2020 has been a really hard year. Most of us have lost friends and comrades, many have lost family. We've poured our hearts into expansive survival initiatives & fiery rebellions, but it still hasn't been enough. We haven't seen the end of all the pain accumulating in our circles

I want to thank the dozen friends who made this year survivable for me by being caring and attentive. You are the truest anarchists I know, some of the only ones who really understand solidarity and mutual aid.
But thanks are meaningless if we're not open to change.

On reflection they're nearly all women, nb, and crazy/neuro-atypical people. I would strongly ask everyone to stop and think, who took care of folks in your circles this year (if you're one of them give yourself some love).
Men & neurotypical ppl need to step the f up.

Caring is a lifelong skill. No one's gonna learn it in one day. But there is something we can change NOW and we have to if we don't want our (pseudo)communities to crash and burn from trauma, depression, and poverty this next year.
Who do you look to as the bedrock of your...

community, the one whose guidance you seek 4 setting norms on how to communicate, resolve conflicts, deal with those who are suffering, shape the social space? It better f'ing be those people you just thought about
They should be the ones everyone listens to as we build our coms

It shouldn't be the academic who quotes Agamben, the friend who teaches you how to shoot, the one with contacts all over the world, the a'hole who writes books, the one who throws the best parties (unless they're also the one who takes care of ppl, since hey we're all multiclass)

All those other types have something to offer in important moments of struggle (except the parties, bah humbug!). But they're most often the ones we empower to structure our communities, which is why we have productivist, militarist, dogmatic, or popularity-based scenes

completely incapable of dealing with burnout and trauma or centering relationships on collective survival, which is the defining feature of a real community.

An anarchist theory of power would recognize & cherish every activity that creates our freedom and well being, it should celebrate the experience of those who have it and encourage everyone to develop their own strengths
Instead, we exploit and marginalize those we most depend on

for our collective survival. Half the people you rely on for suppprt have been on the verge of suicide this year. I want to let loose a sincere fuck you to everyone who hasn't been thinking about that, who's continued building our failing communities around all the wrong logics.

Step the fuck up. If you haven't realized by now that our survival is on the line, get the fuck out now.

All my love for the folks who have been pulling so much weight.
Yeah, also love for the folks who have been on the front line, organizing demos, writing and debating. Just, know when to shine and when to hold someone else up.

Finally, from the depths of my being, an undying curse for the 2 kinds of "comrade" who from my perspective havedone the most damage. Those who help abusive ppl avoid criticism or consequence, who play neutral, spin the rumor mill cuz they're too f'ing afraid to talk face to face

And, movement politicians who impose their middle class idea of what's possible over what ppl actually need in a potentially revolutionary situation, from rent strikes to anti-police rebellions.
May you suffer endless misfortune or acute self-awareness of the harm you've caused.

But yeah, love for everyone else.

Please get your friends to read this, especially the productivist or cool ones.

Okay, bye.