21, 2014 by dwighttowers

If you don’t already know about “positive feedbacks” in biology (release of oxytocin during childbirth) and earth systems (melting ice exposes dark ocean, increasing warming, melting ice…) then go google it. I’m here to talk about the dangers of collecting … Continue reading →

Posted in politics | Tagged | 4 Comments

Tactic #001 – “change the subject” SWPAfSLetal

Posted on September 25, 2013 by dwighttowers

I managed not to laugh when the Leninist said – straight-faced – that there was a difference between “top-down” and “democratic socialism.” I managed not to howl with mirth when she explained that Lenin had to abolish the soviets (workers … Continue reading →

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Awesome essential-reading feminist novel about activism and war; Mud by Nicky Edwards

Posted on September 7, 2013 by dwighttowers

I have a short list of books about activism that I think are excellent. Non-exhaustively, it includes the following Vida by Marge Piercy Death is Part of the Process by Hilda Bernstein Local Deities by Agnes Bushell (incidentally, her other … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, book review | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

“getting in the way of politics” #leninists #epic-fail #unintentionallyhilarious #smugosphere

Posted on June 11, 2013 by dwighttowers

Politics, it seems, is what happens when a bunch of people sit at the front of a room talking at a passive audience, allowing them to ask questions of one or more of the speakers.  If you challenge that, you … Continue reading →

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“De-fragging the movement” or “The definition of insanity…”

Posted on June 8, 2013 by dwighttowers

I went to the first half of an event today that was all about how important it is to organise (hold meetings, “do” activism) differently. From one hundred feet up the meeting would have appeared to be almost EXACTLY like … Continue reading →

Posted in activism, competence | Tagged , , , , | 11 Comments

Movement-building gimmick: “the skills in the room go round and round…”

Posted on June 7, 2013 by dwighttowers

So, in my unpaid consultant (cough cough) role today, I was ad-libbing about how you could make everyone in the room – from hardened activist to starry-eyed “newbie” (terrible phrase that it is) – see that their contribution is both … Continue reading →

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Of Holy Roman Empires and #Manchester People’s Assemblies. Change? Plus ca change…

Posted on May 26, 2013 by dwighttowers

I may be suffering from premature exasperation, it’s true. But last Tuesday night’s little (alright, large) smugathon perturbed me mightily. The organisers had got Mark Steel (yesterday’s darling) and Owen “Chavs” Jones (today’s darling) along. This on its own was … Continue reading →

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Petitions and the smugosphere – bwahahahaha

Posted on May 11, 2013 by dwighttowers

From here. Hat-tip to Sam

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Guest post: “Take up activism”

Posted on October 15, 2012 by dwighttowers

Inspired by a rant about the utter ineptitude of an activist discussion last Sunday, I’ve been sent this by someone who wishes to remain anonymous. Let’s start by saying I’m a big fan of the ‘Give Up Activism‘ critique! I … Continue reading →

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