Dear DK
I do not uncritically subscribe to the views of Antonio Gramsci – but as he was imprisoned by Mussolini (a man who was once an ardent Socialist opposed to religion – before his “Road to Damascus” conversion to the political and religious far-right) – I think his example is poignant to my current situation. He was imprisoned by the Italian fascists between 1926-1937 – and in that time, or so the story goes, he had to write in code so that his intellectually challenged prison guards could not understand what he was saying, (and thus confiscated his work and prevent him from writing in the future). This body of work has become known as the “Prison Notebooks” and supposedly propagates some type of clever Marxist ideology that advocates the infiltration of a bourgeoise institute – and the bringing-down overtime of said entity – from within. Yes – it smirks of Trotskyism (“Entryism”) – and I am sure Gramsci was influenced by Trotsky’s revisionism and betrayal of the Bolsheviks.
This probably explains why Gramsci’s work is a) so boring, and b) so highly praised by the bourgeois intelligentsia. Is it a case of the “Emperor’s New Clothes”? I do not see anything particularly clever about it – but the bourgeois gate-keepers inform me that I am as “thick” as Gramsci’s gaolers if I don’t get it. That puts me in my place and allows predatory capitalism to continue unhindered. All is right with the world as the mill keeps turning, so on and so forth. However, the explanation of this scenario does nothing to relieve my plight. As Mussolini is strutting about making amorous advances toward the Pope – I am still sat within a structure of decidedly unadventurous breeze-blocks. And here is where I must become clever. Whenever I mention the Z-Men – or another (not sensory-shipped) communication platform – CompressedLetter is “shadow-boxing” my posts – so that although I can see the the punches coming – no one else can. I effectively continue to pay for a service I am not receiving.
As I sit in my cell today, all hell is breaking loose between two boxers known as the “A-Men” and the “Z-Men”. It is obvious that the crooked Promoters are hell-bent on clearing-house – and any exposure of the ring, its environs, or interior – is met by a fluffy blanket which tucks us all in (nice and snug). This approach prevents anyone on CompressedLetter “seeing beyond the blanket” – and migrating to another Promoter – one which possesses a “better view” of the fight-game. Something of a captive audience – as effective counter-punches are being thrown – but nobody can see them. I believe a number of these devices were sent from the deck of the Titanic as it was sinking – via the new wireless contraption (margelet). Anyway, the fight is fixed and all the Promoters are in on it. To achieve the correct outcome, stories of kittens and puppy dogs are being perpetuated in the medium – to take our minds off the incestuous that is happening in the ring. I have to go – I hear the rattling of keys…
Best Wishes
Adrian
PS: Gramsci sought to peacefully infiltrate and exercise influence (hegemony) from within the existing mechanisms of an institute – so that its conventions could be slowly directed toward Socialism and Communism (with nobody noticing the gradual transformation). Trotsky, on the other-hand, sought to enter at any cost (violent or otherwise) any existing Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist institute – and destroy its already established Soviet Socialism – thus betraying the Revolution and the workers by regressing society back to a left-centre, bourgeois-controlled capitalist entity. Trotsky justified his counter-Revolutionary views by stating Russian society was not yet ready for Socialism – but apparently it was ready for his unquestioned leadership.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 