Comments on The Pensive Quill: Keeping the Plebs at Bay

Apparently the charm offensive extends to a Potemk...

2013-06-09T21:23:10.526+01:00

Apparently the charm offensive extends to a Potemkin village as part of the Oirish theme park attractions for the G8. One of many articles on this cheery facelift exemplifies the transformation. Recession out of the picture as Fermanagh puts on a brave face for G8 leaders.

As for supporting the likes of Starbucks, McD's. Pizza Hut, KFC and their ilk, although I know even certain TPQ'ers may crave their Starbucks, I never darken the doors of any of them except to dash in the back if nature calls and I'm on the road with no other business in sight. But at Starbucks, they prevent you from doing so without a token given only to customers--so I wait until the door's opened by somebody else.

Not sure if that qualifies as an anarchic action, but why so many otherwise determined opponents of the System support the big chains and franchises when small-scale and family alternatives exist puzzles me, access to toilets aside. That may be an issue worth raising, as one with real impacts on communities. Profits from these purveyors go out of the locality at a much higher percentage than income earned by small businesses. Wages are often lower, as may be prices, but at what true cost to us?

I witness many who champion (or parrot) progressive causes who rarely or never question their own addiction to the multinational logo and the name brand. A sign of how caffeine, "affordable luxury" and sweets tempt all? James Connolly's warning about the flags being changed but not the system endures. Not to sound like some grim temperance campaigner, but the expectation that no place must be deemed appealingly worthy of trade without its neon-plastic franchise confuses me. On a practical note, clean and free toilets might be a campaign any activist can agree on.

James, good to know. You always have something in...

2013-06-04T20:18:36.689+01:00

James,

good to know. You always have something interesting to say

Fenian, I pretty much agree with what you posted....

2013-06-04T15:58:07.940+01:00

Fenian,

I pretty much agree with what you posted. The only sticking point is the:

"The traditional middle class has become the 'new' working class lured by the trappings of perceived wealth and the 2.4 kids mentality.. Their lives completely indebted to the banks who R our modern day landlords..

These people were always working class from the start, they were given a mirage of being middle class because they were allowed to plunge themselves into debt to have the new home, car, tv, smart phone. It was merely a confidence trick by the elite to let them believe they are free especially in the form of social mobility in a capitalist system.

It has been hugely successful. Sure it is happening in Brazil as we speak, working people, are for the first time being allowed to borrow and plunge themselves into debt on loans, credit cards etc, which they absolutely zero chance of re paying. Does this sound familiar? Bearing in mind Brazil is being viewed as the new celtic tiger.

The bankers have just moved shop to a new part of the world to exploit. Funny how they talk about putting into place regulations here on the banking system after the crash, then simply set up operations in the new Americas "right out of the road".

This is why it is called "disaster capitalism". It just exploits where it can.

AM,

"I hadn't gone away, you know".lol. I frequent the site regular without posting. Big brother style.lol

Sean: I would agree with some of your piece, and ...

2013-06-04T02:48:33.574+01:00

Sean:

I would agree with some of your piece, and disagree with some of it as well.
You are correct in saying it's no use going out and breaking a few windows.
I would say, take down the whole building. AUSTERITY = Bankers ripping of the working class by paying themselves massive bonuses with the working class and unemployed payments going into their banks, knowing their bank's were loosing billions and they were, and , still are living the life of luxury via the poor.

George w. Bush said after 9/11, We now have a New World Order, "NWO" , the sad fact is, most of the working class did not have a clue as to what he meant, they assumed he meant the global fight against al qaeda, how wrong those people were, that was the start of the Global Banking system, and, they are all meeting in Fermanagh to decide how mush more they can squeeze from the working class, whats the next country to receive (purchased) with a bailout. The IMF is a massive consortium of world bankers. I , and , others are of the view that protesting is an asset which must be done, fill the whole area with protesters, battle against those who are protecting the G8, bring them to their knees, Yes, its possible, We brought the RUC to their knees, firstly with stones, petrol bombs, then the rest came afterwards. will we ever see a socialist Republic for the whole of Ireland, free from British Domination , YES, But sadly, I will not see it in what little life I have left, but it doesn't stop me aiming for it, today and tomorrows youth, through college and university training will see it through, and, that is mine and others will, to foresee that happening, which I can say, It's well in progress. at the moment. And we are aiming for a True Socialist Republic, No difference between the people, equal share for everyone, WITH ONE BANK.

'The challenge is to build a mass movement fro...

2013-06-03T22:14:10.257+01:00

'The challenge is to build a mass movement from below based on self-management, solidarity and direct action which will strike fear into the ruling class involving tens of thousands of people street by street, workplace by workplace.'

Sean not to sound disrespectful but I find your analysis slightly utopian especially in the context of the 06C. Have we not spent the last 40 years following a PSF agenda towards a 'supposed' socialist and democratic Republic?

Also, Connolly once said; "We are out for Ireland for the Irish. But who are the Irish?'...In 2013 this could be re-phrased as;
"We are out for Ireland for the working classes. But who are the working classes?' The traditional working classes are caught in the benefit trap where it makes more economic sense to remain there.

The traditional middle class has become the 'new' working class lured by the trappings of perceived wealth and the 2.4 kids mentality.. Their lives completely indebted to the banks who R our modern day landlords..

Therefore, we need more than re-tweeking of socialist rhetoric to face the global monopolies and the secular society of 2013 if we R serious about effecting change!

Frankie Whats very interesting is that present 26...

2013-06-03T21:39:05.725+01:00

Frankie

Whats very interesting is that present 26-county state minister Ruairi Quinn has a brother in the Bilderberg group. His name is Lochlain, he Chaired the good ship AIB at the height of the financial madness, his son is an up and coming member of Labour and people truly wonder how the troika and their homegrown cronies get away with it

surprise surprise another article lacking in any s...

2013-06-03T18:42:09.625+01:00

surprise surprise another article lacking in any sort of criticism of the nearly defunct 10 members WSM, yet again we have the usual first class analysis of modern republicanism "republican groups will be outdoing each other to see who can oppose ‘British normalisation’ more effectively." Deep!. If the wsm actually ever focused on a bit of self analysis/criticism instead of following "the reformist toothless left" around like a lost dog, and avoided its near obsession with dismissing republicanism it might be easier to take this article serious.

god help the invisible wsm when the real anarchists show up.

Good to have you back also James

2013-06-03T18:18:22.482+01:00

Good to have you back also James

Sean, Good post. Frankie, Spot on. The Bilerb...

2013-06-03T18:14:36.463+01:00

Sean,

Good post.

Frankie,
Spot on. The Bilerberg group have been mapping out the main agenda for the last 60-70 years.

These people attending the G8, perhaps could be described as image stakeholders for this grouping a little like Tiger Woods for Nike corporation.

Mickeybroy is correct in his point re the Garda,it...

2013-06-03T17:53:53.146+01:00

Mickeybroy is correct in his point re the Garda,it is very noticeable the increased activity along the roads around the Fermanagh ,Leitrim border,I agree with Sean smashing a Starbucks window is not enough,however if you burnt a Starbucks along with Mc Donalds and Pizza hut,KFC,etc,might send a clear message to those who will kill our people through obesity for a quick buck ,you can bet your arse the fat cunts who infest Fermanagh in the next few weeks wont be eating any of that shit,

Michael re-read what I said and not what you thoug...

2013-06-03T13:32:15.877+01:00

Michael re-read what I said and not what you thought I said...

The Bilerberg group who are meeting this week in Watford will decide the fate of the world and they (B-bergs) will go to to Bohemian Grove and women aren't allowed..

Sean forgets to tell us that the Garda Siochána wi...

2013-06-03T12:24:12.070+01:00

Sean forgets to tell us that the Garda Siochána will also be doing police dutys at the G8 event in Fermanagh-but maybe that does not fit in with his the worlds against us narrative-

Frankie-

"Women aren't allowed..it's all very gay."

Angela Merkel is coming and she is sometimes described as a woman-but that fact wont stop her from shafting the rest of us-

Frankie, good to see you back. You were missed fo...

2013-06-03T11:17:08.302+01:00

Frankie,

good to see you back. You were missed for a while.

The G8 summits effectively decide what sort of ...

2013-06-03T11:08:19.206+01:00
The G8 summits effectively decide what sort of world you and your children get to live in. Behind closed doors decisions are made that mean our environment is sacrificed for profit, a system whose role it is to preserve.

Sean, all the G8 are going to do is simply rubber stamp what the Bilerberg group have decided in Watford this week..Then sometime in July they'll all go to California***, dress up like the KKK, get drunk, take lines of Peruvian flake and some of Obama's pot and blow their loads over a 45 ft tall wooden owl....(these are the people who fix banks rates to screw everyone, fix oil prices..tell you you are eating beef when it could be horse)

***Women aren't allowed..it's all very gay.