Hurray for the Bohemians, the Beats and City Lights
Rexroth was a pacifist who thought of himself as a “philosophical anarchist.” After moving to San Francisco, he hung out with the anarchist community in North Beach and hawked anarchist periodicals at the City Lights Bookstore. He was a conscientious objector during the Second World War. He is considered the Father of the Beats.
I watched an episode of “The Men Who Built America” on the Biography Channel the other day. It first aired in 2012. I remember my husband telling me about it in 2012. He told me that Trump provided commentary throughout the series. At that point I was so disgusted with Trump that I didn’t want to know about the series. After his buffoonery in relation to The Central Park 5 & Obama’s birth certificate, along with a million other transgressions, I was so done with him. I started watching this particular episode after it began so I thought it was a biography of Thomas Edison because they were talking about several of his inventions and then the relationship between Edison and Tesla. It portrays the ruthless competition between J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, J.D. Rockefeller and Vanderbilt “to propel the United States to prosperity” (on the backs of men, women and children living in abject poverty). It was very hard to watch. These four men (and their minions) treated their workers like dirt or worse. The working conditions were dangerous with very long hours and very little compensation. Every time the workers tried to improve their working conditions they were met with crushing violence and even more oppression. Their ability to vote was also closely watched (sound familiar?). Trump is labeled as a “Real Estate Mogul” (I wonder who came up with that?). If you want to understand what makes Trump tick, some of the answers are in this series. He seems to have tried to create himself in their image. I definitely see the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality that I often hear from heartless Republicans in this documentary. That mentality ignores the fact that many people are born without bootstraps in the first place.
Rockefeller, Morgan...they did a lot of good things, too. Rockefeller invented modern philanthropy, for example, Morgan almost singlehandedly saved the national economy from collapsing in 1907. That doesn't excuse the horrible things they did, but they had souls. I don't see evidence of souls these days, not nearly as much. Case in point: Trump. He's not fit to shine Rockefeller's shoes!
It's weird, isn't it, to watch anything with Trump from the before times. It's unnerving. There is an ep of Anthony Bourdain where he goes to Russia, and he compares Trump and Putin. That was in 13 or 14, I think, before anything happened. Uncanny.
Yes! I wholeheartedly agree. This is a multi-faceted subject. If they did not dream big, our society would not have made the advancements that we have. The results of the chances they took definitely propelled humanity forward. The episode I saw really focused on the dark side of those times. And yes, it is so freaky to see Trump in the before times. I often wonder if he has multiple personalities because he can be so "normal" sometimes...then the greed takes over and it's back to crazy-town.
In so many ways, this is the absolute best time to be alive there ever was. Even ten years ago, covid would have killed a significant percentage of the total population. There are so many AMAZING things about being alive now. We just have to take it to the tyrants and the vampires!
My lady friends grandfather was a Wobbly in Arizona and California. He was arrested and put in a Federal prison in the Midwest. He became ill and was released and died shortly afterward.
A good read is "Radicalism in the Mountain West, 1890-1920"
My favorite Anarchist, Edward Abbey is also in the Anarchist Library. A short read on Abbey’s thesis.
https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/edward-abbey-theory-of-anarchy
Hurray for the Bohemians, the Beats and City Lights
Rexroth was a pacifist who thought of himself as a “philosophical anarchist.” After moving to San Francisco, he hung out with the anarchist community in North Beach and hawked anarchist periodicals at the City Lights Bookstore. He was a conscientious objector during the Second World War. He is considered the Father of the Beats.
Gotta go read Abbey now...
OK
Right? Me too! Been so long!
I watched an episode of “The Men Who Built America” on the Biography Channel the other day. It first aired in 2012. I remember my husband telling me about it in 2012. He told me that Trump provided commentary throughout the series. At that point I was so disgusted with Trump that I didn’t want to know about the series. After his buffoonery in relation to The Central Park 5 & Obama’s birth certificate, along with a million other transgressions, I was so done with him. I started watching this particular episode after it began so I thought it was a biography of Thomas Edison because they were talking about several of his inventions and then the relationship between Edison and Tesla. It portrays the ruthless competition between J.P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, J.D. Rockefeller and Vanderbilt “to propel the United States to prosperity” (on the backs of men, women and children living in abject poverty). It was very hard to watch. These four men (and their minions) treated their workers like dirt or worse. The working conditions were dangerous with very long hours and very little compensation. Every time the workers tried to improve their working conditions they were met with crushing violence and even more oppression. Their ability to vote was also closely watched (sound familiar?). Trump is labeled as a “Real Estate Mogul” (I wonder who came up with that?). If you want to understand what makes Trump tick, some of the answers are in this series. He seems to have tried to create himself in their image. I definitely see the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality that I often hear from heartless Republicans in this documentary. That mentality ignores the fact that many people are born without bootstraps in the first place.
ROBBER BARRONS
Rockefeller, Morgan...they did a lot of good things, too. Rockefeller invented modern philanthropy, for example, Morgan almost singlehandedly saved the national economy from collapsing in 1907. That doesn't excuse the horrible things they did, but they had souls. I don't see evidence of souls these days, not nearly as much. Case in point: Trump. He's not fit to shine Rockefeller's shoes!
It's weird, isn't it, to watch anything with Trump from the before times. It's unnerving. There is an ep of Anthony Bourdain where he goes to Russia, and he compares Trump and Putin. That was in 13 or 14, I think, before anything happened. Uncanny.
Yes! I wholeheartedly agree. This is a multi-faceted subject. If they did not dream big, our society would not have made the advancements that we have. The results of the chances they took definitely propelled humanity forward. The episode I saw really focused on the dark side of those times. And yes, it is so freaky to see Trump in the before times. I often wonder if he has multiple personalities because he can be so "normal" sometimes...then the greed takes over and it's back to crazy-town.
"advancements" "propelled humanity forward"
HMMMMMMMM Maybe the planet was better off when "we were Hunter/Gatherers.}
Before the "advent of Agriculture" and settling down to "live in our own shit."
Jared Diamond
I understand what you are saying. However, I have a deep appreciation for indoor plumbing!
Meanwhile as humans sell destruct in the race for Hegemony, i finish my reading of
The 100 Year Marathon by Pillsbury.
WHat is that? I don't know that one.
Are we truly an evolving species? Surely doesn't seem like it when one reads this today.
Evolving: The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert
In so many ways, this is the absolute best time to be alive there ever was. Even ten years ago, covid would have killed a significant percentage of the total population. There are so many AMAZING things about being alive now. We just have to take it to the tyrants and the vampires!
Sent my mind spinning to the Wobblies of the IWW ... Our political systems produced a weird eagle that tries to fly on two right-wings
Rexroth was involved with the IWW. Those guys, man. So important, and bad-ass as can be.
Too few folks know about that part of the American Labor Movement
IWW. The Wobblies.
My lady friends grandfather was a Wobbly in Arizona and California. He was arrested and put in a Federal prison in the Midwest. He became ill and was released and died shortly afterward.
A good read is "Radicalism in the Mountain West, 1890-1920"
by David R Berman
Ah yes the Bidet.
I prefer one ply
Disintegrating papel