Subversion

Recently, anger at the invasion of public space by advertisers and corporate interests prompted a social movement to subvert corporate advertising, especially the ubiquitous corporate logos that inundate public space. "Subvertising" involves subtly changing posters and advertisements to alter the intended meaning of corporate slogans and logos, usually in an attempt to highlight the company's unethical practices. In this context, the authority figure subverted has ceased to be the state and has become the all-powerful corporation.

In the past, subversion took on forms such as the cultural revolution of the 1960's. "Hippies" grew much of their food, made a lot of their clothes and set up anarchist free stores, where people could walk in and take what they need for free instead of endorsing the system of corporatism.

Any tactics anyone has in mind? It ca be simple as having your own garden or it can be big as an idea that may spread to millions.

hey, i just posted something in revolutionary thoughts about the ethics of anarchism, which is basically my idea for a counterculture movement. i live the kind of lifestyle i propose there (of course there are some things at which society limits me), and i wish to spread it.

i think about spreading anarchism with a sort of advertising, except this kind of advertisement is honest, and portrays coherent ideas.

No, no no. You talk about it like it's something you could do, but do any of you actually make your own clothes? I actually do. It's not fucking easy. Unless you have a group of at least 10 people, it's NOT cheap and it's NOT anti-consumerist with all the shit you have to buy. Like, please, quit with the idea of making your own clothes unless you're like me and seriously devoted to it. A much better idea is thrift store clothes. You might like a lot of them.

look into home schooling, free school/democratic school movement, and the like =] i'm trying to go to a democratic school in new york....the staff members are equal with the students, people are invited to come teach what they know, kids are allowed to do as they please, problems are dealt with by everyone talking about it in meetings, and plans are made through their democratic meetings...its not a new concept, but its definitely in line with this kind of thinking....

also, public enemy, say we wanted to make our own clothes, while purchasing as few materials as possible, how might we go about it (assuming we are determined enough to do it)?

Go to a craft/fabric store. And sewing. That is essential. It takes awhile, and often turns out badly. Hey, it's not knitting right?

actually, that's one of the classes i plan on taking at this school lol XD

but thanks

Public Enemy wrote:

No, no no. You talk about it like it's something you could do, but do any of you actually make your own clothes? I actually do. It's not fucking easy. Unless you have a group of at least 10 people, it's NOT cheap and it's NOT anti-consumerist with all the shit you have to buy. Like, please, quit with the idea of making your own clothes unless you're like me and seriously devoted to it. A much better idea is thrift store clothes. You might like a lot of them.

"No, no no."
Yeah. lol

"You talk about it like it's something you could do"
It is something you could do.

"but do any of you actually make your own clothes?"
The clothes I don't, I get from people who do. I make my own shirts, at the least.

"Unless you have a group of at least 10 people"
You can do it with less..

"it's NOT cheap"
If you're referring to the fabric, printing boards and whatnot, sure.. But if you consider the fact that you're money is not going to a debt enslaved sweat shop, it's nothing.

"and it's NOT anti-consumerist with all the shit you have to buy"
Anti-consumerist doesn't mean you don't buy things.. When you make your own clothes, you make what you need. When you don't make your own clothes, you tend to buy whatever you feel like buying. The former is anti-consumerist.

"Like, please, quit with the idea of making your own clothes unless you're like me and seriously devoted to it."
Damn, a little elitist don't you think?

"A much better idea is thrift store clothes. You might like a lot of them."
Thrift stores, (real) punk stores, free stores and fair trade co-op stores.

Public Enemy wrote:

No, no no. You talk about it like it's something you could do, but do any of you actually make your own clothes? I actually do. It's not fucking easy. Unless you have a group of at least 10 people, it's NOT cheap and it's NOT anti-consumerist with all the shit you have to buy. Like, please, quit with the idea of making your own clothes unless you're like me and seriously devoted to it. A much better idea is thrift store clothes. You might like a lot of them.

I don't have the time or the patience to make my own clothes - I just buy cheap stuff ''as long as its made in the EU''.
''Its not anti consumerist with all the shit you have to buy ''LOL - Yea, Id imagine it works out way more expensive alright. We grow fruit, veg ect - have ducks, chickens for eggs ect so were self sufficient to an extent as far as food is concerned but thats about it.

The thing about fair trade goods is that most low income people wont buy them - Ironicly its middle class people on high income who can afford to buy fair trade consistently.

I buy fair trade when I can but the fact is that its often too expensive.

ive squatted for extended periods of time and spent alot of time in and out of anarcho book collectives... sitting through classes you didn't pay for is fun, education shouldn't be payed for

Alek4a wrote:

ive squatted for extended periods of time and spent alot of time in and out of anarcho book collectives... sitting through classes you didn't pay for is fun, education shouldn't be payed for

That's what I'm talking about -- I recently joined a youth collective that focuses on squatting for weeks, I should suggest sitting in (obviously large) college classes that are not payed for.

i wish i wasnt the only anarchist in my community i wanna be organized!!

yeah i sat through social sciences and comparative religon classes

Alek4a wrote:

i wish i wasnt the only anarchist in my community i wanna be organized!!

yeah i sat through social sciences and comparative religon classes

I would recommend sitting in on collage class's to everyone ! - Its such a shame more people don't do it. The people in there are paying obscene amounts of money, at least here we have no fees. Alek - find the nearest anarchist organization to your area and sign up - I suggest scoping your local university for a society and then finding out what association ''if any'' there affiliated too.

...i ran away to princeton university once T_T i'm not good at running away, i was caught...

that's like the height of my activism (sad, isn't it?), but the hope is that...me...alone...NYC....and going to a free school...there'll be more chance than in metuchen T_T

alek! organize with me, i have no one here as well D= but there is this senior who says he's a fascist, but i can't tell if he's joking or not - i can't imagine him hating anyone really O.o;; (he confuses me greatly)

solpacvoicis wrote:

...i ran away to princeton university once T_T i'm not good at running away, i was caught...

that's like the height of my activism (sad, isn't it?), but the hope is that...me...alone...NYC....and going to a free school...there'll be more chance than in metuchen T_T

alek! organize with me, i have no one here as well D= but there is this senior who says he's a fascist, but i can't tell if he's joking or not - i can't imagine him hating anyone really O.o;; (he confuses me greatly)

ooh where are you located?

central NJ T_T the one horse town of Metuchen and the two horse town of Edison are my homes...

you?

Alek4a wrote:

i wish i wasnt the only anarchist in my community i wanna be organized!!

I hear that brother. It's been a year since i've done any organized political activism. The closest i came to activism since then is getting three people to join our shitty union at work and organizing a tiny 'book club', where i had a few people read some anarchist and anti-capitalist literature.

I'd be proud to organize with you fellas, but i doubt anyone lives in this backwards state, Colorado. The closest thing we've got to revolutionaries out here is in Boulder, where they raise their fist and then vote for Obama... Thanks a lot Flavor Flav

solpacvoicis wrote:

central NJ T_T the one horse town of Metuchen and the two horse town of Edison are my homes...

you?

im from california =/

Black_Cross wrote:

Alek4a wrote:

i wish i wasnt the only anarchist in my community i wanna be organized!!

I hear that brother. It's been a year since i've done any organized political activism. The closest i came to activism since then is getting three people to join our shitty union at work and organizing a tiny 'book club', where i had a few people read some anarchist and anti-capitalist literature.

I'd be proud to organize with you fellas, but i doubt anyone lives in this backwards state, Colorado. The closest thing we've got to revolutionaries out here is in Boulder, where they raise their fist and then vote for Obama... Thanks a lot Flavor Flav

its a pitty we arent all in the same town

Alek4a wrote:

im from california =/

Black_Cross wrote:

I'd be proud to organize with you fellas, but i doubt anyone lives in this backwards state, Colorado.

well this sucks T_T

O.o;; maybe one day we will meet when we are like...30 years older or something weird like that...and we wouldn't know who we were, because we just know each other online...*shudder* so weird to think about...

just imagine how many times we've walked past some person from one of these sites and note known it, in an airport, at the grocery store... who knows

i'm always really paranoid that someone on here is going to pop up at me at school and be all "HAHAH! IT WAS ME ALL ALONG!" O.o;;

Well Im not in the US - but I know loads of anarchists.


You should wear a mark of identification lol

lol, like what?

Alek4a wrote:

solpacvoicis wrote:

...i ran away to princeton university once T_T i'm not good at running away, i was caught...

that's like the height of my activism (sad, isn't it?), but the hope is that...me...alone...NYC....and going to a free school...there'll be more chance than in metuchen T_T

alek! organize with me, i have no one here as well D= but there is this senior who says he's a fascist, but i can't tell if he's joking or not - i can't imagine him hating anyone really O.o;; (he confuses me greatly)

ooh where are you located?

If you live in NJ, I'll introduce you to groups, collectives, etc. I recently joined The Hammock Collective, the Young People's Empowerment Convergence and a few other groups of really funky anarchists of the NJ, Philly and NY area. ha

Alek4a wrote:

solpacvoicis wrote:

central NJ T_T the one horse town of Metuchen and the two horse town of Edison are my homes...

you?

im from california =/

Black_Cross wrote:

Alek4a wrote:

i wish i wasnt the only anarchist in my community i wanna be organized!!

I hear that brother. It's been a year since i've done any organized political activism. The closest i came to activism since then is getting three people to join our shitty union at work and organizing a tiny 'book club', where i had a few people read some anarchist and anti-capitalist literature.

I'd be proud to organize with you fellas, but i doubt anyone lives in this backwards state, Colorado. The closest thing we've got to revolutionaries out here is in Boulder, where they raise their fist and then vote for Obama... Thanks a lot Flavor Flav

its a pitty we arent all in the same town

Where in Cali?!!!!!! Please say Southern Please say Southern!!!

dude im from southern california!! what city do you live in!?!?!