My ideal reading group has a text to read, a moderator, runs for about an hour,
with a 'sometimes' option of going out for drinks afterwards if people feel
like it. Doesn't mean I don't mind meeting for drinks, to discuss group
dynamics or whatever general or emergency topic, but not when I am hoping for
'social reading'. That's just what I look for from a reading group, and I can
obviously only speak for myself. I have found the two sessions i have attended
to be a bit more like rambling pub discussions, and after this incident (that i
did not witness except here on this list) I'm not keen to go again unless it is
actually a bit more like a reading group, where texts are read and discussed in
a sincere manner. Anyway, today I started reading a text by Arman Avanessian
and Anke Hennig on 'Metanoia' about how reading something can change one's mind
(intro accessed via Arvanessian's academia.edu site).
Let me know where the reading group goes and if there is a reading text for
next month :-) There are clearly some obvious key post-capitalist texts that
could be read, and I wouldn't mind reading some more, either at Frontyard or
elsewhere, but if there is not a critical mass of people actually wanting to
read set texts then maybe the group should fold and make space for something
else. I would love to see more women and people of colour there and for diverse
listening to occur, but i am also aware that reading groups can sometimes be
quite small, especially these days when there are lists, internets and fast
info flying everywhere. I think quotas are useful in larger organisations, and
I won't panic if I am the only woman there. I will only panic if I am the only
one reading or the only one there, hehe.
Sent from my iPhone
On 21/07/2016, at 6:40 PM, Benjamin Forster <benjamin.mforster@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Sorry for the delay in continuing the last email.
Some context -
I don’t think Marco’s decision to leave was the direct result of one
incident. However there was one thing which occurred last reading group which
I think was the straw. And that was a discussion which oddly enough has just
this week been mirrored in the mainstream australian media through Waleed
Aly's comments on the project about forgiveness. Marco was placed in a
position where I think he felt he had to defend against this argument (albeit
about Pauline supporters, rather than Sonia), while his lived experience of
racism was being ignored / diminished. This is fucked and should not have
been able to occur.
For anyone who thinks that the argumentation expressed by Waleed is benign,
have a read of these two recently penned rebuttals.
Mohamad Tabbaa and Claudia Maryam Sirdah
The Violence of Forgiveness
and
Omar Sakr
A Handy Guide To Australian Racism And How Best To Respond To It
Now, I don’t think reading is an answer to the problem which has been
highlighted. What has been highlighted is structural. From the outset of this
group I have not wanted to hold the position of moderator/convener, however I
personally feel a sense of responsibility for what has occurred specifically
through my abnegation of this role, while in effect still informally holding
it. I fear that the informality of the reading group allowed this to occur
and that that is my fault. I really do not want to be complicit in creating
spaces which are not respectful and empathetic - I also do not want to
perpetuate the mainly white room, it does not interest me. So, I think that
if people want to keep going with this reading group there needs to be
discussion about what people want from it and how to seriously address the
structural nature of the group. Firstly, are people still interested in
reading together texts around this hilariously broad and impossible theme?
The interest for me to begin with was not around dogmatically prescribed or
or legitimate readings of canonical authors, or schools of argumentation. It
was about sharing time together in a way where we could learn from each other
as a group and encounter new thinking. I think I was interested in the group
of people around the table, not as authorities, but as offering another
equally valid viewpoint by which to see through the smog. But I think that
over the last few meetings there has been too much alcohol consumed which
just added to the smog. I think if we continue, we need a clearer agenda, an
agreed upon etiquette, and less alcohol consumed. I also do not want to be
the moderator, even informally - I think this should become a rotating
position.
Let me know your thoughts.
Benjamin
On Wed, Jul 20, 2016 at 10:27 AM, Benjamin Forster
<benjamin.mforster@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I have also sent marco a personal email of support and removed him from the
email list as he requested.
Marco has been a part of this group from the start, and I find it very
disappointing that this has happened. His decision to leave is obviously
very careful and thoughtful, and I want to respect it and him. I also want
to address the issues this raises together, as I strongly agree with both
Alex and Jacquelene - theory is not enough alone, and we as a group need to
not just diagnose the malfunctions of capitalism but also create a space
which embodies an alternative - racism, sexism, religious bigotry, can have
no place. To echo Alex, I do not want to be apart of a group which makes its
own members feel unwelcome or alienated, and I am sure no one else does
either.
I think the next reading group must address this - Jaquelene you are correct
- through conversation and texts, but also through actual changes.
I was at the last reading group and can provide context to this, but am
running out the door. I will write again later tonight.
On Wed, Jul 20, 2016 at 9:32 AM, Jacquelene Drinkall
<jacquelene.drinkall@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I sent personal message to Marco off list too, before suggesting a reading
on race, saying how I would like to follow up on chats I had hoped to
continue and not to be a stranger and that I hoped to see him around. I
think Marco's issue can be addressed in a two-fold manner, by people who
care outreaching him and others who have felt alienated and also by finding
out exactly shat happened at the last reading group; and also by continuing
the post-capitalist readings on a relevant critical and relevant theme. I
think we need to double our efforts to address this problem.
Sent from my iPhone
On 20/07/2016, at 9:19 AM, alex wisser <lenscap105@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi all,
I'm not sure a reading on racism is the answer here. To continue on the
level of discourse and ideology, of studying and reading more texts,
without actually addressing the fact that one of our members feels
alienated and dismissed will spell the end to our little group. I for
one, cannot participate in a group that is willing to think about
challenging modern capitalism in the abstract but cannot confront the
functioning of capitalism within itself, in this instance through the
issue of racism. I also wasn't at the meeting so I don't make accusations
and can't comment on what went down but I do think this needs to be
addressed directly.
To Marco,
I am saddened that you have had such a negative experience of what I
thought was a great little group and I do hope that you will at least give
us the one chance to address your concerns.
Alex Wisser
Sent from my iPad
On 19 Jul 2016, at 11:26 PM, jacquelene drinkall
<jacquelene.drinkall@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
So sorry you had that experience and sorry I wasn't there Marco. I had
really nasty head cold, as mentioned already. Thanks again also for the
awesome Hardt and Negri text. I would have loved to have been there and I
hope I would have been sensitive and responsive to your situation. As
someone who didn't attend last time when you were sadly alienated, it is
not my place to suggest anything to read for the next session, but I
would be really happy if we have a focus on race in the next
post-capitalist reading group. Does anyone have a text that specifically
addresses race in relation to post-capitalism? Or even just a recent text
that focuses on race and economy?
Here is a recent review of some postcapitalist texts in LRB:
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v38/n13/owen-hatherley/one-click-at-a-time - it ;
touches of identity isssues and afro-futurism, but just a little bit.
BTW this looks really useful for anyone following discourses relevant to
Black Lives Matter:
http://abigailasewell.blogspot.com.au/2016/07/race-and-policing-ready-access-dropbox.html
On Tue, Jul 19, 2016 at 9:06 PM, Marco Cuevas-Hewitt
<birdsong703@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
As usual, I was the only brown person in the room the other night, and
had to put up with being told by white people that racism isn't the real
issue.
So pissed off with white "leftists" and do-gooders constantly making
excuses for One Nation and the far right. Honestly, what the fuck would
they know about racism or how we should respond to it. Take it from a
brown person with 30+ years first-hand experience with these matters.
Last Dog hit the nail on the head:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/19/do-not-fear-the-racist-why-not-make-the-racist-a-nice-cup-of-tea
No woman would put up with a room full of men telling her that sexism
isn't an issue would she?
I'm done. I'm still pretty new in Sydney and trying to build community,
but I've come to the conclusion that my people are elsewhere, not in the
"post-capitalist" reading group. Please unsubscribe me from this list.
Thanks.
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