This year at Left Forum, this weekend, my friend Nick and I are hosting a panel called "Revolutionary Recovery." What we are doing is looking at politics and the possibility of revolutionary change through the lens of sobriety and recovery. We are treating "politics as usual" as a disease. We are making the break with the politics of violence, secrecy and war one that demands a clean program, a dedication to recovery.
Please come!
It's this Sunday at 3 PM. Here's all the info, and a longer description, written with our co-panelist Charles.
Three activist writers: Nick Bryant, Charles M. Young, and Sander Hicks will give a short talk to spark off a round-robin, group discussion event.
Please come!
It's this Sunday at 3 PM. Here's all the info, and a longer description, written with our co-panelist Charles.
Revolutionary Recovery
at Left Forum 2012
Session 7
Room W521
Sunday March 18
3:00 pm - 4:40 pm
Summary:
Aldous Huxley said that Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
was “the most important social movement of the 20 Century.” Alcoholics
Anonymous works thanks to its radical egalitarianism. It has millions of
dysfunctional members and no leaders. It’s the biggest, and most successful,
radical/anarchist group in the world.
How can this successful 12-Step model could be
translated into an honest form of non-violent revolutionary political activism?
We will answer this question with a live
gathering of people seeking a political form of sobriety, a “revolutionary
recovery.”
The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement can be seen
as a grassroots effort to take the first step towards political recovery, true
democracy, and a new culture of American non-violence. What could OWS learn
from the 77-year-old AA?
AA is organized but has
no hierarchy, just trusted servants who get no privilege with their position — OWS
is the same. AA has good relations with the neighbors and finds refuge in
churches — OWS does as well. AA tries to maintain recovery. OWS tries to
maintain recovery. The similarities don’t end there.
At the historic first
Meeting of Revolutionary Recovery, three activist writers: Nick Bryant, Charles M. Young, and Sander
Hicks will spark off a round-robin, group discussion. Everyone will be urged to share their experiences with
sobriety, addiction, and its comparisons to political recovery.
ok, FOR THE TRULY DEDICATED.... this is the longer
description that we three panelists hammered out. it’s worth looking over….
Revolutionary Recovery
Aldous Huxley said that Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
was “the most important social movement of the 20 Century.” Leading anarchist
thinker Colin Ward called Alcoholics Anonymous vibrant examples
of effective radical grassroots organization.
Alcoholics Anonymous works thanks to its radical
egalitarianism. It has millions of dysfunctional members and no leaders. We
propose it could be seen as the biggest and most successful radical/anarchist
group in the world.
AA has spawned over two hundred similar 12-Step
fellowships. This recovery model has enabled millions of people to successfully
recover from a myriad of addictions and compulsions. It has helped people
reclaim their lives, and live in freedom.
How can this successful 12-Step model could be
translated into an honest form of non-violent revolutionary political activism?
What would an organized process of
"revolutionary recovery" look like?
We will answer these questions not with an
academic answer, but a live gathering of people seeking a political form of
sobriety, a “revolutionary recovery.”
THE PROBLEM:
Politics as usual in the USA isn’t just
dysfunctional, it’s a disease. A President from “the left” engages in war,
direct assassination, illegal detention, and continued cover-up. Americans
across the spectrum feel that they are powerless. As a consequence, we have
begun to see that our government is unmanageable.
The good news is that rigorous honesty about our powerlessness
and unmanageability is the first step to recovery. After an individual admits
powerlessness and unmanageability, he or she has the potential for recovery.
Is it possible for the citizens of America to
admit an en mass powerlessness and unmanageability? Is it possible to use a
12-Step template to recover? What would that look like?
A POSSIBLE SOLUTION:
America is waking up
from an illusion.
The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement can be seen
as a grassroots effort to take the first step towards political recovery, true
democracy, and a new culture of American non-violence.
What could OWS learn from
the staying power of the 77-year-old AA?
AA started small and
took years to work out its program. It flowered nationally in 1941 with the
publication of a major Saturday Evening Post feature article. OWS started small
and was over-exposed in the media before it had a chance to work out its
program internally.
AA is organized but has
no hierarchy, just trusted servants who get no privilege with their position — OWS
is the same. AA has good relations with the neighbors and finds refuge in
churches — OWS does as well.
Washington and Wall
Street claim incalculable privilege and have erected a vast edifice of
propaganda to defend it. AA and OWS claim no privilege and have a policy of
rigorous honesty.
Washington and Wall
Street believe in totalitarian collectives, called corporations, in which one
guy at the top tells everyone else what to do. AA and OWS believe in democratic
collectives, called meetings and general assemblies, and everyone has a say in
what is done.
AA
tries to maintain recovery. OWS tries to maintain recovery.
FIRST MEETING OF
REVOLUTIONARY RECOVERY:
This is a proposal to have a historic first gathering of Revolutionary Recovery at Left Forum 2012.
This is a proposal to have a historic first gathering of Revolutionary Recovery at Left Forum 2012.
The Meeting will blend
the practices of Occupy Wall Street, and 12-Step principles
Three activist writers: Nick Bryant, Charles M. Young, and Sander Hicks will give a short talk to spark off a round-robin, group discussion event.
Participants from all
walks of life will be urged to share their own experiences with sobriety,
addiction, political recovery and how they have each freed themselves from a
pervasive addiction to illusion.
Charles
M. Young has written for Rolling Stone, New York Times, Village Voice,
Musician, Guitar World, Playboy, Men's Journal, and many other publications. He
has played bass for the Dry Heaves, Iron Prostrate, and The Whistling Boogers.
Nick
Bryant is author of "The Franklin Scandal." (Trine Day, 2010) A
lifelong scientific and investigative reporter, his 2010 book exposed a
child-trafficking ring with links to the US Ruling Class, the Bush White House,
and CIA.
Sander
Hicks is author of the forthcoming "Slingshot to the Juggernaut"
(Soft Skull, April, 2012). He is the founder of Soft Skull Press and the Truth
Party.
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