Through my 20’s, I’ve grown increasingly obsessed with character and effectiveness.
In the process, I’ve continuously examined my feelings on violence, warriorship and revolution.
I’ve consequently grown disillusioned with the American leftist obsession with violent revolution. I’m not a pacifist, but I do try to avoid physical aggression, even when it’s directed my way.
While I disdain timid attempts at reform and action-less intellectual theorizing, way too many leftist activists I’ve known have an itchy Molotov hand that I find morally questionable.
By no means is this an indictment of rioters [I believe that “A riot is the language of the unheard”].
It’s simply part of an ongoing attempt to make sense of where I stand on violence, revolution and the activists who espouse violent revolution as a first option.
If you’d like to continue traveling, now that you’ve gotten used to cold showers and corruption, explore guerilla and government violence.
Add food insecurity into the mix and nonexistent healthcare.
If after you’ve collected those passport stamps and you’re physically fit enough to not weigh down your comrades, you still want violence, have at it, hoss.
Until then, quit trying to onboard folks to your suicide mission and accept that revolution’s not a destination. Do what you do and let other folks and organizations do what they do.
Find common ground and quit perpetuating scarcity paradigms.