I’m reading Erich Fromm’s Psychoanalysis and Religion along side Galeano’s Mirrors: Stories of Almost Everyone and Wilhelm Reich’s The Sexual Revolution. In it, he quotes from his book Man for Himself. The quote, which I’ve copied below, speaks to the human struggle for understanding and meaning - a condition which revolutionaries should take to heart in constructing our narratives of society, program of solutions, and visions of the future.

Here is Fromm:

“Self-awareness, reason, and imagination have disrupted the “harmony” which characterizes animal existence. Their emergence has made man into an anomaly, into the freak of the universe. He is part of nature, subject to her physical laws and unable to change them, yet he transcends the rest of nature. He is set apart while being a part; he is homeless, yes chained to the home he shares with all creatures. Cast into this world at an accident place and time, he is forced out of it, again accidentally. Being aware of himself, he realizes his powerlessness and the limitations of his existence. He visualizes his own end: death. Never is he free from the dichotomy of his existence: he cannot rid himself of his mind, even if he should want to; he cannot rid himself of his body as long as he is alive - and his body makes him want to be alive.

“Reason, man’s blessing, is also his curse; it forces him to cope everlastingly with the task of solving an insoluble dichotomy. Human existence is different in this respect from that of all other organisms; it is in a state of constant and unavoidable disequilibrium. Man’s life cannot “be lived” by repeating the pattern of his species; he must live. Man is the only animal that can be bored, that can be discontented, that can feel evicted from paradise. Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve and from which he cannot escape. He cannot go back to the prehuman state of harmony with nature; he must proceed to develop his reason until he becomes the master of nature, and of himself.

“The emergence of reason has created a dichotomy within man which forces him to strive everylastingly for new solutions. The dynamism of his history is intrinsic to the existence of reason which causes him to develop and, through it, to create a world of his own in which he can feel at home with himself and his fellow men. Every stage he reaches leaves him discontented and perplexed, and this very perplexity urges him to new toward new solutions. There is no innate “drive for progress” in man; it is the contradiction of his experience that makes him proceed on the way he set out. Having lost paradise, the unity with nature, he has become the eternal wanderer (Odysseus, Oedipus, Abraham, Faust); he is impelled to go forward and with everlasting effort to make the unknown known by filling in with answers the blank spaces of his knowledge. He must give account to himself of himself, and of the meaning of his existence. He is driven to overcome this inner split, tormented by a craving for “absoluteness”, for another kind of harmony which can lift the curse by which he was separated from nature, from his fellow men, and from himself.”

I’m thankful to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, not only for his tremendous leadership in leading his country and the world in new wave of egalitarian revolution, but in particular for introducing me - and millions of other people around the world, to the great poet, Eduardo Galeano. I’m amazed daily by the re-realization about the degree to which my formalized schooling has thus far been wholly inadequate. Of course I shouldn’t find it surprizing, understanding the real role of formal schooling, but it continually does. I was with my friend John on a rainy day in the East Village. We were visiting several bookstores in New York’s East Village. I picked up a bunch of used books - books by Herbert Marcuse, Freud, and Erich Fromm. We spent a while in St. Mark’s Books, where I noticed Galeano’s new book: Mirrors: Stories of Almost Everyone. I opened the book, not knowing what to find, and I was immediately taken in. Under the dust jacket, the gorgeous red hardcover book is 400 pages long, and contains around 500-700 vignettes - short scenes which convey powerful lessons - each between half a page and a page in length. The stories draw from history, mythology, legend, religion, spiritual stories, parables, fairy tales, and social movements, each turning classic stories on their heads in imaginative ways to leave debunk the authoritarian myths we’re told about history and society. As my words are far too weak to do Eduardo Galeano’s poetry justice, here are two of his stories:

—
How Could We?
by Eduardo Galeano, Mirrors: Stories of Almost Everyone, pp. 4

To be mouth or mouthful, hunter or hunted. That was the question.
We deserved scorn, or at most pity. In the hostile wilderness no one respected us, no one feared us. We were the most vulnerable beasts in the animal kingdom, terrified of night and the jungle, useless as youngsters, not much better as adults, without claws or fangs or nimble feet or keen sense of smell.
Our early history is lost in mist. It seems all we ever did was break rocks and beat each other with clubs.
But one might well ask: Weren’t we able to survive, when survival was all but impossible, because we learned to share our food and band together for defense? Would today’s me-first, do-your-own-thing civilization have lasted more than a moment?

—
Guernica
by Eduardo Galeano, Mirrors: Stories of Almost Everyone, pp. 293

Paris, spring of 1937: Pablo Picasso wakes up and reads.
He reads the newspaper while having breakfast in his studio.
His coffee grows cold in the cup.
German planes have razed the city of Guernica. For three hours the Nazi air force chased and machine-gunned people fleeing the burning city.
General Franco insists that Guernica has been set aflame by Asturian dynamiters and Basque pyromachiacs from the ranks of the Communists.
Two years later in Madrid, Wolfram von Richthofen, commander of the German forces in Spain, sits beside Franco at the victory parade: killing Spaniards was Hitler’s rehearsal for his impending world war.
Many years later in New York, Colin Powell makes a speech at the United Nations to announce the imminent annihilation of Iraq.
While he speaks, the back of the room is hidden from view, Guernica is hidden from view. The reproduction of Picasso’s painting, which hangs there, is concealed behind an enormous blue cloth.
UN officials decided it was not the most appropriate backdrop for the proclaimation of a new round of butchery.

—
I’ll certainly be picking up more of Galeano’s books soon. I’m thinking about getting Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent next.

So what’s going on in Venezuela anyway? Greg Wilpert explains in a new book “Changing Venezuela by Taking Power: The History and Policies of the Chavez Government” whats going on there, its history, how it came about, and where it might go. A great read for people on the Left everywhere who are interested in Venezuela and Latin America’s challenge to international capitalism.

“It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.” - Sun Tzu, The Art of War

The Art of War, written in the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu (Master Sun), is a 13 chapter Chinese treatise on military warfare and strategy. When read metaphorically, its a brilliant addition to those studying political strategy, and especially for those seeking fundamental social transformation.

Steve Bucknum posted an article called “George Lakoff vs. Sun Tzu” two years ago on BlueOregon where he recommended the ancient text to those interested in building progressive political power. Referring to text in the context of Oregon he said:

“Study of the ‘Nine Terrains’ (a chapter in the ‘Art of War’) is a good metaphor for having political strength in one part of the State, but not others — and how to maximize our strength and minimize the power of the other side. (If we attack their homelands, and cause them to defend their base, then they will not have enough strength left to attack our base. — Makes you want to spend more time/effort/money in Eastern Oregon!) There is a lot of good advice for strategy in these works — ‘When you are committed to employing your forces, feign inactivity. When your objective is nearby, make it appear as if distant; when far away, create the illusion of being nearby.’ These works have stood the test of thousands of years, in fact that some of it has risen to the level of ‘common sense’ in that we have heard parts before.”

Its a short book too, depending on the version & translation you get, the actual text is about 60-75 pages - and well worth every page. The translation I have can be bought here.

The following is a review I wrote for ZNet on April 21, 2007. It’s one of my favorite books and super relevant for building powerful movements for social change. Check it out:

Remembering Tomorrow: From SDS to Life After Capitalism, a memoir by Michael Albert, published by Seven Stories Press, is a must read for every young organizer serious about winning long-term, systematic change in the world. It critically analyzes the social movements of the past with the goal of building the stronger, more explosive and powerful movements of the future. Rather than ignoring persistent movement problems, it asks the hard questions that far too many experienced organizers avoid. Its look at the sixties and decades since, addressing culture, political events, and especially activist organizing, presents history not only honestly, but as we need it. Its focus on vision and strategy challenges our current over emphasis on only critique. Its exploration of what type of society we really want by way of historical examples and experiences is truly remarkable.

How can we bring more people into our movements; even make our movements gravitationally attractive and compelling? How can we make it easier for people in the movement to lead normal lives? How can we relate to new and broader audiences? How can we frame reforms in a radical context, and direct them towards future social gains? What role should militancy play in the movement? What might a revolution in the United States look like (and how can we get there)? All of these pressing questions, and many more, are addressed at length and in depth in the book. Albert walks readers through decades-worth of practical lessons that can be immediately applied to their own grassroots organizing; whether in schools, in workplaces or communities, or in youth and student organisations such as the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) or Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

He explains how by thinking strategically and focusing on vision, we can provide the inspiration needed to overcome cynicism, counter critics, and draw masses of people into the movement- retaining instead of losing them, with an ever growing commitment.

Remembering Tomorrow is a true gift to young leftists- providing the knowledge they need to begin a life-long journey of political organizing and radical change. It is a timely addition to left organizing- at a point when the need for energetic young organizers to join in the development of vision, not only within the economic sphere, but also for kinship, culture, politics, and education, is greater than ever before. While each lesson from Remembering Tomorrow can be a powerful tool in and of itself, the central message of the book- that vision and strategy can give people the inspiration to fight and as such should be central to movement organizing- is a lesson that each of us should bring to broader audiences. Michael presents this theme perfectly, saying:

“If a person thinks a society promoting solidarity, diversity, equity and self-management is potentially attainable, then for him or her to say it should be morally off the agenda and therefore that people should not try to define it, explain it and forcefully advocate for it, would be to say that humanity should stop progressing…”

The memoir follows Michael Albert’s life, from his college experiences as a young organizer with Students for a Democratic Society, to his work as a founder of South End Press, and finally to the creation Zmag and Znet, and the development of Participatory Economics (Parecon)- the visionary post-capitalist economic model- with Robin Hahnel. It incorporates lessons not only from Albert’s life, but also from the lives of his friends, classmates, and fellow organizers. Drawing on his experiences at each stage of his life, Michael explores the positives and negatives of many trends in activist organizing- with an eye towards improving how we build movements. Analysing how we could forge a powerful Left formation- and what that would look like and require from us- is something that we do far too seldom.

While exploring the book, readers are engaged with diverse organizing experiences- from student organising at MIT, UMass Amherst, and the Harvard Education School, to teaching in schools, prisons, and eventually at Z Media Institute (ZMI)- a leftist summer institute. They will gain tremendous insights in the field of independent publishing and media, following Albert’s major role in South End Press, Z Magazine, ZNet, and Z Media Institute. Albert brings readers into his life, taking them around New England, the United States, and the globe; from his life as a student organiser, to his work as a lifelong author, activist, movement strategist, and visionary anticapitalist- at each step along the way, sharing with them his successes and failings, his insights and uncertainties.

Remembering Tomorrow provides countless examples of where strategic action could have yielded vastly different outcomes- from what was learned organising with SDS to that organisation’s tragic death; from the civil rights movement to the movement against the War in Vietnam; and from the Women’s Movement to advocacy for an entirely different form of visionary economic system. Albert is always up front where the movement could have acted more strategically, and his role in those actions, be they successes or failures.

Taking it further, Michael explores how Participatory Economics could be the economic basis for a future society; a society whereby humans could organize an advanced industrial society in a manner which promotes solidarity, diversity, equity, self-management and efficiency. Weaving together issues of sex, gender, race, and class, of what has been and of what could be, of people and their lives, places and their conflicts, and events and their implications, all culled from personal experiences, makes for a wonderfully human book that is also inspiring and edifying.

All-in-all Remembering Tomorrow: From SDS to Life After Capitalism sheds light on many of the movements of the past; renewing debate on many so-called “settled” issues, and starting new discussions on the issues that many leftists fail to address. It serves as both an extraordinary introduction for new leftists and a sobering wakeup call for experienced ones. I recommend it for all those who are serious about struggling to win a better world.

Note: Readers who enjoy Remembering Tomorrow and wish to further explore the need for our movements to develop vision and strategy, should also consider reading ParEcon: Life After Capitalism, and Realizing Hope: Life Beyond Capitalism and visiting Zmag.org

My good friend Joshua Kahn Russell turned me on to an AMAZING book by Malcolm Gladwell called “The Tipping Point“. Apparently I missed this one when it came out. Wish I hadn’t, but glad I read it now! It’s one of the best books I’ve read in years.

After I read it, I realized that a lot of my not-so-progressive friends and business student acquaintances love the book. If you are a progressive, read it with an eye towards seeing the basic concepts and how powerful they are - not with the expectation that you will agree with everything Gladwell says about this or that issue. The underlying concepts are groundbreaking and, dare I say, revolutionary.

You can read excepts from the book and what Gladwell has to say about the book here. I’ll definitely be reflecting on and referencing this book a lot in the future. Its definitely one to read a few times! The endnotes are even amazing!

Start Making Sense: Turning the Lessons of Election 2004 into Winning Progressive Politics is one of the best books on progressive electoral strategy I’ve read in a long time. I bought it shortly after it came out, and I’ve read it several time since. My copy is literally littered with notes and pencil markings.

It has key insights into what progressives - not just electoral campaigns but also grassroots political, union, and nonprofit organizers - can and should be doing around issues of organizing, language, media, education, and power building. We can all learn a lot from this book. We should read, study and engage with it.

Enjoy!