Thursday, February 21, 2008

Ideas or Tactics?

A mistake I made when leading the Underground Literary Alliance was allowing our enemies to define us solely on our tactics, when the important part of the literary rebellion has always been the ideas behind the tactics.

Not that the tactics weren't necessary-- they were absolutely necessary to give the authentic literary underground any kind of standing. In this society, cultural totalitarianism is maintained by its noise level.

In future essays I'll point out the anachronistic thought patterns of System-backed pseudo-rebels; how they're immoveably stuck in the assumptions of the Sixties, which no longer hold in a nation which since then in so many ways, starting with economically, has been radically transformed. The entire culture remains trapped in the Sixties. It's time to cut loose.

The literary Resistance will triumph with new, unstoppable ideas.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Flawed Karl:
New ideas.
Unstoppable ideas....eh? (My little tribute to the late Ray Smith there.)
How often does an idea come into your head that isn't "It's about time for another Motor City Boilermaker now"?
(MCB=1 part Old Milwaukee, 1 part grape Faygo, 1 part Ripple. Also known as Purple Passion.)

FDW said...

'swounds more like what people who work hard the working poor in today's neo-liberal parlance especially especially those who survive cleaning ivy league brat apartment owned by the slumlords in Philly call "purple Jesus"-- a super stong degreaser cocktail that can strip the redidue off a stove used to cook Hindoo cusine.
Of course any "working" civil discussion is wasted on a jerkoff like yourself as the only grease you have obviously any acquaintance with is that on your palms.
I think knowingly since I was part of King's spectacular later ULA literary actions in Manhattan and West Philadelphia, that by "ideas" he is also meaning "strategies". And strategies are ideas or concepts set into motion and fleshed out by tactics.
What those were and are you for one are not interesting enough to explain to.

King Wenclas said...

I'll be returning again and again to the importance of our DIY ideas. The Ray Carver matter emphasizes that the present system doesn't work for writers, at all.
p.s. I don't mind posts from the likes of "Roody." This is what passes for intellectual discussion from the demi-puppets of the literary establishment. Let them show themselves for what they are.
p.s. I wish I was drinking as much as I'm alleged to! Unfortunately, those days are over-- two beer limit since, believe it or not, our Chicago show way back in 2003. I have a few brain cells left also!-- at 50% I'm still sharper than any establishment writer out there. . . .