#We have to execute the bourgeoisie

[chronicsheepdrawing]

Date: 02/04/2025

Self Recognition Through The Other

[la-pheacienne]

I feel like I understand people's blorbofication of Javert because I get why someone would really cling onto a complex (male) antagonist with a traumatic past whose entire life is a lie and who kills himself when he reaches that final moment of realization. It is absolutely tragic, and it is easy and natural to cling onto that, we've all been there. But you need to understand that two things are in motion here: the first one is Javert's individual tragedy, and the second one is the broader system he personifies. He's a symbol. His primary function in the narrative is to personify the hateful, bigoted, cruel, inhumane legal system that intervenes after the fact and crushes all those that society has already put down. He, the incarnation of that bourgeois legal system, delivers the final blow. He finishes off what society started, and he does it with joy. When we say that he killed Fantine, it's not even about Javert the individual per se. It's about the entire system he represents. That system killed Fantine and Javert is its flesh and bones. Fantine was a poor girl that was exploited and let down by society in every single way and when she was herself a victim of actual physical violence, the Law, personified by Javert, instead of protecting her treated her like an animal, dehumanized her, humiliated her. The Law was scandalized that a woman like her dared attack the bourgeoisie. The Law was horrified that such a disgusting creature got medical care because she should just drop dead on her street. The Law rejoiced in tearing down her sole protector. The Law prevented her from getting her child back from the con artists that have been stealing her for years because the Law doesn't care about the crimes committed against marginalized people. That's not its function. Its function is to use its discretionary authority in order to dehumanize and punish people that ended up on the wrong side of the street.

So when you come at me with nonsense that Javert "didn't tEchNIcALLy kill Fatnine", "he was just rude", "he was just bitchy", "he just stole her final happy moments", respectfully, you don't know what you're talking about. Javert absolutely killed Fantine. He's not the only one who did but he eagerly and enthusiastically precipitated her execution, and that is the entire point Hugo is trying to make. Your arguments against it are nothing but a mere technicality that stems from the fact that the individual's actions technically do not qualify as manslaughter. It's as if we literally had an individual at court and we were thinking of whether or not to condemn him for manslaughter. It's not about that. It's not about your blorbo and his sadness. Your blorbo has a whole other function in the narrative. You have completely missed the mark of the entire book and you have let your personal emotional attachment for a character prevail over Hugo's main argument about the structural punitive violence that literally kills people. Javert being the product and the embodiment of an entire system that exceeds his individuality does not mean that, as a police officer, he's not responsible for his actions or their consequences. On the contrary, he's precisely entirely responsible for the structural violence committed against Fantine, that's what "embodiment" actually means, that's what we mean when we say that he personifies that system. Absolving Javert of his crimes goes directly against the themes of the book, because while systems operate above individuals by definition, they need those individuals to function. The system needs Javerts. Javerts are everywhere around us, yes even today and it is important to hold them accountable for their crimes. I can't believe I have to explain this tbh.

[seat-safety-switch]

"So you're telling me that these, these heroes... they fight the evil Bourgeoisie, who want to enslave all humanity?"

"The Proletarians, yes."

I was starting to get a little punchy after so many hours of meeting with the funders, but I had to hold out. The fate of the worker-owned action figure toy line was depending on me. For weeks, talented artists, writers, designers, animators, and sculptors had been working night and day on these figurines. They needed someone who could lie in order to extract the maximum amount of money from capital. They picked the right guy.

Soon, we had millions of dollars in funding, and a Saturday morning cartoon show. Children of all ages would thrill to real-world heroes like mailmen, machinists, and pizza chefs fighting off the indulgent extractive financial warfare of landlords, bankers, and oil-company executives.

We had a really cool thing going for the big villain, too. If you pushed the button on his back, the little voice chip would tell you how much he loves workers and wants to protect their rights. And when you moved the figurine close to the little bag of money, he would turn evil and change his mind about everything he had just said. Kids love that kind of double-play feature.

Ultimately, we were defeated at the last minute. One of the interns in the company had googled some of the words I was using, and told me someone already had a trademark on several of the economic philosopher figurines. It was too late for them to slam the brakes on all of it, though, and if you go into any dollar store in the country, you can pick up a five-pack of our Brave Worker-Owned Utopia playsets for like thirty bucks tops. You'll have to reuse a Paw Patrol dog as Karl Marx, though. Just so long as it's not that class traitor cop.

[apas-95]

the right wing of the imperialist bourgeoisie is exactly as much our enemy as the left wing of the imperialist bourgeoisie. they have all their interests in common and are exactly equal in their willingness to carry out genocide to defend those interests. the only things they disagree on are matters internal to the imperial bourgeoisie - the division of taxation, the precise execution of their class's imperial projects, etc. not only are these differences immaterial to us not among the bourgeoisie, but they are also a realm of politics that we fundamentally have zero influence over. what affects us, and what we are capable of effecting, are proletarian politics, and proletarian politics alone.

[absolutebl]

I Feel You Linger In the Air

You ready for this?

The quickest of quick thoughts: I loved this show and hated the ending, but not for the reason you think.

This is gonna be one of my big meta beast-sized posts, skip to the end for the final review.

Some Historical Context for I Feel You Linger In The Air - Thailand 1925-1932

I love history and so here's some info that any Thai watcher would likely know, but the rest of us might not... ready?

The Historical Stage:

Burma (now Myanmar) to the west is occupied by the British.

The French hold Vietnam to the east.

Everyone is bickering over what would become Cambodia & Laos.

China occasionally gets involved from the North (also, lots of immigrants from China at this time accounting for a large percentage of the merchant/middle class)

Eventually, Japan would invade during WWII.

In part, The Kingdom of Siam was kept a "neutral" party because none of the surrounding colonial powers wanted to risk offending any of the other players in the area.

Siam re-negotiated sovereignty in 1920 (from USA) and in 1925 (from France & Britain). But during the time of this show (late 1929) it was back to it's customary type-rope balancing act of extreme diplomacy with the allied western colonial powers that surrounded it.

Recognizing that Thailand was never colonized (although it was invaded), it's boarders were constantly nibbled at and it was "ambassador-occupied" off and on by westerners whose military backing and exploitive business concerns simply outmatched the monarchy, especially in the technology department (as well as by reputation on the global stage at the time).

In other words, the farang in this show (James & Robert) were always gonna be both the baddies and the power players of the narrative. (Farang is the Thai word for non-Thai's of European descent, the word means guava.)

The king of Siam at the time (Vajiravudh AKA Rama VI) was initially somewhat popular but also regarded as overly extravagant since Siam had been hit by a major postwar recession in 1919. It should also be noted that King Vajiravudh had no son because he was most likely gay (which at the time did not much concern the Siamese popular opinion, except that it undermined the stability of the monarchy leaving it without an heir).

He "died suddenly" in 1925 (age 44) with the monarchy weakened and succession handed off to his younger brother.

In 1932 a small circle of the rising bourgeoisie (all of whom had studied in Europe, mostly Paris), supported by some military, seized power from the monarchy in a practically nonviolent Siamese Revolution installing a constitutional monarchy. This is mentioned in IFYLITA in the last few episodes but did not (apparently) appear in the original novel.

Siam would then go through:

dictatorship,

WWII,

Japanese invasion,

Allied occupation,

democratic elections,

military junta,

the Indochina wars,

communist insurgency,

more democracy and popularization movements,

multiple coups,

more junta,

more monarchy,

eventually leading us to the somewhat chaotic insanity of Thai politics we have today. (Which is, frankly, a mix of monarchy, junta, democracy, egocentric popularism, and bribery.)

The Filming of I Fell You Linger in the Air

The director if this show, Tee Bundit (Hidden Agenda, Step by Step, Lovely Writer, TharnType), has never particularly impressed or offended me as a director. I would have called him simply "workmanlike" in execution: not offensive, serviceable.

So much so that I spent some time hunting for info on IFYLITA's cinematographer (who remains uncredited on MDL) because this one, of all Tee's pantheon, is ultra stylish. It, frankly, felt too good for him.

Specifically, there is a repeated visual motif in intimacy scenes of either Yai or Jom being filmed from behind a screen/drape/curtain making them seem more translucent, like a ghost or spirit. While the other half of the pair is filmed with sharp clarity. In the first half of the series this is more likely to be Yai (an unknown and mysterious element), as the show progresses, it's more likely to be Jom (the person outside of place and time, destined to vanish all together). This cleverly conveys story, tension, and foreshadow (future shadow?)

Occasionally we shift over so they both become obscured and then clear again.

This stylized version of dirty framing and filters is used to foreshadow and then constantly remind us about that Jom slipped (and is slipping) through time and the disconnect that causes to his sense of reality and purpose, and to his burgeoning relationship.

For example, the scene where Yai is drunk and asleep in his bed. The first time Jom is sitting in a chair drawing him. Yai is blurry behind the screen while Jom is solid and sharp.

This filming technique combined with dirty and peekaboo framing is being used to give the watchers the impression of looking at something we maybe shouldn't, like we are being creepy and intruding on their private time. After all, they can see EACH OTHER clearly, it's only us who have the visual impairment.

This gives us a sense of doom and discomfort and slight sensation that we shouldn't be there. We shouldn't be watching. But ALSO that we too are outside of time, filtered by the future.

In other words his sense of displacement is being used to trigger ours visually.

It's all quite clever.

It's both beautiful and atmospheric and discomforting and touch stressful. Meaning that it is ALSO a visual vehicle to drive narrative tension. As effective as scary music, perhaps more so in this show (since I personally found the musical motifs and refrains somewhat overused.)

Linguistic corner

The word for reflection and shadow is the same in Thai.

Note on the por/phor/phô honorific in Thai

I have not encountered it before in BL. I am indebted to @embraceyourfandom for the following information;

Phô is a paternal honorific, luang phô is used for respected monks. It basically means father. And is oft seen as male honorific for village elders. It's also used as a male prefix in the names of several occupations like:

พ่อครัว phô khrua (khrúa= kitchen -> chef)

พ่อค้า phô khá (khá= trade -> merchant)

พ่อมด phô mót (mót= person of occult knowledge -> wizard)

พ่อบ้าน phô bân (bân =house -> butler) - most relevant

So, Yai's use is probubly foreshadowing that Jom will be a butler for his house, and is primitively referring to him with this title.

All that said, phô can also be used by a "man who is older/higher on hierarchy to refer to a younger/lower on hierarchy man with intimacy and/or affection."

I think all this has to do with Jom's demonstration of education. Yai figured out early on that one of the reasons Jom doesn't belong and cannot fit in with the servants is that he is more educated than a peasant (of this time period), which for Yai adds up to him being originally from a higher status and possibly wealthy family, especially since Jom speaks English and has travelled (he has a non-northern accent).

There is very little Thai middle class at the beginning of the 1920s since trade is being dominated/dictated by the West, or Chinese merchant operations, and Siam is a monarchy. So for a nationalize Thai citizen educated means military, landed gentry with trade operations (like Yai), royal/political/diplomatic connections, or... none of the above. This changes, especially in the south, throughout this decade (as it did in other parts of the world). So there is a rising bourgeoisie going on in the background but it's not that obvious in Chang Mai at this time.

What Jom's educated lack of status means to Yai is that Jom's family either got wiped out or politically disenfranchised possibly as part of the 1912 attempted coups (or even WWI)? This would be mystifying for Yai because Jom doesn't act like he comes from a military family at all. So his background and status is very confusing for Yai, but Yai does know one thing...

Jom is NOT lower class by the standards of Yai's temporal worldview and existence.

For a young man to be educated and yet entirely alone is very dangerous and suspicious. Also, let's be clear, Jom doesn't look or act like a laborer. He red flags "cultured" all over the place.

Yai is paternalistic and caring towards Jom out the gate because Yai has a big ol'crush but also because he recognizes "his own" is trying to survive while isolated and scared.

Yai wants to rescue Jom. Yai is an ineffectual 20 year old gay intellectual. But poor thing sure tries.

Let's Talk About How I Felt About I Feel You Linger in the Air

The historical aspect was great.

I adore historical romances and we almost never get them in BL. I was always gonna be biased towards this show. (As indeed I am towards Nobleman Ryu's Wedding, Tinted with You, and To Sir With Love.) Aside from some classic Thai BL production issues (less than normal, this is very high production value for Thailand) and my issues around the sound track and repetitive repriens (which frankly were more noticeable because I binged the last half) I have no complaints on that score (heh heh).

The surrounding support cast were all quite good and we even got us some lesbians!

The emotional and narrative tensions were excellent.

Any issues I had with pacing came from focus on characters that didn't interest me, but probubly did interest others. I wasn’t wild or particularly interested in the family drama or the side characters/couples, but they were necessary to make this a fully fleshed story with historical context and to give Yai much needed characterization. Also this use of a ensemble cast is very close to Thailand's lakorn heart, even thought this one had way less scenery chewing ludicrous soapy drama (thank heavens).

I was delighted that external threat, stressors, and conflict drove this plot. That's refreshing in BL.

I have no arguments with the chemistry and kisses and sex scenes were tasteful and lovely, occasionally even heart-wrenching, and it's nice to see Thailand especially use physical intimacy to drive plot, and not the other way around.

I love historicals partly because every tiny touch can have such lingering significance, they're very elegant in their chaste physicality. This show didn't need to move into higher heat, but I'm grateful it did because even that was very well done. Thai BLs can often feel clumsy around intimacy, but not this one.

The final sex scene before Jom and Yai separate forever utilizes the ubiquitous director's-favorite-romantic-moments-flashbacks (required of all Asian romance dramas) but with acceleration and tension driven by the noises of sex, which I've never seen/heard done before. In other words: climax of sex = climax of the romance story, I see what you did there, Tee. Clever. Very clever. Bit on the nose… erm… on the… well you know what I mean.

Like all Thai BLs this wasn’t perfect, but for me this is as close as Thai BL gets to high quality romance and that’s what I want the most from my drama watching experience (if not necessarily my Thai BL experience).

But... and you knew the but was coming didn't you?

I absolutely hated the ending.

It wasn't sad, don't worry, but it also wasn't good.

There is a long drawn out separations sequence and then Jom returns to the present, drowning from a car accident. Jom is "rescued" by an moustachioed iteration of Yai from the distant past (who we met once before) and then wakes in hospital. Some time later, Jom returns to the house in Chang Mai where Yai turns up and they reunite.

The end.

There is a stinger featuring Jom once more hurled back in time, only further, meeting the warrior mustache Yai once more.

Okay, that's all I knew and all I saw.

Confused? So was I.

If this had been a regular time travel romance: Yai would have been the EMT or doctor attending Jom when he woke up and their "this time period" romance would commence. With either shared memories, or not.

Had this been set up for audience comprehension in line with the original novel, we should have had flashbacks from both Present Yai (he's not the same one, as it turns out) and deep-past Moustache Yai interwoven throughout the series. Preferably with some focus on Present Yai's quest for reunion with Present Jom AND Present Yai's own experience with visions and memory of his past lives.

A full explanation of the ending is here. This explanation of the 3 different Yais makes me like our ending more. But I shouldn't need to read Cliff's notes from some random y-novel reading fan on Tumblr to understand what's going on in a series!

There is supposedly a special happening with Jom + Present Yai.

There was unquestionably a failure in adaptation in the finale of this show.

As a fan and watcher, what I actually felt was deeply confused and hurt.

I also felt that this was a disingenuous un-earned throw away happy ending, since I had no idea who this new Present Yai was and no investment in his character. I simply didn't believe he was the same Yai (Bright is too good an actor, he was clearly a different older personality).

So the fact remains that past Yai, our Yai, the 20 year old boy we grew to understand and love, is abandoned in the past to suffer alone for the rest of his life. And THAT is an unhappy ending for one half of my beloved pair. Yes Jom gets a new Yai in the present day, but it's not the same Yai. They have no developed relationship, and Jom is doomed to leave even this new Yai and slide into the past once more. That's barely even happy for now for Jom's character.

As a result of my deep sadness for 20-year-old Yai in particular, I'm not going to be able to rewatch this show. The whole thing was rendered not just confusing but the opposite of comforting by the final 15 minutes. I'm tempted to dock it two whole points - one for the ending and the other for the lack of rewatch potential.

But the first 11.5 eps were SO GOOD.

This is one of the only times where I am actually hoping for a second season, while simultaneously being wary of the screen writing and production team's capacity to give us a satisfying one.

Industry wise? I honestly don't think we can hope too hard for a full season 2. This was an expensive show with flawed/limited distribution and little sponsorship. I don't see how they'll get funding for a second season. Unless we see this show up on like Netflix or Viki, I urge you not to hope too hard and be disappointed.

In all honestly?

I started typing up this blog post thinking Thailand was finally, after 5 years, going to earn another 10/10 from me but I just can't in good conscious give it that. It's been days and I'm still upset about that last episode.

And Now My Quick Pitch Review

I truly loved this time travel romance. IFYLITA is an exquisite BL, from filming techniques to narrative framework (much like Until We Meet Again). Steeped in history and family drama it edges into lakorn (but no as much as To Sir With Love and with way less scenery chewing). This is an elegant and classy BL... from Thailand which normally doesn't even try for classy. The main couple (both as a pair and individuals) were excellent, particularly Bright (Yai) whose eye-work acting style is a personal favorite of mine. Pity about the ending. Oh it wasn’t that sad but it wasn’t good either. This show should easily have earned a 10 from me except that it fumbled the… erm… balls. Argh. Whatever. 9/10

(source)

This post is also in My Drama List as a review.

[juney-blues]

how exactly do you intend to provide for people on a basis that is neither personal nor authoritative on a farm with no government oversight, or reason to engage with any outside forces, fully self sufficient lives a family of farmers say heterosexual family with a daughter and a son, the daughter is gay and either through homophobia or social expectations the father does not want to provide for her over that, through personal loyalty or agreement the mother sides with the father and the children can not be expected to provide for themselves, what can be done here without infringing on anyones personal freedoms or the suffering of the daughter due to bigotry

wow what a fucked up situation, i'll bite

what you are describing is less of an analogue to an anarchist commune, and more the logical conclusion of the nuclear family, there are a lot of solutions to a problem like this but i'd lean more towards "we need to abolish the tyranny of the family and restructure society such that children are not seen as the property of their parents and have a robust community to fall back on as a support network" rather than "we need an authority even HIGHER than the family to make sure the family stays in line, and we assure you that WE will NEVER misuse that authority nuh uh you can trust us"

"but june" i hear you say "what if the community as a whole is homophobic and thinks these children should starve!"

wow what a shitty situation, this hypothetical fuckin sucks for those kids i guess. let me ask you a question though, what if your *state* is homophobic, what if it thinks this child should be imprisoned and sentenced to hard labor or just executed. what is your solution to that

like we could just sit here all day posing the hypothetical of "okay but what if those running your society, be they few or many, were rotten to the fucking core and evil, what then, huh?" and like idk the answer to that is it'd be a shitty fuckin society. great job. if the people who ran your ideal vision of society were monsters then it wouldn't be ideal, really productive conversation personally i think that a society where people have as little power over eachother as possible is one that leaves as little room for abuse as possible. like yeah no shit there are going to be interpersonal struggles and abuses between people and that's going to fucking suck, there are ways of mitigating that, and some of them leave more room for abuse and oppresion than others. I often hear the sentiment "I somehow care more about the long ongoing violence the bourgeoisie inflict on the oppressed, than the temporary violence of a revolution" so i'm sure you can get where i'm coming from when i say "i somehow care less about the interpersonal violence a state could mitigate, than the overwhelming violence and oppression it would nominally be doing in service of that"

god this got off topic, the main question was "how exactly do you intend to provide for people on a basis that is neither personal nor authoritative" so i should answer that

uhhh

nice dichotomy idiot what lies outside it

[sataniccapitalist]

Are We Cooked? Have Revolutionary Optimism ✨

Are we cooked? Tump won, and fears of fasc*sm are high.

But maybe it's a sign, the system needs to change. This year, 150 of the wealthiest families spent $2 billion to keep the rigged two-party system intact, while over 40 million Americans live in poverty.

Imagine if THE PEOPLE saw that money. It's not about who's in office, it's the system that needs to go. "The executive of the modern state i but a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie."

Let's build Revolutionary Optimism!

#ClassConsciousness #revolution #RevolutionaryOptimism #marx

[nyxrev]

Neo Disciplinary Agents

*chills*

She got jacked arms under her suit, no doubt…crazy spider-leg hair, she has full control over every thread of organization members… what were they prior? Ex-mercenary? They emit prison guard… or executioner vibes…

You simply don't fxck around. You will not find out, you will simply be gone, gone like a speck of dust.

Let's talk about neo org structure, (ex?)-criminals, cult leaders, big-shot bourgeoisie… 99% guaranteed to each have their own purposes, grand delusion of world conquest, & their nefarious deeds:

Loot, tax evasion, human experiment & underground market etc.

Such an exemplary bunch, what could possibly go wrong?

Allow me to tell you a story:

Once, X worked at an establishment* with decent pay but manager bullied them so they left for another sect. across the block, who promised them better pay & fair treatment. Except when they arrived, to their dismay, other staff were jealous saboteurs, back-stabbers, rumour mills who did all they could to drag others under no matter how low they stoop.It was even implicitly encouraged.Boss did not want X bc of age, manager later also did not want X bc of “ability” despite prior promises, but they do not get dirt on their own hands, so they “borrow other's knife to k!ll” so to speak,which is why some staff turn on X as if they get paid… they do, though reward may not be money.

X decided to quit when they found out just how shady they operated:

identity fraud & faked marriage for immigration, debt entrapment, money laundry, tax evasion, exploit staff by tip confiscation, gambles are on the tables & obligatory, prostitute to the top, join cult for promotion

Their method:

financial & social entrapment, back scenes manipulation,subtle coercion

At the end X went back to prior org …at least they had rigid management who know how to run an operation on the table… all hands visible.

Sound familiar?

… … …

Not to dismiss the benefit of doubt but when you fill your ranks & esp. the executive echelon with egoistic characters of dubious backgrounds & even more obscured intentions… what would you expect happen?

Already on first encounter somebody expressed vehement protest. Truly smart opposition don't show their fangs until it's too late for you. Ex-criminals who look ready to pick a fight anytime? You rly think they would change for good? Mayyybe… but words are cheap talk, watch what they do. Cult leaders… never good news. Immediate boost of followers for your organization? Sure. Long-term goals? Hmm… Well, what can the bourgeoisie do? Anything they want & their money can buy. Easy funds? For now. You think they will just fund you for free? It's a world of Give & Take, & who knows better how to seize* than an elite capitalist. An iconic idol can't be bad, we get loyal popularity!Except she's wired to the organization's server, which seems convenient,for communication? Or maybe… mind control? She already experiences “glitches”…seems like a cyborg power boost clearly has draw -backs.How long can the power boost of borg op. last? What happens when it's worn out? We all know hardware needs maintenance & upgrades. About the disciplinary agents? Also borgs …But they look uncanny, like they'd be unfazed under any circumstances, like they know…things.Idk about the ex-mercenary part… they thoroughly creep me out.

Hey at least the young leader seems honest & competent? Keyword: young* Can we expect a circus of hooligans to obey a 16 yr-old boy? …How much control does he actually have over them? I don't doubt his competency, I doubt the members' extent of will for cooperation.

(no no I'm just paranoid~) oh but…

For example,

Suiryu is obligated to work for neo now to pay for the suit he damaged, debt entrapment at work.

[argyrocratie]

"For us there are different contents which overlap and confront one another in the term Commune: essentially the Commune as the proletariat’s revolutionary uprising, and the Commune as the government of Paris. Bourgeois historiography would not show this distinction because this would imply showing the class confrontation which was taking place. The confusion over these two contents is eminently harmful to the intelligence of the social movement in France in 1870-71.

(...)

These academics of bourgeois thought filter events through their own perspective which they describe using their own terminology. Their aim is to protect the organization of the society which they depend upon. When they identify the bourgeois reformist decrees produced by the Commune government with the (confused but real) attacks which the proletariat made against the capitalist State the bourgeoisie is simply projecting today the same political concern which was already a driving force within it in 1871 as it faced armed proletarians: how can it bring the revolutionary movement in Paris back into the framework of a struggle for more republic, more democracy, more State.

That is why in the following text we have used two distinct terms:

the Commune which we refer to as such or preceeded by the adjective “revolutionary” when we refer to the revolutionary movement in Paris.

the Commune government when we wish to speak about the reorganization of the State in its republican form and in its defense of the pillars of its society – private property, labor, money.

The revolutionary Commune has an undeniable suggestive power for the proletariat. To say the Commune to refer to the proletarian uprising in Paris is like saying the Russian Revolution to talk about the October 1917 insurrection in Petrograd. The proletariat’s strength in its struggle to affirm its needs, its communist project, was so great that it marked future generations with the time and place of their happenings. The Commune, 1917, El Cordobazo, May 1968…are terminological shortcuts which mark the proletariat’s struggle and with which it identitfies.

However when we talk about the Commune government we talk about capitalism’s capacity to break the proletariat’s party. We refer to the bourgeoisie’s capacity for keeping its State alive. In order to do so it seeks to confiscate the initiatives and directives taken in the struggle by revolutionary workers so as to better destroy them. In distinguishing between the Commune government and the revolutionary movement we wish to point out this bourgeois recuperation, the capitalist State’s great capacity to adapt and co-opt workers’ elements so as to make its decisions seem credible. In doing so it seeks to defuse the revolutionary movement by legalizing it and transforming social attacks into a purely military confrontation – turning the class war, proletariat against bourgeoisie, into a bourgeois war, front against front, Paris against Versailles.

(...)

For us, this means that we are not going to try to distinguish between the “good” and the “bad” measures passed by the the Commune government but instead to grasp its essence as an atomizing force against the proletariat’s power, and even more so against the direction which the proletariat was trying to give itself. Just because some militant workers, despite their anterior ruptures, participated in different levels of the Parisian municipal State apparatus (the government, executive commissions,…) that did not give any revolutionary complexion to these structures. On the contrary, it’s an expression of the confusion which reigned among the avant-garde elements, the proletariat’s lack of determination.

Mixing up the efforts of participants in the Commune to give themselves a revolutionary direction with the capitalist subject the Commune government never ceased to represent, is an enormous concession to the bourgeois history of the Commune.

-"The Paris Commune: revolution and counterrevolution in Paris in 1870-1871"

[hel-phoenyx]

15) The Bitch is Dead

Kaizarz and Matilda are @corneille-but-not-the-author's characters

The streets of Alfsjland are completely covered in black, today. I spot in some corners a little pit of purple, but it's the only color visible to my eyes, except for my own clothes, or my sons.

Junior is starting to walk, so today I was trustful enough to bring him in the city. I had groceries to buy anyway, and maybe I could try to find a job. Mom and Dad's fortune is waning by the day and I can't count on Tyrfing anymore.

The thought alone is enough to make me shiver in rage.

But Tyrfing is not important today. He didn't show his face since two years, anyway, it's like he's dead for everyone. He is, to me. But I hardly doubt such grief is for a fallen prince, even if people, from what I know, are unaware of what really happened on that boat.

Everyone walks with their heads low, and some of the bourgeoisie are even crying. Fake tears, no doubt, but they're people that could be executed if we didn't see the cry.

All of that is enough of a hint, but just to be sure, I hail a woman passing next to me. She has a child, too, so I can always call for her motherly pity if I am recognised.

"Excuse me ? I haven't been in the city for long, why is there so many grieving manifestations ?"

The woman pinches her lips.

"Ah, you must be from the contryside, if you haven't heard ! Her Majesty Matilda IIIrd died yesterday after a long agony, so we're grieving like we should for a sovereign !"

Her tone of voice is telling enough. She is absolutely not affected by her death, and if she wasn't in the open, with a woman she doesn't know, she would have told me the news with a smile.

But what she thinks is not important.

So the bitch is dead.

Ha.

Mom would have been so happy.

I nod, and take junior in my arms. If really Matilda is dead, we're even more in danger to be recognised. I may be dirty, considerably thinner that before and my hair only is starting to grow back from the grief haircut, but the second I'm spotted and it's all over.

Junior is technically an heir to the crown, after all. And if Tyrfing doesn't reappear, he may be the next in line.

"Thanks, ma'am. I take it the coronation is soon ?"

"Tomorrow, in fact. Those old crows at the council are in a rush to put his Highness on the throne, we've got the shortest grief period for a king I've ever seen. And I've seen Hrogni die, my good lady."

I try to keep a composed face hearing the name of my grandfather. Please, gods, whatever is hearing me, make so that she doesn't notice she's talking to his granddaughter.

Junior is squirming in my arms, but I keep him close. Anxiety will get the better of me if I don't let go. He's the only one I have left. I can't let people take him from me.

"This is not surprising, even where I'm from I heard his Highness is one of the most popular heirs to the throne in a long time."

Even though it hurts so much to say it. I hope no one can taste the acid in my mouth. Not even junior.

It's not good to show hatred to the king in those times and ages.

And of course, the woman nods and smiles.

"For sure. So young, and he managed to at least halt so many of the crises this country is going through. With him on the throne, we're sure to prosper, and who knows, maybe we'll stop this war !"

I don't believe it one second. He wasn't even able to stop a tragedy.

But I can't say that to that lady. She would treat me with far less kindness. And maybe the smile she is giving me would falter even more surely than my husband's life.

"I've heard the entire city is invited to the coronation, that the palace is gonna be open to everyone! Maybe I'll go, if I can afford a day of. Will you, my good lass ?"

I smile.

It is far too forced.

"Maybe."

But I already know the answer.

Seeing him with the crown on his head would be far too painful.

****

I was fishing on the shore, to redo my food stock, and maybe earn a coin or two. It's easy for me to fish, after all. I call upon me the sea creatures, and a spell leaves them helpless in my hand. It's one of the only reasons I didn't die yet, even if I so badly wanted to.

Anyway, I was fishing on the shore. Hidden from most, like usual; far away from my home, just in case. That's probably why I hear footsteps on the sand, on the other side of the cliff.

Besides some people from my past, I haven't heard humans for so long. It may be why I stopped what I was doing to get closer and eavesdrop. I won't get better ways to learn about news from the kingdom, after all.

They're two. Two children, teenagers maybe ; not older than I was when I last sailed. They're wearing ragged clothes, their faces are covered on dirt and under the clothing I can feel their thinness, but they're smiling like War herself gave them the wooden weapons they're holding.

"Haven't you heard ?" says one of them to his friend. "The Mad Queen is dead !"

"No way. How did you know that ?"

"I went to steal some bread in the market today and heard some people talking about it ! And then I asked Lucja and she said that they were right, that we're burying her today !"

They're still chirping, with the enthousiasm I would expect from kids, but I can't hear their words anymore.

So the Mad Queen is finally dead. She was, from what I can remember, in agony even two years ago. Constantly confined in her room, not talking to anyone ; at that point, she was queen only by name. Her son took over the regency something like three years ago.

That's what caused the biggest unrest.

I haven't heard anything else since then. Maybe because I, myself, became a shut-in. But if the queen is dead, and the children are talking about it with so much enthousiasm... I guess there is still an heir left.

Again, I pricked up my ear. The teens are still talking, with even more enthousiasm.

"The coronation is tomorrow," says one of them, the one that warned his comrade of the death of the Mad Queen. "And the people are invited ! I wanna go so badly..."

"You can't, your mom's going to kill you if you don't work a day ! We still need to eat, remember ?"

"Yeah, but that suuuucks ! I wanted to see the king ! Is he as tall as the legends say ?"

I sigh.

Knowing him, probably even taller.

So the day has come. Kaizarz is finally getting crowned. This was bound to happen, after all, but I can't help my heart to sink in my chest. The future really is unmovable, isn't it ?

A long time ago, I would have been delighted. Today it's just making me... I don't know. Sad. Woeful. I don't know. It doesn't feel as bad as it could, tho.

His coronation is tomorrow.

I promised him I'll be there when I was eight.

Today I'm almost eighteen, and that promise doesn't hold much weight anymore.

But

Maybe I can still keep it.

Maybe I'll see you tomorrow

my friend.

[mariacallous]

If you are serious about beating someone like Trump, you focus on doing what needs to be done. Your own feelings are an irrelevance.

One of the bitterest moments in the bitter history of 20th century socialism came at the end of the 1920s when Moscow ordered the world’s communists to fight other leftists rather than Nazis. Writing about the relevance of the 1920s for our time a few years ago, I described the communists’ catastrophic mistake thus.

Connoisseurs of the communist movement’s crimes have always thought that 1928 was a vintage year. The Soviet Union had decided that the first period after the glorious Russian revolution of 1917 had been succeeded by a second period, when the West fought back. But now in the historic year of 1928, Stalin had ruled that communists were entering a ‘third period’ when capitalism would die in its final crisis. As the Wall Street crash was only months away, this was not as fanciful as it seemed. The strategy for hastening its fall was suicidal, however. No compromise was possible with anyone who stood in history’s path. Reformists were opportunists and traitors. Social democrats were social fascists; as bad as the Nazi gangs which were already gathering on Berlin streets. Or perhaps worse. For at least the fascists were honest in their way. The parliamentarians and the compromisers were sneaks who had been ‘bribed by the bourgeoisie’ to deceive the masses, as no less an authority than Lenin had said. When Stalin’s enemy, Leon Trotsky, who was hardly a moderate, warned that instructing left-wingers to fight other left-wingers was a sure way of allowing fascism to ‘ride over your skulls and spines like a terrific tank’, Ernst Thälmann, the leader of the German communist party, denounced him for his ‘criminal counter-revolutionary propaganda’.

The policy was dropped in 1934​, and anyone who knows who came to power in Germany in 1933 can guess why. The Nazis sent Thälmann to a concentration camp and executed him in 1944. The ​chastened communist movement went on to order its followers to form popular fronts with socialists, liberals and conservatives opponents of fascism: a tactic we could do with reviving today.

Are we about to tell a similar story about 2024? Will we once again see a divided and self-absorbed left allow the far right to win?

[kapi-tanka]

what do you think about arcade gannons father? do you have any headcanons or just thoughts in general? i've seen your posts about his mother so yk just curious

sorry it took so long to answer! actually i had a similar conversation with my mutual not so long ago so i'll just copy my discord messages if it's okay with you lol... i don't know what else to add. at first i wanted to write a separate answer to your question but i guess there's no point in repeating myself in slightly different words also sorry to any marxists who get to read this. my understanding of politics is still far from confident but i try to educate myself as much as i can. TEXT VERSION UNDER THE CUT

omg i'm by no means an authority but i really appreciate it!! hmm but what are you interested in exactly? i think i've covered my headcanons on arcade's mom pretty well in one of my comics but his dad's still a bit mystical figure to me. but i have a couple of headcanons based on info from the ttrpg fallout game where arcade was josh sawyer's player character. like, i headcanon his name as mark because it was his name in the ttrpg (and i feel like some people do that too) and it seems that he knew some latin or at least a couple of latin phrases (and maybe mark even was the reason why arcade learned latin later, that and his medical education). and since cannibal johnson says that arcade reminds him of gannon sr. i feel like he was a pretty educated person too. and it may be a bit weird/hard to explain/very post-soviet of me and i'm not sure if it's even a thing in other countries/regions but i've always read gannons (or at least mrs gannon) as "intelligentsia" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligentsia). basically, a social class of the "minds" of the state who were privileged enough to get good education and, therefore, important positions in the state, primarily in science/arts/education (it's not a separate class actually, they mostly were bourgeoisie/petite bourgeoisie or on the border with the working class). education was almost inherited in such families because "intelligents" gravitated towards each other and subconsciously taught their kids the same ideals/automatically gave them some of their cultural capital. so yeah, it was pretty elitist in its core but intelligentsia was generally very politically conscious (because they had opportunities to learn in-depth theoretical politics and not only the propaganda for the working class). i obviously oversimplify it and all of this was much much more nuanced and complex, but i hope it still makes some sense and we have very tragic associations with intelligentsia here because when the soviet regime started to shoot itself in the leg intelligentsia was the first to leave the country/be imprisoned/executed/repressed in many other ways. because, again, they were educated enough to critique the state in "dangerous" ways (and many intellectuals helped to shape the communist revolution in the beginning so their importance was originally in this ability to provide state criticism). i know that the enclave is nothing like the ussr in terms of their politics and roots but i feel like similar social classes form in other secluded states too (and something similar even happened to veronica in the brotherhood so. yeah). and i feel like the enclave went through the same process of staling within itself due to lack of contact with the outside world soooo its policies became more and more right-wing with time. and gannons were somewhat oppositional even before mark's death and mrs gannon's parting with the enclave. like, we know that cannibal johnson was openly anti-enclave and even sabotaged his missions. and also cannibal johnson says the nicest things about arcade's father so i think that they had to share political views at least in some way. but mark gannon has to be much more complex than this, not all sugar and candy of course. i feel like he went through a "going anti-state" arc and was much more right-wing in the beginning of his military career and before meeting his wife (also i headcanon her name as daniela because "daniel" was originally arcade's middle name) sorry for the wall of text!!! i can elaborate on anything (also lol. it reads as very anti-communist but i didn't intend it that way. i'm an anarcho-communist myself but i think it's important to talk about war crimes of any failed regime, especially the one you want to work properly in the future)

yes same!! honestly i don't think arcade remembers him well. because everything arcade says sounds more like something other people told arcade?? and in my headcanon he internalized his mother's and other remnants' sentiments and opinions to a point of having fake memories about his dad (but i think it was mostly the remnants who formed this conflict, i see his mother as a silent and a bit avoidant type because she never told him what happened to mr gannon). i still can't figure out my own timeline for arcade's childhood but i thiiiink they left navarro when he was around 5-6 years old cuz arcade says in one of his quotes that he had to hide his association with the enclave for 30 years. plus i believe that he said something about moreno living half of his life on the wastelands already but still grieving the enclave

i think mark was mostly busy with missions to spend any time with arcade. but i don't see him as a particularly bad father, just a busy kind

like, maybe they've had so little time together that arcade remembered some moments very vividly but overthinked them? sometimes memories become foggy because you spin them in your head for too long. for some reason i feel like this happened to almost every arcade's memory of mark

[obsidiancreates]

Refined Bloodlust Amongst The Bourgeoisie

"Come with me! All frogs, join me! Come along, are any of you government officials? If you are, raise a hand!"

A bullywug woman sets down her quill and peers out of her window. "Why, Ribbert, it looks as though there's some sort of parade going on outside!"

"Really, Flyletta? Let me see- oh my! And what a strange creature leading the way!"

"And calling out for government officials as well, oh do you think it's finally time for the execution- I-I mean, trial by combat?"

"Surely so! Let us grab our coats and hurry out, with a being like that leading the procession we're sure to have a very exciting combat in store for us!"

"Oooooh, marvelous! I'll grab my finest doily in case we get a seat in the splash zone!"

It's not too long a walk, though Ribbert and Flyletta do hustle along. They're not able to grab splash-zone seats, much to their disappointment, but they get a good enough view with their tiny binoculars on sticks from where they sit.

"Oh, goodness, what is that?" Flyletta croaks out in disgust. "Did they put a few rabbitfolk corpses together and stick them in a referee shirt?"

Ribbert leans forward and narrows his eyes as he peers through the binoculars. "No, no I believe that must be a... a clump of old dead swamp grass that was tossed into the water for a few days. Oh, jebus, it moved!"

"It looks in pain! Do you think it's a cursed creature?"

"Oh, of course it is. But someone's given it enough Witchlight to last us a week."

"Oh. ... Oh, dear, Ribbert, do you see the combatants?! One is on fire! My, Gullup may have the most exciting reign yet!"

"But look at the other. It's just a clown! This will over in moments, do you see the size of that very red man?"

"But won't it be fun to see the clown squished into jelly beneath such a handsome man's boots?"

"Mmm... he is quite handsome. But we won't be able to see the blood on him other than his clothes."

"Oh, you and your bloody men thing. There will be plenty, I'm sure."

"Oh, they're huddling, they're huddling. It's starting soon, Flyletta wave one of the vendors over before it truly begins!"

"FROGGY'S AND TOAD PEOPLE!"

"Oh, swamp gas. We'll grab something during the show I suppose."

"Let's wait until the intermission, Ribbert, you choked last time after laughing at one of the maimings."

"Ah, good point. What would I do without you, my dear?"

"ARE YOU READY TO SEE A BLOOD BATH?"

Ribbert and Flyletta cheer with the rest of the uproarious crowd. "KILL THEM!" Flyletta calls out!

The dapper alligatorfolk nods and raises the shell to his mouth again. "ARE YOU READY TO SEE SOMETHIN' YOU AIN'T NEVER SEEN BEFORE?"

The crowd cheers again, and again Flyette calls out "KILL THEM!"

The alligator announcer nods again, and raises the shell once more. "DO YOU ALL COUNT AS WITNESS? IF SO, CHEER!"

Flyletta and Ribbert think for a moment. They hear another party doing the same, and-

"I think so."

With that one conclusion, the entire crowd erupts!

The announcer seems pleased with this and shouts, "THAT'S LEGALLY BINDING!"

"What a strange way of announcing a combat," Ribbert mutters. "... They must be from Yon."

"Oh, Ribbert, oh no." Flyletta puts her hand to her forehead and leans onto her husband. "Do you think he's asking because these two shall fight in place of Morgo?"

"What?! But that would mean only one combat! I've been awaiting Morgo's bloody execution for ages!"

"Oh, the event is ruined, Ribbert!"

"Don't worry, darling, we'll stick around until the end and protest this to whoever arranged it."

"I think the alligator must have."

"AND BEGIN!"

The whistle blows, and it, theoretically, begins. Ribbert and Flyletta are too far away to hear everything the combatants are saying, so they just watch as the clown holds out a strange gun-like object, but made of a material neither of them have ever seen before.

"Must be from Yon."

"What do you have against Yon, darling?"

"It doesn't even rhyme, that's what."

Just as Ribbert finishes talking, a great beam of multicolored light blasts out from the clown's device! Flyletta's jaw drops as the red man easily dodges out of the way, an incredible smooth rhythm to his movements as he drops his shoulder and ducks to the side! The beam shoots out into the audience to Flyletta and Ribbert's right-

"Hot dogs, getcher hot do-!"

-disintegrating the poor sap they'd failed to purchase food from earlier.

"Oh!" Flyletta almost applauds, but Ribbert stops her.

Below, they can hear some chattering of confusion about names, but Flyletta really couldn't care less, and Ribbert is just busy checking his notebook of contacts to see if the pile of ash that was one a bullywug was anyone important.

They hear the clown cackling down on the field, and see the announcer speak briefly to the referee before tossing the announcing shell to... him? It? Still unclear if it's a real creature or some horrific amalgamation of swamp trash and dark magics and witchlight.

The shell lets out a horrific screeching sound as the referee holds it up to speak! Ribbert claps his hands over Flyletta's ear holes and uses his tongue to wrap around his head and cover his own.

"ERR, Sorry! Ribble got too close to the conch!"

"SHUT UP!" Flyletta screams. "LET THEM FIGHT! SHUT UP!"

"Wait real I ha-"

"SHUT UP!"

"Ribble just has to a-"

"SHUT UP!"

"That's Mundlemud versus Sploop-"

"SHUT UP!"

He finally relinquishes the shell to the alligator, and Ribbert relinquishes Flyletta's head as well as his own as they both breathe a sigh of relief. They watch with satisfaction as the referee seems to be panicking and cowering a bit on the field after that awful interruption of ruckus.

"Getcher vuvuzelas!" another vendor calls out to Ribbert and Flyletta's left.

"Oh not those horn things," Ribbert groans. "Those ruin every eve-"

Another blast of multicolored light shoots out from the field, disintegrating the vendor and his horns.

"Oh! Good show, chap!" Ribbert calls down to the combatants, They clearly don't hear him, but it's alright.

Sploop throws his gun behind him, and as it shatters there are faint little spirits to be seen floating up from it. Flyletta applauds the macabre flavoring to this clown's weapon.

Mundlemud charges at Sploop now, lifting his giant arms and whipping the chains falling from them to restrain Sploop! It works, the clown wailing as he's captured! Mundlemud holds out his fist without even cocking it back, yanking Sploop right into the readied fist! Sploop's face quite literally sinks into the blow, his face contorting around the blow unnaturally, and he crowd roars!

Sploop vomits after, colorful circus peanuts erupting from his mouth as his head spins around like a top. Ribbert cheers loudest of all as Flyletta swoons a bit over Mundlemud's arms.

Another vendor comes down the stairs. "Bud Light, getcher Bud Light here, only sixteen gold pieces!"

"Oh, my." Flyletta frowns at the vendor. "What a rip-off!"

They hear, called out from the field in the rough, rocks-gargling voice of the referee, "That's outrageous!"

"Even that thing down there can see you're charging too much, Slimeithy!" Ribbert calls out.

Sploop vomits his circus peanuts all over Mundlemud, making the much larger and handsomer and all-around better man flinch and shield himself. Once the vomit ends there's a moment of speaking between the contestants, and suddenly Sploop pops into a mass of balloon animal pigs! But the chains are visibly red-hot, and they metl and writhe against the chains before coming back together into an also melting Sploop!

He pulls his tiny hat down over his whole body, and when it pops back up he's no longer melting. Flyletta groans in disappointment. "Oh, just when it finally getting interesting!"

"Pretzels, getcher pretzels, unsalted pretzels with avocado-based mayo! Only twenty-three gold pieces!"

"Oh, now if the clown doesn't kill that man, I will," Ribbert says, scrunching his face in disgust. "Avocado instead of beetle oil as a base? Despicable."

The clown holds his hand up, pulls another gun device from his hip, and fires one blast off before throwing it away as well. The vendor goes up in smoke, and Ribbert laughs. "As you deserved!"

The act seems to spark a small conversation, quickly turned argument, between the combatants. Mundlemud rears back his fist and punches, then spins him out and pulls him back out to punch again, over and over.

"DON'T WORRY BUDDY, I'M GONNA BEAT'CHU RIGHT BACK!" they hear Mundlemud shout.

"Is that some kind of intimidation tactic?" Flyletta wonders, leaning forward a bit. "Perhaps the clown was his friend before becoming a horrible magic clown?"

"That's nonsense, dear, 'buddy' must be an insult where they're from."

"Oh, yes, that makes much more sense, darling."

Suddenly a large barrel sits in the hands of Sploop, dark in color, and he tries to smash it over Mundlemud's head. While he succeeds, the strange small monkey's within rain down without even touching the larger man and instead begin to go after Sploop himself! A few even make their way into the stands, bullywugs screamign and hopping out of the line of fire until-

"Bloody Marys, getcher Bloody Marys here! Bloody marys with one'a those deep-fried cheeseburgers on top because WHY THE FUCK NOT?! Only forty-two gold pi- AHHHH! OH, IT HURTS! OH, I'M SCREAMING AND IT HURTS!"

The monkeys rage and screech as they kill the vendor.

"Clearly, they know how terrible the pricing has gotten as of late," Ribbert says. Flyletta nods approvingly as they watch the vendor be torn and melted.

When they look back, it seems to be the big finish. Mundlemud whips a wave through the chains, launching Sploop high up into the air! The clown laughs, even in the face of this certain doom, as Mundlemud leaps up to the same incredible heights with such air that the bullywugs themselves are awed! Mundlemud wraps his giant arms around Sploop from behind, spinning Sploop so that his head will hit the ground first, Sploop holding up a sign that even from the farthest rows clearly reads "Uh-oh!", it's all over-!

The fall seems to last forever, Mundlemud's form obscuring view of Sploop's, but the CRACK! that resounds through the arena is enough.

The whistle blows, and it's done! Mundlemud stands victorious! Flyletta and Ribbert leap to their feet, giving Mundlemud a standing applause!

"THAT'S IT FOLKS, THE CLOWN'S DEAAAD! AND HE DISINTEGRATED IMMEDIATELY, LEAVING A GOBLIN HE MUST'VE EATEN EARLIER OR SOMETHIN'!"

"I didn't know clowns eat goblins. My, this was educational and entertaining!" Flyletta exclaims, jumping a bit in place as she applauds some more.

"It's over?!"

Flyletta and Ribbert look over. "Oh, another vendor. Let's see if something happens again," Ribbert says excitedly.

"THANKS FOR COMIN'!" the announcer calls out.

The vendor looks down at his wares in a bit of panic. "Aw shit, did anyone want full cooked chicken piccata? On dinner plates?"

"What a foolish venture, those plates aren't even fine china," Flyletta sniffs in disapproval. "Who would pay even a copper?"

The vendor holds up his tray high. "CHICKEN PICCATA, HEY! HOT 'N FRESH CHICKEN PICCATA, WHO WANTS SOME?"

"Shut up, we're listening!" A bullywug in an isle seat shouts. He stands and stabs the vendor right in the back, perfectly severing the spine. Flyletta and Ribbert and many others in the area give the stabber a respectful round of applause for such a fine blow as the vendor goes down with a scream.

"Lemony... capers..."

"Well, time to head home." Flyletta takes Ribbert's hand as he helps her up. "I have to put on a new dress for Electrum Chef!"

[somestylinsonshit]

Justice for Queer Individuals in the Entertainment Industry: Behind the Glamour

It may often appear, that the entertainment industry, with all its glitz, glamour and bourgeoisie ideologies, is a beacon of acceptance and progressiveness. The short contradiction to that would be, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. The long contradiction will be discussed in this essay that attempts to highlight the grave injustice meted out by various individuals, who take advantage of the hierarchies present in this industry, to members of minorities, specifically the queer community, who need just as much space, representation and respect in all forums as white cis-gendered heterosexual people do. Beneath the facade of the pretty people with all the money in the world, in a near dystopian illusion (referencing the Capitol from The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, 2008), is the harsh reality of controlling charlatans who, through the means of contracts, lies and multiple inhuman methods, wield authority over the “idols” of today, owing to their avarice and desire to constantly gain, bearing no thought or sympathy to the people we see and falsely believe to be the luckiest in the world. Scratching just the shell of the history, the truth behind this surprisingly shallow image of glitter and allure is frankly terrifying and continues to shock all who research through the hidden depth of this industry, that such backward mindsets could be possible in spaces that are often seen as TOO liberal at times. In this essay, I will attempt to delve into the challenges faced by the people trapped in this industry and advocate for justice and reform to ensure they receive access to basic human rights and dignity.

A Brief History and the Struggle Against Power Dynamics in the Industry

A History of the Struggle for Justice for Queer Rights in the Industry. This struggle for LGBTQIA+ rights in the entertainment industry is not a recent phenomenon. This relatively new field has seen activists rising in rebellion ever since the introduction of the Hollywood Production Code (also known as the Hays Code) in 1930. This set of industry censorship guidelines, enforced by the Motion Picture Production Code, aimed to regulate the content of films to ensure they were ‘morally wholesome’ and acceptable to a broader audience. Homosexuality was explicitly prohibited and any portrayal would have led to censorship and blacklisting, forcing queer characters and stories underground, relegating them to subtext or coded language. If queer characters did appear, they were often depicted in a stereotypical and/or derogatory manner, portraying them as villains, sexual predators or as objects of ridicule. The silencing and erasure of queer voices and experiences from the most observed and followed enterprise reinforced societal stigma and discrimination against queer individuals, hindering significant progress towards acceptance and equality. Despite, or perhaps because of, its restrictive nature, the Hays Code spurred resistance within the industry which continues even today. Although the HPC has now been replaced by the film rating system, the continued struggle to represent the LGBTQIA+ community well and as fairly as heteronormativity, persists in trying to make the industry a safer place for queer-identifying artists.

Power Dynamics and Its Role in Injustice Towards Queer Artists. The entertainment industry is notorious for its power dynamics, where a few in power wield an immense influence over the careers of the professionals of today. Closeted queer individuals are often held at the mercy of their agents, managers and/or executives, a result of a glaring imbalance of power, who pressure them to preserve their ‘straight image’ to maintain their marketability (and hence keep their pockets full), especially male pop artists whose target audience generally consists of young teenage girls. Signed contracts are often the bane of these artists who could have anything from legal action taken against them to being blacklisted in a way that could lead to them being cut off from further roles, working with other individuals, or being able to continue in the industry in any setting, as a consequence for breaking even a clause on said contract. 

The entertainment industry is interconnected in a way that all the biggest powers work in a coalition and cooperation, so standing in defiance to one would mean defiance to all, which would not be brushed away easily. Agents or managers are the ones who provide opportunities within the entertainment industry, controlling access to roles, projects, and promotions, resulting in their authority over the works of musicians, actors and other professionals, forcing these artists to conform to heteronormative standards, leading to them concealing their sexuality and/ or gender identities to prevent putting their success at risk. A perceived commercial appeal takes the forefront as opposed to genuineness or authenticity. To further their interests, powers in the industry encourage and/ or coerce queer artists into maintaining a more mainstream image to attract fans. Discrimination is still an unfortunate reality, and facing backlash from others, industry insiders or the general public, resulting in career stagnation, is still a fear for many. Threats of reputational damage, career disruption or exposure are some of the forms of abusive manipulation used to force professionals in the industry to comply with the will and authority of those in power. 

The Mental Impact of Being Closeted in the Industry

There is no doubt that being forcibly closeted would result in profoundly negative effects on one’s mental health, as individuals grapple with the emotional toll of having to conceal their authentic selves in an unforgiving environment with literally everything that they have worked towards at stake. The pressure to maintain heteronormative standards is not an easy task, considering that one has to suppress one of the most integral parts of one’s identity. Naturally, anxiety and stress turn up in undercurrents as the artist navigates the delicate balance of authenticity and survival. Living in a constant fear of being exposed, ostracized or discriminated against will lead to the development of stress. Isolating oneself would also result from a fear of putting careers at risk from being too loud, which could exacerbate feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness which could, in turn, escalate into depression. For many closeted individuals, the act of having to conceal their sexuality or gender identity can create a profound sense of internal conflict, identity confusion and impostor syndrome. Questioning one’s worth, leading through a spiral of self-doubt and uncertainty about their identity or future is an unfortunately common happening. This internal turmoil could lead to them seeking solace in unhealthy coping mechanisms through self-harm (substance abuse or physically hurting oneself), providing a temporary escape or a means to exert control over one’s emotions or as a ‘punishment’ for their ‘shortcomings’ from the pain of having to hide and pretend to be someone that they are not. In some extreme cases, the psychological strain could even lead to suicidal ideation and behaviour. The feeling of being trapped and hopeless can become overwhelming, making suicide the only perceivably plausible method of escape.

Case Studies of Experiences of Queer Individuals in the Industry

Elton John

(The cover page of the edition of the Rolling Stones magazine, 1976, where Elton John came out as bisexual)

An example of someone who was forced to maintain an image of heteronormativity but then later came out and expressed his story of being a closeted gay man in the music industry due to societal pressures to conform is Sir Elton John. Throughout his early career, Elton John struggled with his sexual orientation, grappling with feelings of shame and self-doubt in a world that rejected and marginalized queer individuals. As part of his closeting, John was forced to marry Renate Blauel, amid widespread speculation about his sexuality. Blauel was his beard, the marriage, a façade, as John continued to explore his attraction to men behind closed doors. In 1976, in a now extremely famous Rolling Stones interview, Elton John publicly embraced his sexuality, then becoming a trailblazer for queer visibility and acceptance. Elton John has spoken on multiple occasions about the struggles of having to suppress his true self due to pressures from the industry and society at that time and thus continues to inspire generations of queer individuals to embrace their identities and stand proud of who they are.

Kit Connor

(Kit Connor, photographed for The Guardian in July 2023, speaking up about forced outing)

In many cases, an individual’s queerness is made their entire personality, leading to their image being seen as nothing more than their sexuality or gender identity, relegating them into niches, resulting in them being viewed in a stereotypical light and pigeonholed into ‘being queer’ with no other facet to their character. Many fear their queerness being seen as a liability and then again, on the opposite end of the spectrum, fear being accused of ‘queerbaiting’, two evils, one no lesser than the other, one pressurizing queer artists to remain closeted, the other forcibly outing them, in most cases when they are not comfortable enough to expose their identity to the world. Kit Connor, a young, up-and-coming actor known for his roles in various film and television projects, was forced out by individuals who accused him of queerbaiting due to his major role in the series Heartstopper, a gay teen high school Netflix show, as a queer Year 11 student, despite his efforts to keep his personal life private, becoming the subject of rumours and speculations regarding his sexuality which intensified when confidential information about his private life was leaked to the media without his consent. Forcible outing perpetuates a culture of fear and discrimination, where individuals feel compelled to conceal their true selves to avoid reprisal, severely undermining efforts towards LGBTQIA+ visibility and acceptance, reinforcing stigmas and prejudice against many in the community that continue to face backlash. In response to his ordeal, Kit Connor has spoken out against this practice, advocating for greater respect for individuals’ autonomy, serving as a rallying cry for the call to a change within the entertainment industry, urging the insiders and the public alike to recognise and respect the rights of queer individuals to live authentically and on their terms without having to fear persecution.

Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles (Larry Stylinson)

(Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles, photographed on stage at Sheffield on October 31st, 2015)

Arguably the biggest boyband in the world, One Direction, had and continues to have its fair share of forced closeting. Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles, two members of the group currently on hiatus, are widely accepted to have been in a relationship since 2011. From being saddled with a womanizing image to a fake pregnancy, the media portrayed images of the two men are far from being the truth. So, while Louis was imposed with the image of being in a long-term straight relationship, Harry was portrayed as a serial dater with a preference for older women. His first stunt was at the age of 17 when he ‘dated’ the then 32-year-old Caroline Flack, a relationship that was wrong on so many levels, a fact recognized by even those who did not believe in Harry’s closeting. Louis and Harry then took to expressing their love through complementary tattoos, obvious sarcasm and their lyrical prowess. Once the band went on their break, the two have never been seen together in public (discounting Styles’ presence at Tomlinson’s performance of his newly released single ‘Just Hold On’ on the X Factor in December 2016), and the portrayal of their relationship turned to ‘mortal enemies who mutually respect each other’ as opposed to the ‘bro dude-bro pal’ image that was being sold in One Direction. Besides the obvious stunting in terms of dating, Louis also ‘had a son’, another popular method by the industry to annul the possibility of questions concerning an artist’s sexuality arising. Odd coincidences that don’t seem to add up to the story of ‘his’ child have never been explained, leading one to naturally conclude that Louis is not a father, unlike the media’s propagation of the subject. Harry, in a surprisingly candid manner, once opened up in a Rolling Stones interview (circa August 2022), saying, “Sometimes people say, ‘You’ve only publicly been with women,’ and I don’t think I’ve publicly been with anyone.”                       

Speaking about lyrics, both artists have been rather explicitly pointing to each other through their songs in their current solo released albums. For example, in his 2020 debut album, ‘Walls’, Tomlinson sings “Come so far from Princess Park”, on the 7th track, ‘Habit’, which is in direct reference to the area where Styles and he first moved in together. Styles sings “I remember back at Jonny’s place”, a reference to Tomlinson’s good friend who became a mutual one through the years of their relationship, in his 2022 album, ‘Harry’s House’s’ 13th track ‘Love of My Life’. Louis, who is on his second world tour, consistently sings “I love HIM” during his song ‘Back To You’, despite the original lyric being “I love IT”.

Multiple incidents, that would make a thesis by itself, occur and have occurred in a way that does not leave room for doubt that Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles were and are in a relationship, but the injustice and aversion of the industry towards queer artists and queer-friendly spaces within the professional fields affiliated with their work leads to these two artists to have remained closeted for the past 13 years and counting.

Conclusion

At the heart of this journey towards justice for queer individuals in this industry, lies the need for a collective awakening, transcending the confines of conformity and tradition. Policymakers and other leaders in this industry wield the tools of legislation and could be architects of change for the better, crafting a framework that safeguards the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Yet, true transformation requires more than mere rhetoric or legislative force, demanding a radical shift in the consciousness of the general public as well. Embracing diversity and championing inclusivity must be the pillars of our collective identity and unity. Confronting the entrenched power dynamics that continue to perpetuate the closet despite the constant progress through the years, a culture of empathy and understanding, as opposed to judgment and hate, must be cultivated, recognizing that each individual, regardless of station or circumstance, possesses an inherent worth deserving of recognition and respect. Amplify the voices of those who have been silenced. Sow the seeds of empathy and compassion. Nurture authenticity and truth. This will become a reality, as a spotlight is shone on injustice and change is demanded once passive observation turns into a fight for justice in all sectors, active participation to aid in an unfolding story of human liberation and equality.

[artist-tyrant]

It is not state capitalism that is at war with socialism, but the petty bourgeoisie plus private capitalism fighting together against both state capitalism and socialism. The petty bourgeoisie oppose every kind of state interference, accounting and control, whether it be state capitalist or state socialist. This is an absolutely unquestionable fact of reality, and the root of the economic mistake of the “Left Communists” is that they have failed to understand it. The profiteer, the commercial racketeer, the disrupter of monopoly—these are our principal “internal” enemies, the enemies of the economic measures of Soviet power. A hundred and twenty-five years ago it might have been excusable for the French petty bourgeoisie, the most ardent and sincere revolutionaries, to try to crush the profiteer by executing a few of the “chosen” and by making thunderous declamations. Today, however, the purely rhetorical attitude to this question assumed by some Left Socialist-Revolutionaries can rouse nothing but disgust and revulsion in every politically conscious revolutionary. We know perfectly well that the economic basis of profiteering is both the small proprietors, who are exceptionally widespread in Russia, and private capitalism, of which every petty bourgeois is an agent. We know that the million tentacles of this petty-bourgeois hydra now and again encircle various sections of the workers, that, instead of state monopoly, profiteering forces its way into every pore of our social and economic organism.

Vladimir Lenin, "Left-Wing" Childishness

[realwinterbro]

he had a blue congress when he got elected and he still did none of this. he did none of this so hard that Roe V Wade was overturned while he had a blue congress. the Democrats had the opportunity to do these things and they didn't, because we live in a dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. they only represent the interests of the owning class and time spent arguing for the Democrats is time wasted, time we don't have.

they will sell you down the river. they already have. they are actively killing your children to line the pockets of oil executives. you, and everyone you know and love, are expendable to them. face this reality or face extinction.

President Biden's plan for the first 100 days of his next term:

—Restore Roe v. Wade

—Sign John Lewis Voting Rights Act

—Expand Social Security and Medicare

—End all medical debt

—Raise the minimum wage

—Pass the PRO Act for workers

—Ban assault weapons

—Lead the world on clean energy

—Permanent child tax credit

—$35 insulin cap for all

—Build more housing

—Invest in child care and elder care

you want that? FIGHT! for it, check if you're registered to vote and then find a way to volunteer, everyone can make a difference everyone!