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What we’re about

1. WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE GROUP ?

Reading and talking about the history of socialism, anarchism, and related topics is our jam. This does not necessarily mean that we have to agree with all (or any) of the things we read, but rather that we share a common interest in engaging with these ideas, and with this history, and hope to learn what we can learn about ourselves and the world by pondering and discussing them together.

To be clear: The purpose of this group is NOT to be involved in any way whatsoever with any electoral/political issue or party, local or otherwise, nor to promote or recruit in any way for any such party or organisation. This is not the place for that. We are here to learn and discuss about history, ideas, and world events.

2. WHO SHOULD JOIN ?

Anyone who is keen to learn, read, and discuss these topics together. No need to have a lot of previous special knowledge or any strong opinion about any of the issues discussed, let alone to declare yourself a [insert label here]-ist... We are all just trying to navigate through new and unfamiliar material, and we'd rather not always go it alone.

"At the point of encounter there are neither utter ignoramuses nor perfect sages; there are only people who are attempting, together, to learn more than they now know." - Paolo Freire, from "Pedagogy of the Oppressed"

"We are all morons here" - Anonymous Regular Meetup Attendee

3. WHAT WILL YOU DO AT YOUR EVENTS ?

We typically focus each event upon a particular topic and suggest some optional reading/viewing/listening materials. Then we get together and follow the conversations wherever they take us.

The readings/videos are provided so that some of us will have been exposed to some common contact points beforehand to help structure the discussion. But even if you don't get a chance to go through that material, you should still feel free to join! Others will help to bring you up to speed on the topic at hand (#solidarity #mutualaid), and many members report that they're able to learn, contribute, and have fun with little to no advanced prep.

Do you have a topic you'd like to explore at a future meetup? Let us know!

Past events and topics have included ...

  1. "When life gives you lemons, ..." (Intersections of anarchism and Christianity; readings from Tolstoy, Elbert Hubbard, and Emma Goldman)
  2. "Let's talk about the 'Revolution in Rojava'" (Present-day 'democratic confederalist' experiment in Syrian Kurdistan)
  3. "Let's learn and talk about 'PROJECT CYBERSYN'" (Decentralized 'cybernetic' economic planning project in 1970s Chile)
  4. ''How is NATIONALISM changing the world?"
  5. "Chill, meet new frens, vibe w/ like-minded peeps, seize the means of production*" (Discussion about Nestor Makhno and anarchism in Ukraine, 1918-1922)
  6. "Let's learn and talk about THOMAS SANKARA" (Ambitious socialist leader of Burkino Faso in the 1980s)
  7. "Let's learn and talk about the PARTICIPATORY ECONOMICS ('PARECON') MODEL" (Detailed proposal for an economy avoiding the pitfalls of both capitalism and centralized planning)
  8. "Let's discuss B.R. Ambedkar's 'BUDDHA OR KARL MARX?'" (architect of India's constitution and anti-caste advocate compares the merits of Buddhism versus Communism)
  9. "Vibe out, chillax, lepak², enjoy lifestyle, radicalise** the agrarian peasantry" (discussion of Peter Kropotkin's 1897 essay, 'Anarchist Morality')
  10. "Let's talk about DOROTHY DAY and THE CATHOLIC WORKER MOVEMENT"
  11. "Let's discuss Congolese leader PATRICE LUMUMBA, whose remains just came home"
  12. "Everyone makes mistakes (Oh yes, they do)." (Vijay Prashad on learning from the failures of past radical movements; Jo Freeman's "The Tyranny of Structurelessness")
  13. AnarchoPals GraphicNovel Squad reads "THEIR BLOOD GOT MIXED" (Rojava revolution)
  14. << ¡ VOLTAIRINE ! >> (essays by American anarchist orator Voltairine de Cleyre)
  15. "Translating Syed Hussein Alatas' 'ISLAM AND SOCIALISM' (feat. Guest Speaker!)
  16. "AnarchoPals Graphic Novel Squad rides again: "THEIR BLOOD GOT MIXED" (Episode 2)"
  17. "Let's discuss the proposed (and now soundly rejected) NEW CONSTITUTION OF CHILE"
  18. The Difference Principle of John Rawls
  19. "SCOTT: What's his whole deal?" (discussing an essay from anthropologist James C. Scott's 'Two Cheers for Anarchism'.)
  20. BELATED HALLOWEEN: Let's disgust Immanuel Waller-scream's World-Systems Fear-y ("Capitalist Civilization: A Balance Sheet" by World-Systems Theory pioneer Immanuel Wallerstein)
  21. PAUL ROBESON: Pro athlete, legendary singer/actor, polyglot, SOCIALIST CHAMPION?
  22. Thomas Paine on AGRARIAN JUSTICE
  23. LATTÉ SOCIALISM
  24. Meet THE WOBBLIES (Documentary about the Industrial Workers of the World, an influential anarcho-syndicalist labor union)
  25. AnarchoPals BookClub reads Ursula Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”
  26. Our 1st Anarchoversary
  27. "ELINOR OSTROM and THE TRAGEDY(?) OF THE COMMONS"
  28. "IS WALMART A SECRET SOCIALIST PLOT?" (reassessing the potential for socialist economic planning in light of modern technology via "The People's Republic of Walmart")
  29. Walter Rodney on HOW EUROPE UNDERDEVELOPED AFRICA
  30. LATTE SOCIALISM
  31. ARE YOU AN ANARCHIST? (The Answer May Surprise You) (Essays by anthropologist David Graeber)
  32. Let's celebrate May Day and the life of Harry Belafonte
  33. ABOLITION IS PRESENCE - Remaking Radical Dependency w/ Ruth Wilson Gilmore
  34. Joseph Stiglitz on free trade agreements
  35. What's the deal with KERALA ? (Introduction to the Indian state's unique history, approach to development, and 'participatory planning' projects)
  36. Silvia Federici on Feminism, Domestic Labor, Social Reproduction and The Commons
  37. Nusantara: Jokowi's folly? (Discussion about the project to build a new planned capital city for Indonesia in Kalimantan)
  38. Let's take the plunge into DEGROWTH
  39. AT THE CAFÉ (Part 1)
  40. AT THE CAFÉ (Part 2) (feat. Errico Malatesta)
  41. What Does the Public Release of GLLMM Mean for Collective Freedom? (Discussion of new issues raised by large language models and A.I. technology)
  42. Let's take the plunge into FRANTZ FANON's "The Wretched of the Earth"
  43. A leftist perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
  44. UMMAH YET PROLETARIAT : Islam + Marxism in Indonesia, with author Lin Hongxuan !
  45. c o m r a d e s ! (Social catch-up)
  46. A plunge into the world of AMILCAR CABRAL
  47. Why Socialism? by Albert Einstein
  48. UPCOMING on 15 JUNE 2024: Nehru's vision of a socialist India

4. What does the group name, "submarines w/ kaleidoscopes", mean ?

This arcane secret may only be revealed face to face after certain vows have been uttered. Come find out at our next event !

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