A Question on Situationism

[Kurt Christ]

What I've read of the Situationist International has been interesting, but, for any of you who may have read any Situationist works, is it worth it? Are the ideas presented useful, or at least interesting? I know that Situationism was born out of Marxism, so would its ideas be sound if one does not believe Marx's historical theories are correct? If they are worth reading, what is a good book to start with? Include some of the more dense and in-depth stuff as well as lighter, introductory books.

[Cain]

Some of the ideas are very valid, but you're best off having a decent amount of knowledge about avant-garde artistic movements to get anything out of them.

As for Marx....they're a very different sort of Marxist from your usual sort.  They're ideas are compatible with any sort of utopian leaning movement though, or even direct democracy via workers councils or local groupings, a la Jean-Francois Lyotard.  Many of the American Situationists consider themselves Anarchists, for example.

I suggest reading The Revolution of Everyday Life first, then moving onto some of the early releases of the group.  That will give you enough background to tacke Society of the Spectacle.

[Kurt Christ]

Thank you. I knew that Situationism was used with Anarchism at least sometimes, though it's Anarchism is such a broad movement that it's really difficult to take just that knowledge as evidence something would be useful: I've known (via the internet, of course) several Anarchists who agreed with many of the basics points of Marxism, and saw Lenin as the point where Communism went wrong. As for the knowledge of avant-garde artistic movements, I may not have enough, but I think I'll risk going on anyway. I probably won't start any time soon, as I've got a bunch of books that I should read lined up, but I guess I'll add The Revolution of Everyday Life to the queue.

[Cain]

http://www.stewarthomesociety.org/sp/assault.htm might give you some of the artistic background you want.

As for Marxists and Lenin....personally, I feel Marxism has always had a totalitarian stream in it.  Alot of Marxists disagree, and while there is a noted change between Marx and Lenin in tactics, one can still see elements linking the two.

That said, Marxism's eventual aim is that of creating a society very similar to what many Left wing anarchists also aim at.  But their analysis and prescriptions based on that analysis vary widely.  Occasionally, you'll find a smart Anarchist or Marxist who realizes this, but they seem all too rare.

[Kurt Christ]

Marx may have had a bit of a totalitarian current, but my main beef with I'm is more in his materialist view of history, and his smugly certain predictions of the future. He essentially views the universe in a way that is completely unappealing to me: as a predictable piece of machinery.

[Cain]

There is that, too.