Review of “Bad Subjects”
I want to take time to write about the compilation of articles published by “Bad Subjects” titled Bad Subjects: Political Education for Everyday Life.
I found this book via a library search and I was impressed by its title. When I began reading, I was vaguely disappointed to find that it didn’t apply directly to my PAC project. Nevertheless I read most of the articles in the edition and I believe it to be one of the biggest influences on my critical thought process this summer. I was both inspired and lambasted by the articles, and I have fond feelings of identification with many of the authors.
On the surface the “accessibility” of the writing, toted by these self-proclaimed leftists, makes the book easy to interact with. In turn the varied authors approach a form of Gonzo journalism, and speak to the disenfranchised and critical views of society in writing. The topics themselves are broad and often meandering. They claim that their tangents illustrate the giant interconnected web of life and all things.
After spending time on the cultural sections of the book, I have a positive feeling about the potential for our societies reaction to Globalism and broader Consumerism. I want to be on the cusp of the wave, I want to be a part of the local movement that is about so much more than goods. I find that reading books like NO LOGO and Bad Subjects, books that were published several years ago, gives me a chance to view the cultural reactions to the forces these books document. Reading these books is exciting, and gives my a perspective an empowering encouragement in a way I have never experienced.
Read this book. I can’t feel alone in my search for a undefined existence. These books hint at a exploration of meaning “making.” Here is my statement:
I will not subscribe to capitalism’s definitions of importance. I will form a community. I will participant, not spectate. I will pick my battles. I will not be selfish, I will disseminate and educate. I will maintain a critical view of myself and my actions. I will believe in possibilities. I will hold an image of a real future in my head, and I will act on that image. I will see my faults and treat them.
I will try. And that will be real. This is the force of Bad Subjects, this is the real topic.
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