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Hanami is anarchistic
But, as to the stuff that i AM actually saying:
“By the way, why bother telling people that their hanami is such behavior? I”
- the first point is noticing the connections myself, for my further understanding of social behaviour. the point of mentioning it to others is something i have already noted several times: to show to people that anarchism/socialism/communism are not totally alien things that so hugely different from their present lives. most people seem to think they are things completely different from how their lives are now. So, i think its VERY important for us to realise that we are already doing many ‘anarchistic’ or ‘socialistic’ type things already, everyday…even if we dont call them that. the hanami thing is just one example…
if we want to move forward to a better society then i think its important for us to know what actual things/actions/attitudes would constitute that better way. Thats the reason i say it.
But I still don't understand why you consider hanami to be anarchistic (or socialistic or communistic) behavior. I would say it's simply a cultural tradition, like having cookouts and fireworks on July 4th, or Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc., etc. If these activities are occurring, as they in fact are, in a capitalistic society, then I say it is just as valid to call them examples of capitalistic behavior.
- ‘simply a cultural tradition’ Surely its pretty clear that nothing is ‘simply’ cultural. what is simple about culture? isn’t pretty much everything we do in culture connected to a variety of interconnected aspects that weave together geography,history, language, technology, economy, etc? the simplest of everyday actions, like pouring a cup of tea, has all that stuff behind it. Also, a lot of the ‘simply cultural’ holidays we have are connected to political events, even if we have forgotten those aspects -like the boshta horse matsuri, which is i believe connected to a past conflict with Korea. or fireworks (guy fawkes) day in the UK which is connected to a catholic plot to blow up parliament in 1605 and was explicitly and violently political at the start.
Hanami is part of Japanese culture, yes, of course. but that does not knock down my point at all. it can be part of culture AND an example of anarchism…like some thing else can be part of culture and an example of extreme nationalism or fascism. if we want to pursue the culture aspects then the conclusion could be that anarchistic aspects have a long term role in Japanese culture. Even if 99% of Japanese people would not CALL it anarchism does not stop the behaviour they actually do from being connected to anarchism, an example of what anarchists think is a good basis for organisation.
In my personal opinion things like hanami are more anarchistic than capitalistic. they happen IN a capitalist society, yes, for sure. but if we pursue the point are such activities more linked to A or C, i think they are more A.
In the hanami is there any money profit aspects? No.
Are there any corporate sponsors? 99% not.
Are there seats for rich people and different ones for poor? No.
Do the bosses and managers and owners eat different food from the others? No
Do people need to get permission from some owners to set their blue mats down in X nice spot? No
etc…
If capitalist characteristics of private property, ownership of land, profit, strict work hierarchy etc were applied all those things above would be ticked yes.
Looking at all those things above we can see that hanami events are characterised by: rough equality of seating and food regardless of social hierarchy, on areas considered to be commonly owned by people in general, organised in a loose confederation of equals, with the general aim of that group of people having a nice fun community activity where profit and advertising and hierarchy are irrelevant. Those are all aspects of anarchism. Thats what an anarchist society looks like.
So, hanami festival an example of some good things that can exist despite being within capitalism. The very best thing you could say is that capitalism LETS such things exist, though they are not very useful for it because they dont bring in almost any profit, etc. That’s good if it is an example of genuine tolerance, and maybe it is. But we see that various things like this that used to be free and organised by local people in a community way have been ‘monetised’ and taken under corporate control, or squeezed for profit. Christmas is a good example. People often complain that ‘nowadays its so commercialised. the shops start pushing Christmas in November, even in October!’…
We also see that when such community events DO become explicitly political, like occupy NY, then the police turn up pretty quickly to start bashing heads. Its lucky for festivals like hanami, then, that any radical characteristics are forgotten or not known…or they might be shut down!
Hanami is anarchistic
But, as to the stuff that i AM actually saying:
“By the way, why bother telling people that their hanami is such behavior? I”
- the first point is noticing the connections myself, for my further understanding of social behaviour. the point of mentioning it to others is something i have already noted several times: to show to people that anarchism/socialism/communism are not totally alien things that so hugely different from their present lives. most people seem to think they are things completely different from how their lives are now. So, i think its VERY important for us to realise that we are already doing many ‘anarchistic’ or ‘socialistic’ type things already, everyday…even if we dont call them that. the hanami thing is just one example…
if we want to move forward to a better society then i think its important for us to know what actual things/actions/attitudes would constitute that better way. Thats the reason i say it.
But I still don't understand why you consider hanami to be anarchistic (or socialistic or communistic) behavior. I would say it's simply a cultural tradition, like having cookouts and fireworks on July 4th, or Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc., etc. If these activities are occurring, as they in fact are, in a capitalistic society, then I say it is just as valid to call them examples of capitalistic behavior.
- ‘simply a cultural tradition’ Surely its pretty clear that nothing is ‘simply’ cultural. what is simple about culture? isn’t pretty much everything we do in culture connected to a variety of interconnected aspects that weave together geography,history, language, technology, economy, etc? the simplest of everyday actions, like pouring a cup of tea, has all that stuff behind it. Also, a lot of the ‘simply cultural’ holidays we have are connected to political events, even if we have forgotten those aspects -like the boshta horse matsuri, which is i believe connected to a past conflict with Korea. or fireworks (guy fawkes) day in the UK which is connected to a catholic plot to blow up parliament in 1605 and was explicitly and violently political at the start.
Hanami is part of Japanese culture, yes, of course. but that does not knock down my point at all. it can be part of culture AND an example of anarchism…like some thing else can be part of culture and an example of extreme nationalism or fascism. if we want to pursue the culture aspects then the conclusion could be that anarchistic aspects have a long term role in Japanese culture. Even if 99% of Japanese people would not CALL it anarchism does not stop the behaviour they actually do from being connected to anarchism, an example of what anarchists think is a good basis for organisation.
In my personal opinion things like hanami are more anarchistic than capitalistic. they happen IN a capitalist society, yes, for sure. but if we pursue the point are such activities more linked to A or C, i think they are more A.
In the hanami is there any money profit aspects? No.
Are there any corporate sponsors? 99% not.
Are there seats for rich people and different ones for poor? No.
Do the bosses and managers and owners eat different food from the others? No
Do people need to get permission from some owners to set their blue mats down in X nice spot? No
etc…
If capitalist characteristics of private property, ownership of land, profit, strict work hierarchy etc were applied all those things above would be ticked yes.
Looking at all those things above we can see that hanami events are characterised by: rough equality of seating and food regardless of social hierarchy, on areas considered to be commonly owned by people in general, organised in a loose confederation of equals, with the general aim of that group of people having a nice fun community activity where profit and advertising and hierarchy are irrelevant. Those are all aspects of anarchism. Thats what an anarchist society looks like.
So, hanami festival an example of some good things that can exist despite being within capitalism. The very best thing you could say is that capitalism LETS such things exist, though they are not very useful for it because they dont bring in almost any profit, etc. That’s good if it is an example of genuine tolerance, and maybe it is. But we see that various things like this that used to be free and organised by local people in a community way have been ‘monetised’ and taken under corporate control, or squeezed for profit. Christmas is a good example. People often complain that ‘nowadays its so commercialised. the shops start pushing Christmas in November, even in October!’…
We also see that when such community events DO become explicitly political, like occupy NY, then the police turn up pretty quickly to start bashing heads. Its lucky for festivals like hanami, then, that any radical characteristics are forgotten or not known…or they might be shut down!