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Sober Living for the Revolution Talk: 25.10.10. Brighton

Someone in Cowley Club Books Collective | 25.10.2010 07:59 | Free Spaces | Gender | Health | South Coast

SOBER LIVING FOR THE REVOLUTION

HARDCORE PUNK, STRAIGHT EDGE, AND RADICAL POLITCS

Gabriel Kuhn will be doing a free talk at The Cowley Club (brighton) about his new book ‘Sober Living for the Revolution’ at 7pm on Monday 25th October 2010.

Straight-edge has persisted as a drug-free subculture for 25 years. Since its origins in 1980s the scene has been linked to radical thought and music. Tracing this history, ‘Sober Living for the Revolution’ includes contributions from famed straight edge rockers like Ian MacKaye (Fugazi), Mark Anderson (Dance of Days) and Andy Hurley (Fall Out Boy) and numerous feminist, anarchist and queer activists dedicated to a sober, liberated world.

THE COWLEY CLUB
Brighton’s collectively owned Libertarian Social Centre
12 London Road, Brighton
cowleyclub.org.uk

We want ecstasy as a way of life, not a liver-poisoning alcoholiday from it. “Life sucks—get drunk” is the essence of the argument that enters our ears from our masters’ tongues and then passes out of our slurring mouths, perpetuating whatever incidental and unnecessary truths it may refer to—but we’re not falling for it any longer! Burn down the liquor stores, and replace them with playgrounds!
For a Lucid Bacchanalian, Ecstatic Sobriety!’ - Crimethinc, Wasted Indeed

The relationship between intoxication, gender, and violence is complex. A significant proportion of gendered violence—specifically sexual and relationship violence against women—is committed by men while intoxicated. Of course, this doesn’t mean that intoxication causes violence, but it would be equally foolish to ignore the correlation. In heterosexual interactions, men who have learned from media and pop culture to understand themselves as initiators and seducers use alcohol as a tool for overcoming resistance both from the desired sexual conquest and from their own conscience. At the same time, in this harshly puritanical, sex-negative culture, many rely on alcohol as their only means of overcoming the shame they feel about our sexual desires. Generally speaking, I think that the broad dependence in this society on alcohol in the process of finding partners and having sex obscures our sexuality, negatively impacts communication, reduces our ability to give and receive meaningful consent, lessens the probability of safe sex practises, and supports rape culture. When this dependence, and all of the dangers it entails, connects with patriarchical notions of sexuality, including male senses of entitlement , the hunter/hunted dynamic, and “no means yes” myths, the results can be disastrous.’ - Nick Riotfag, Towards a Less Fucked Up World




I'm a person just like you
But I've got better things to do
Than sit around and fuck my head
Hang out with the living dead
Snort white shit up my nose
Pass out at the shows
I don't even think about speed
That's something I just don't need

I've got the straight edge

I'm a person just like you
But I've got better things to do
Than sit around and smoke dope
'Cause I know I can cope
Laugh at the thought of eating ludes
Laugh at the thought of sniffing glue
Always gonna keep in touch
Never want to use a crutch

I've got the straight edge
- Minor Threat, Straight Edge

Someone in Cowley Club Books Collective
- e-mail: cowleybooks@gmail.com
- Homepage: http://www.cowleyclub.org.uk

Comments

Hide the following 9 comments

If I Can't Dance To It!

25.10.2010 09:31

Well just be warned this is a seriously boring talk by a guy who is intent on dousing his radical politics in a healthy dose of religiosity.

Str8 Edge has it's place but lecturing people and making moral judgements about drinking and smoking is gonna go down down like a bomb in an alcohol serving venue.

Expect some serious heckling or just stick to talking about rum swilling pirates :D

Not My Revolution


I'm going...

25.10.2010 13:11

Gabriel Kuhn has also written a book about "rum-swilling pirates" of course, which is pretty interesting. I don't see why his book/talk on straightedge should be boring- whatever you think about straightedge (and personally I drink alcohol) its an interesting phenomenon.
And I'm pretty sure that those going to the event are unlikely to be moronic enough to heckle someone for suggesting that drug and alcohol use can be problematic...

someone


Other talks?

25.10.2010 16:35

Looks interesting - does anyone know if he's doing any talks up north?

v


talks up north

25.10.2010 17:15

Northerner


Talk in Notts

25.10.2010 17:25

Yeah, he's talking at the SUMAC in Nottingham at 7pm on Friday 29th October.

Ann Bonny


review

25.10.2010 22:55

I went along to the talk tonight at the Cowley.Bar was closed for the event.

Dont know what i was expecting because I had not read his book, but was surprised he was not more hardline (straightedge sounds like a hardline scene to me). Instead he may have been straight but he was not unflexible or unresponsive.

In fact he had some interesting things to say about dealing with alchohol culture and its negatives, while at the same time being distinctly un self righteous ( not the religous type at all). He was not out to tell people they should never drink alchohol, but to describe an interesting international punk culture that resists mainstream intoxication, and its muddling effects.

Overall an enlightening event and well attended by a genuinely listening audience

Had a good chat with mates down the pub after.

reviewer


duh!

26.10.2010 22:54

I've been sober for many years and been involved in anarchist and activist politics for even longer. In all those years I havent seen straight edge people ramming views down other people's throats.... its usually the other way around.

There are plenty of sober anarchists around doing good shit and without any hint of any type of religion - you only need to look at Kuhn's book to see that.

sober anarchist


Straight Edge? No Thanks!

28.10.2010 00:48

An anti-drinking, anti-smoking zealot from a violent puritan cult preaching in a 'Libertarian' social centre. Oh the irony!

NP


irony???

01.11.2010 17:57

NP - you are so stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No one is forcing straight edge on anyone, fucking hell get a clue you dumbo!!!

As the other poster said.... read the book. Most of those interviewed are anarchist so how can you exclaim that they are religious???

anarchoedge


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