[pagan-magik] Work!?

[steve ash]

Before I address David's point I'd like to thank
Adrian for a very lucid responce (not sure if it got
to the list though). Basically he pointed out that
work can also be 'stimulating, creative, empowering
and promote our growth', and I totally agree. I just
wouldn't call this 'work'. For me work means something
you do to overcome a resistance so it doesn't apply to
the above as this is not 'work' I find I have t force
myself to do, rather I have to force myself not to do
more often, as its so addictive. I would call this
positive 'work' 'productive activity' (a crap name but
cant think of an alternative) and would claim we have
a need for 'productive activity' as much as we do for
food, shelter, sex and sociality (and conflict of
course). Thats why we can have a voluntary society
because people enjoy their creativity and useful role
in society, its absolutely essential. But its not
work, which remains for me a disempowering form of
slavery performed against our own desires. Thus I
refuse to refer to workshops as anything other than
playshops (accept when I forget). If we can get paid
for 'productive activity' in the current world we are 
very lucky of course.

The only point I differ with Adrian on might be the
notion of working for a company that supports
alternative solutions (and not sabotaging it as this
helps the system). My personal stance (ie not some
universal truth) is not to be involved in reformist
groups or charities as I see these as supporting the
system too (especially charities, which Oscar Wilde in
the Soul of Man Under Socialism, one of my 'bibles',
correctly identified as proping up a degenerate system
rather than pulling it down). I'm all for the
reduction of the existing order to rubble and the
creation of totally different alternatives to replace
it with. Though I agree its wrong to sabotage
reformist work. And of course we all have to survive
in hell somehow! :)

Lilith's insights into the work moloch and patriarchy
were also inspiring for me.

David's post was brilliant, and in someways echoes
what I said about productive activity being necessary.
Though I repeat that only some of us are lucky enough
to be able to do this. 

As for the benefit thing I agree the Welfare State
enslaves people but I wouldn't be stupid enough to
think I was free on it. Freedom is impossible within
the current system and everything we do supports it in
one way or another. But I do tend to see it as a form
of robbery through fraud (most of my 20 years on the
dole were spent with my feet up not looking for work,
when not addicted to 'productive activity' that
prevented me from taking up a job), and perhaps a
movement towards accelerating the economic collapse of
the system. If it wasn't for this I would have to take
up guerilla warfare or armed robbery like the
anarchist Bonnot Gang (the only true anarchists in my
view). A safer option might be to 'work' within the
system but to energize its internal contradictions and
accelerate its collapse. My suggested replacement
'system' being not within the system, but outside it
(as much as is possible) in alternative communities
and lifestyles.

As for technicians, I agree, I'm no primitivist, I
want hi tech (without heavy industry), though the best
technicians I know are on the dole and engaged in
hacking and other disruptive activities and the worst
technicians I know are employed as technicians :)

Finally none of these remarks are intended to be
criticisms of anyones life choices and should be taken
as purely abstract theory triggered by remarks on the
list.  

Steve (Nyalahotep)

 







 

 
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