Theodore Kaczynski (1942–2023)

Un libro esplosivo.

Scherzi a parte, quest'ultima lettura che ho fatto del manifesto (ed è la terza) mi ha fatto ragionare su quanto sia incorretto posizionare il caro Teddy insieme con gli anarcoprimitivisti più blasonati: primo perche questo manifesto analizza il mondo con la lente della psicologia più che della sociologia o dell'antropologia, cosa che già lo differenzia dagli altri, ma soprattutto perché la posizione di Kaczynski è veramente più vicina ad un ecofascismo tinto di anarchismo -ecofascismo volontario o meno- che, ok se proprio dovessimo inquadrarlo nel contesto anarco-neoluddista delle sue azioni lascerebbe intendere un egoanarchismo o un anarcoindividualismo, ma prendendo il testo a sé stante sembra di leggere un misto tra Peterson e Evola: conservatorismo radicale, giustificato dalla psicologia. Evviva l'uomo forte perché la sinistra è debole e non vuole la forza, e nella vita la supremazia sugli altri è l'unica cosa che conta... Dove l'ho già sentita questa al di fuori del manifesto?
Ah si, da un fascio.

A parte questo il testo è gradevole, a patto di leggerlo in lingua originale.… (mehr)

"Uncle Ted", as he is sometimes referred to in certain parts of the web, came to my attention because of his earnest letters, handwritten in meticulous script, in reply to various youths who had entered into unbidden correspondence with him at his prison address. These letters were uploaded and shared to various forums and can be easily searched. Whatever his opinions, they revealed a tidy and fastidious mind which - despite its forced seclusion from the world - had strong opinions on it, and yet did not seek to control or to coerce or brag or deceive, but to instruct. A mind like that is rare indeed, and discovery of its existence made it inevitable that I should read this book, or manifesto, as it is titled.

I was surprised to learn that the book was written while its author was still at liberty. It really reads like a prison book. I thought the author's incarceration explained its ack of citations and cross-referencing. In fairness, the author is open about the book's evident shortcomings: concepts are often mentioned only as general observations, lengthy expositions are undesirable or impractical, the reader must use his own judgement. Etc. Again, one does at times cynically wonder if the author may have welcomed these limitations, which make his task as a writer easier.

The book's strength is the power of its observations. Yes, the industrial revolution has been disastrous for humanity as we know it; things are getting worse; the people ("leftists") who proclaim to make things betters are making it worse; and nothing we could do to change this overall trajectory will have a reasonable prospect of success, or even any predictable result. Perhaps we all know that, deep down. It is another thing to see it plainly and persuasively stated by a convicted murderer who has killed for these beliefs (or so he claims).

Another weakness lies in the book's lack of any plausible solution or alternative to the "industrial technological system". There is none. Most people like it, or think they do. The author's tendency to refer to himself always as "we", or as a member of the "FC" (later said to stand for Freedom Club), when he was probably never anything more than a lone wolf, rings a little of desperation, of subterfuge, and of conceit. Yet these failings are human and the book is not, on balance, grandiose or deluded but intellectual and sane.

It is disjointed but, in certain areas, surprisingly insightful on a psychological level. His descriptions of leftism, and of the power process, are especially perceptive for their time.

A man killed because he wanted his book to be read. I have read his book. The dead lie still. The deed is done. The book offered no solutions but contained some hard truth. Despite his crimes I will remember him, and I may yet read him again: I suspect prison has not diminished him, hence the absence of parole. Possibly he may have matured. The truth may be spoken by a murderer as well as by anyone else. Perhaps even better than some.… (mehr)

This basically tells how Brave New World is inevitable if we don't have a violent revolution. Very interesting read. I was already of opinions like technology corrupting human nature and that hunter-gatherers probably weren't as miserable as most of people living in developed countries, and this man provides studies by anthropologists to prove that, plus his own experiences of living as one, almost. I really liked his writing and the subject matter too was close to my heart, although I still think he was way too optimistic in thinking that the technoindustrial system could be overthrown. At the very least it provides me with kind of a coping mechanism, many of the psychological and emotional problems are inherent to the time and age we live in, and not necessarily the individual's fault.
Very enlightening. Will soon be reading again.… (mehr)