"The rifle has revealed itself, but the lion has not."

The phenomenon of militancy is shrouded in controversy and misconception. Upon closer examination, the context in which militancy generates and emerges reveals a complex web of factors that contribute to its presence. The erosion of traditional ways of life, the global imposition of Western cultural values, broad economic disparity, social marginalization, and disruption of social norms can and often do all play a role in shaping the dynamics that sustain militancy. Engaging in armed struggle, militants are not only fulfilling social obligations to protect their people and preserve their culture, but they are also self-asserting a reconstituted subjectivity, a militant individuality, actualizing their unlimited potential as creative individuals, becoming unmoored from the mires of resentment, through action.

The militant individual is often one who has experienced either a strict limitation or a total denial of their individual subjectivity. This suspension can stem from a variety of sources, including: traumatic experiences, societal expectations, cultural norms, political regimes, and many more. In some cases, the sense of self of the militant is forged in opposition to historical realities and other definitive constraints, some or all of which may be imposed upon them non-consensually. This leads to deep-seated resentment and desire for resistance. The experience of external restraint can also be internalized, with individuals being socialized to conform to certain societal norms and expectations. The pressure to adhere to these norms can be overwhelming, leading to feelings of suffocation, and a desperation for change. The desire of the militant for self-affirmation, self-expression—for autopoiesis—becomes a means of reclamation, a means of asserting their desires, existence, and individuality.

In some cases, the experience of limitation can be particularly acute, like in situations where certain groups or communities are extremely marginalized and repressed. The sense of self of militant individuals might also be shaped by things like the struggle for simple recognition, or a chance at prosperity, as they seek to challenge the dominant culture and societal structures that attempt to silence and erase their voices.

The desire of the militant individual for autopoiesis and free expression is often driven by an intense sense of urgency, as they recognize that time is never in their favor in life, and that any opportunity to assert individuality is likely to be fleeting. This sense of urgency can manifest in a variety of ways, from spontaneous outbursts, to acts of civil disobedience, and even to more focused and deadly forms of violence.

Ultimately, the desire of the individual for self-expression and autopoiesis is an all-too-human desire, one that cannot ever be completely silenced or suppressed, and by extension the same can be said about militancy. It is at the barest a cry for recognition, a demand for dignity, a command to be heard and seen as an individual with potentiality and subjectivity, no matter how different or unique.

The desire of the individual for autopoiesis and self-expression, especially through armed conflict, is not only part of the personal journey and development of the militant individual, but a fundamental requirement for the survival and cohesion of the larger group. In many traditional and tribal communities, armed struggle and conflict are seen as a necessary means of maintaining and ensuring the well-being of all individual members of the community. Armed struggle serves as a way to resolve disputes, redistribute resources, and reconstitute social bonds. In many societies (especially those originating prior to the era of modern, mechanized, total war), warfare is not simply a brutal and destructive act, but rather a crucial mechanism for maintaining social harmony and equilibrium. It allows for the release of tensions and pent-up energies, and provides opportunities for individuals to distinguish themselves through bravery, skill, speed, and cunning, with those who demonstrate exceptional prowess in battle earning the favor and admiration of other individuals within their community. At times, armed struggle also serves as a way to define (or usurp) social roles and hierarchies within certain communities, by community members. Armed struggle is a means of creating shared experiences and memories which often end up binding communities together and sometimes even defining communities and their trajectories. The collective trauma and suffering inflicted during conflict can create a sense of solidarity and mutual understanding among individual members of a community, as they come together to mourn their loses and rebuild their lives. In this way, armed struggle can also be a catalyst for social cohesion, rather than only a destructive force and cycle of retribution that simply tears communities apart.

The militant individual is not merely an aberrant or deviant figure, not a "villain", but rather an unextinguishable component of the human social fabric. The desire for autonomy and self-expression is not a personal whim, nor a simple act of spite, but instead, sometimes a necessary condition for the survival and flourishing of a people.

Comments

CalvinSmith (not verified) Sun, 12/22/2024 - 13:10

On social media are just lonely people desperate to talk about having sex with children through any means necessary, even if it includes a violent militant dialectic against the very thing they love!

anon (not verified) Thu, 12/12/2024 - 12:07

"The point of violence is to use active force to be creative."

The criticism of this comment, from the essay above, aged like milk. Hard argument to make, that violence doesn't beget creative opportunities. Look what's happening in Syria. As above, so below?

lumpy (not verified) Fri, 12/13/2024 - 14:45

In reply to by anon (not verified)

but is it obvious how unimpressive that comment was in the first place?

"the point of [blank] is to [assertion]" <--- this isn't insightful at all, it's just a vague generalization about nothing

"the point of [broad, abstract concept] is to [positive outcome according to me]"

^ this is your brain, self aggrandizing

anon (not verified) Fri, 12/13/2024 - 16:38

In reply to by lumpy (not verified)

It's called an assertion, which is sometimes necessary when experimenting with the creation of new concepts — but you're simply a composite of what someone told you you are, a cheap replicant. So I doubt you're capable of appreciating real Art.

CalvinSmith (not verified) Sun, 12/22/2024 - 16:13

not a moral problem or a question of morality enforcement, it's a practical one: and i personally have a fatalist view of violence. For example, humans cannot control exactly how they use it, sometimes a chain of events during a day winds up in heavy violence despite the intentions. Circumstances often cause it to happen, and i rarely feel the urge to judge people based on how violent they are alone.

Radicals have been trying to use militancy to inspire change, often as a mode of that thought that attempts to transcend broken systems etc., and it never winds up fixing anything: it seems that the state just learns from radical left activists and then creates countermeasures to keep it from going anywhere.

Anyways, seems like the lack of actual content in this essay prevents the responses from going anywhere. I was just talking about how Luigi and Crooke have been inspirational characters for me, even though i wouldn't agree if someone suggested we should be doing it. It's entertaining! Most people are attracted to violence, and think about it from time to time.

guerrilla anarchists (not verified) Sat, 12/21/2024 - 11:37

fuck psychology, we can't wait revoloution of masses hundred years, and we can not stay passive during everyday state violence, therefore people are militant and attack the state and capitalists, there is no big psychology and philosophy about it. only secret service research mind of militant people, we dont need to justify violence, we dont need sympaties of anyone, we dont spread idea, we attack the state and capitalists how much we can and we know it will not abolish capitalism.

call for all anarchists who have job and can donate some money, greek anarchists collect money for anarchist prisoners.
don't let ruling class to isolate anarchists. you can also share this call to anarchist you know.
if you can help, send message at the following email:: tameio@espiv.net
Political and social prisoners supported by the Solidarity Fund of Prisoners:
Kostas Sakkas (Korydallos prison, Korydallos, PC 18110)
Spyros Christodoulou (Korydallos prison, 6 wing, PC 18110)
Dimitris Koufodinas (Kthomokos prison, Domokos, PC 35010)
Savvas Xiros (Korydallos Prison Hospital, Korydallos, PC 18122)
Andreas Floros (Amfissa Prisons)
Sian Oktay Özen (Larissa prison)
Sophocles Toutziarakis (Pharm Ag. Stefanou Patras, 1 wing, PC 25200)
Yannis Karatsolis (Malandrinou Prison, PC 33053)
Nikos Romanos (Korydallos prison, Korydallos, PC 18110)
Dimitris (Korydallos prison, Korydallos, PC 18110)
Marianna Manouria (Gynaiki Fylakes of Korydallos, ct 18110)
Dimitra Z. (Gymnalia Prisons of Korydallos, q 18110)
K.K. (Kassavetia Prisons)
Political prisoners in Greek prisons:
Nikos Maziotis (Domokos, PC 35010)
Dimitris Chatzivasiliadis (Ktimodias prison, Domokos, PC 35010)

SirEinzige Sat, 12/21/2024 - 20:25

Nothing in the past month or so legitimizes militancy in relation to anarchy and authentic human relations. The Situ post-left criticism remains correct.

anon (not verified) Sat, 12/21/2024 - 22:14

In reply to by SirEinzige

The FBI is in total disarray. There's the least sympathy for the USA on the Left and in anticolonial scene than ever. Countless Americans are having moments of intense autism, sending all kinds of inflammatory and threatening messages around every corner of SMS and the Web. The US justice system all the way up to the top court is a complete joke unless you're poor or not white. Multiple assassination attempts up to the level of the US Presidency. There has never been a more uncanny silence in the air. Where are the anarchist criminals and terrorists? If Einzige here is an example, there on the Web, arguing about private parts, instead of robbing banks and murdering priests and politicians.

anon (not verified) Sat, 12/21/2024 - 22:30

In reply to by SirEinzige

Wha?? SirEinzige is now a militant demonesq activist ready to pick up the gun for authentic human anarch relations? This was not on our end of the year bingo cards but boy are we delighted! Kill kill kill! Get some! Get some!

anon (not verified) Sun, 12/22/2024 - 08:32

In reply to by anon (not verified)

You gotta love how powerful people have been mass murdering since the dawn of time, but the second an anarchist suggests any kind of kinetic strategy they're instantly labeled Hitler. Then at the very same time they will cite some long dead anarchist militant as a hero.

anon (not verified) Sun, 12/22/2024 - 13:37

In reply to by anon (not verified)

Oh, I don't know, let's see...a quarter century of shooting down and chastising any notion of fighting back with more than rhetoric, and a plethora of articles about the wonders and power of Russian naturalism

CalvinSmith (not verified) Sun, 12/22/2024 - 13:06

talk about militancy? Wtf is going on here? Of course this is prime-time fertile ground for highly disciplined, militant trolls like lumpy, because there is not a single clue here as to a) who the marginalizers and villians are, stomping around denying "tribes" their subjectivity, or b) how exactly militancy has anything to do with this:

"The desire of the militant individual for autopoiesis and free expression is often driven by an intense sense of urgency, as they recognize that time is never in their favor in life, and that any opportunity to assert individuality is likely to be fleeting. "

Are we actually talking about disciplined and repeated attacks (militancy), or are we talking about beatnick poetry? Come on' now! Get your shit together soldier!

anon (not verified) Sun, 12/22/2024 - 13:45

In reply to by CalvinSmith (not verified)

Personal skill issue.

Maybe try using that wet noodle between your ears for something more grandiose amd other than baiting authors and commenters in fash-jacketing articles.

Any discussions of "attacks" are not something you transmit in kilobytes, but njce attempt at a call out. Whack!

CalvinSmith (not verified) Sun, 12/22/2024 - 16:02

In reply to by anon (not verified)

which is not entirely my fault, it's incredibly abstract, and like i already told you ("whack!"), author does not make any indication about who they are themselves calling out, or what they mean by "militancy" which is "armed struggle", but that's not enough to understand what the actual praxis entails. I'm definitely not a pacifist, even if armed struggle is just not appealing to me.

So once again, this is a matter of you blaming everyone but yourself! The essay is not a militant struggle, nor does it really clarify anything, end of story.

anon (not verified) Thu, 02/06/2025 - 18:40

given where things stand in the u.s. today, i'd say militancy ought to be one of the first approaches considered.

lumpy (not verified) Thu, 02/06/2025 - 19:53

In reply to by anon (not verified)

i still love the idea of asking ppl to "please stop" when you're literally talking about where politeness ends. like "please stop hitting me" or something equivalent, that's the sound of someone who needs to learn to block or hit back or both haha

or maybe like "please stop denying our healthcare claims"

Broligarch # 4 says: OH OK! because you said please you can totally have healthcare now!

then he did a big fat rail, punched a baby and jumped through the window even though the door was open? he was shouting something as he climbed in to a very expensive car, he does NOT take care of that car btw... i think it was "die of something preventable you [unintelligible, vile] ... sucks to suck, you broke lil bitch! YOU JUST GOT BROLIGARCHED!"

then he sped off, trading paint with several passing cars!

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