I've read The Dispossessed twice (though not for many years now), and this makes me want to read it again. I appreciate how your love for the book is shown in the video. I've been an anarchist since I was about 17, and now I'm approaching 60, but I increasingly find myself drawn to materialist ways of thinking. While I can't say I fully embrace the marxist critique of anarchism, a lot of it does make sense to me now. These days I'm much more interested in thinking about how the actual conditions of life shape our idea and behavior. The absence of this style of thought comes through strongly in your discussion. I can't help wishing Le Guin had said more about it, as opposed to what was apparently her primary interest, the power of ideas. And as important as the individual's own revolution is, in their life, in their heart, I do also want a political and economic revolution. The anarchism described here seems very passive, or at least highly circumscribed. It feels like the kind of revolution that would never be too challenging to capitalism or imperialism. It allows those in power to continue their devastation of the world and humanity. I can't accept that, though I realize full well that we do not seem close to being in a revolutionary situation. But I suspect that no one in history guessed they were approaching a real revolutionary situation until they actually were in it. So I think preparing for revolution is a moral obligation, to the extent we can manage it. I wonder if Odo would have agreed, except the resolution of the revolution on Urras was to deport the revolutionaries to Anarres. Please don't think this critique means I feel any hostility to this book. On the contrary, I love it. Reading Le Guin's sentences will always be the purest of pleasures. Thanks for the video.
I think the part that goes missed often when talking about UkLG's Anarchism is the spiritual element of Daoism, which is the other half of her philosophy. To our realpolitik ways of thinking it can seem like a really passive worldview. But it's kind of an "active-passive" or stoic way of thinking and engaging in politics. In Daoism trying to use force to explicitly change the world can only lead to negative, or at least unforseen, consequences. Daoism contends that all change must be bottom-up, natural, and uncoerced to be in line with the Dao and thus not fall apart. The Lathe of Heaven is her manual of Daoism in the way that the Dispossessed is her manual of Anarchism and I encourage everyone to read both at some point, as they really are the twin souls of her philosophy imo.
the dispossessed is my favourite book at the moment. i’ve also started reading the earthsea series and ugh Ursula’s mind is just something to behold. i am an anarchist in my heart, but we can’t get to that state until the people’s consciousness to the systems that dominate their mind is awoken. so i fight for that in the hopes that future generations will be able to enjoy an anarchist future
The Dispossessed is no doubt a masterpiece. It examines so many themes in an interconnected way and the only thing it asks of the reader is to engage with the ideas, it's utopian without being naïve. I also love that it's a fiction - it makes a good complement to reading theory or history or biographical accounts on similar topics. It places all these ideas in a setting and lets them play out. I also love that its call to action is manifold. It inspires the reader to be a revolution in and of themselves, to strive for the greatest freedom possible for yourself, your loved ones, your community, and the world (and indeed, *worlds", since there are two in the book). When it comes to the potential for prefiguration and creating similar libertarian societies to Anarres in the real world, I think there are some interesting examples, like Rojava and the Zapatistas. I think we have the potential (though never without risk) of doing this to an even greater extent - I think there's plenty of room for more such experiments. We can also be like Shevek on Urras - living in the midst of the most disgusting social and environmental conditions, and attempting to rebel against it, even if many don't want to listen. Cool video! I also like the fonts and the text.
Dude I resonated so much with how you described this book as life changing. I’m with you on that, it literally changed the way I see the world and the possibilities of human societies. I need to start recommending it to more people
Very interesting video. Lots of engaging ideas to discuss. I am a libertarian socialist myself and I wanted to discuss some of the ideas you put forth in this video. I agree that leftist revolution doesn't necessarily mean a militarized coup d'etat. A few hundred years ago, our society converted from Feudalism to Capitalism. This change didn't happen over night. It happened slowly, over many decades. I think the shift away from capitalism will happen in a similar manner. Not one violent take over, but a persistent and gradual change in how our society is organized. Prefiguration is key to this process of change. Creating horizontal systems within our hierarchical society. Mutual aid networks, worker co-ops, radical syndicates and worker unions, libertarian socialist affinity groups, etc. How does a concrete parking lot become a field of flowers? Grass and weeds poke through the cracks, slowly making those cracks bigger and eroding the grey slab that's preventing growth. I highly recommend the video "How to starts a revolution" by Andrewism if you wanna know more about this topic. 19:18 I disagree with the idea that anarchist action is doomed to fail. For one, there are currently ongoing libertarian socialist projects. Rojava and the Zapitistas come to mind. If your interested in learning more about said projects, I highly recommend the ongoing series by the youtuber Anark called "Liberation in Action". Second, this discounts the smaller scale liberatory actions thats happening on the local levels, things like unions and mutual aid networks. The "Food no Bombs" movement is a good example of that. Third, I think we are currently living through a time that is ripe for liberatory action. Around the 1920's and 30's the socialist movement had a lot of momentum. Society was facing serious economic problems (The Great Depression) leading to the radicalizing of many workers. I think we are currently within a similar socio-economic moment. However, this societal hardship is a double-edged sword. Whenever capitalism fails, we either progress into socialism or fall into fascism. We must fight to make sure our society moves towards libertarian socialism rather than following the path of Germany and Italy in the early 20th century. Overall, very thoughtful and intriguing video. The book you talk about seems like something I would like. I have heard lots of good things about Ursula K Le Guin. Her works have been very influential within the fantasy and sci-fi genres, even if she doesn't always receive the mainstream acclaim that she deserves. "We live in capitalism, its power seems inescapable... so did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art. Very often in our art, the art of words" Ursula K. Le Guin, 2014 acceptance speech.
Def will be looking into the resources you mentioned. I may have miscommunicated if it sounded like I was saying any Anarchist action is doomed to fail. I more meant that we are nowhere near ready for widescale (nation-level) Anarchism. Slow, gradual change is a better way to initiate "revolution" IMO. Thanks for your comment!
“It is our suffering that brings us together. It is not love. Love does not obey the mind, and turns to hate when forced. The bond that binds us is beyond choice. We are brothers. We are brothers in what we share. In pain, which each of us must suffer alone, in hunger, in poverty, in hope, we know our brotherhood. We know it, because we have had to learn it. We know that there is no help for us but from one another, that no hand will save us if we do not reach out our hand. And the hand that you reach out is empty, as mine is. You have nothing. You possess nothing. You own nothing. You are free. All you have is what you are, and what you give.” ― Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia best quote ever
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 true. I was reading this book at stations, in an observatory, on rooftops... each time I found a gem, I took a photo. Gathered a whole gallery full of quotes from it. But I chose to share this one because it was the one that made me read the book to begin with. :)
I would like to push back on the idea of "All anarchist experiments have failed" because it sounds too close to thought terminating cliches that reactionaries and centrists love to say. There are TODAY, multiple communities of different sizes that implement different versions of Anarchism successfully. You can check out Anark's channel on youtube to learn more about that as well as learning about the ideas people have for how an anarchist society can grow a military force to defend itself without falling into the trap of hierarchy. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the video and found it very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
I have been wanting to explore anarchist ideologies better for a while now, and this video was a nice way to start accomplishing my goal! Additionally, I read Earthsea very many years ago (I was too young to even remember it well now), but I never let go of my love for Le Guin, and this video has shown me I was right not to! She seems like someone I could learn a lot from. Thanks for making this, I enjoyed it very much :)
Again great vid essay as always. I had just finished the book couple of days ago. It is an amazing book. There were so many points in between when I thought, "Damn"!. For example I loved how Shevek's interpretation of time as circle could be taken as a feminist point, but it also be taken as a cyclic universe theory. Or when Bedap (I think he was Bedap) said they have been learning Odo's words since they were child, but that itself goes against her teaching. I completely agree with you when you say Ursula definitely is a great Philosopher of modern time. I loved how open the ending is too. Shevek itself states he isn't sure what will happen when he returns Annaras, we don't know what happens to the Terra/Hainish dude that wants to visit Annaras with him. Again thank you for such amazing recommendation. It is very high in my list of favourite books.
@@Гпник-д3ч damn you blew through that! Always happy to turn on folks to Le Guin. Yes! The whole temporal aspect of the book is crazy; could be interpreted all kinds of ways. Again I barely scratched the surface
As a life-long anarchist I have to say that The Dispossessed is a cautionary tale that most anarchists I know have taken to heart. As Yevgeny Zamyatin says in We, there is no such thing as a finite number, how then can there be a finite revolution? In my home town of Brisbane, Queensland, in the 1980s there was an anarchist restaurant called Annares.
I am currently obsessed with this book and I loved the way you expressed your ideas. I wanted to know if you could recommend other articles like the one written by Victor Urbananowicz :)
Thanks for the review! Moi has soooo many comments that won't fit here, but 'just expressing thanks to ya this way, sensei! 5:09 I'm surprised that you haven't referenced Le Guin-sensei's own translation of the Dao De Jing? It's a more accessible, witty, funny, heartfelt translation than the dry ones. Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching: A Book about the Way and the Power of the Way (ISBN-10: 1570623953) Here's chapter 10 with her more comfy translation! _Techniques_ Can you keep your soul in its body, hold fast to the one, and so learn to be whole? Can you center your energy, be soft, tender, and so learn to be a baby? Can you keep the deep water still and clear, so it reflects without blurring? Can you love people and run things, and do so by not doing? Opening, closing the Gate of Heaven, can you be like a bird with her nestlings? Piercing bright through the cosmos, can you know by not knowing? To give birth, to nourish, to bear and not to own, to act and not lay claim, to lead and not to rule: this is mysterious power. 20:45 There's something sadly imperialistic and colonial about this sentiment? There's such a thing as indigenous anarchism and other anarchist projects and undertakings (that don't outright claim to be anarchist yet there's that spirit), like the ongoing Zapatista revolution and their formations there and such... Reducing anarchism to a philosophy robs its of its own revolutionary roots, and it falls traps to the hyper-individualism of the West, the Empire? Also, moi remembers Le Guin herself talking about the masculinist tendencies of The Dispossessed, so she went onto writing a more feminist, a more ecological anarchist utopia weaving and writing in her book "Always Coming Home"? Sorry for the disparate thoughts and feels! Sana nakatulong ito para mapukaw ang mas marami sa buhay na anarkisma!
Freedom without any responsibility & consequences is both impossible and impractical, there has to be a balance, yet when order breeds stagnation chaos ensues to halt the spread, yet there is reason for every action,
Compare it to: *Voyage from Yesteryear* by James P Hogan LeGuin was a better writer but Hogan knew more about technology and economics. 4 billion people are not walking around with smartphones because of humanities and liberal arts majors.
But 4 billion people having smartphones isn't the point of life. Sure it leads to a different and more connected life, but have phones really elevated the human spirit to new heights? What about all the people who are now "lesser" in your view because they don't have phones and everyone else does? Would Steve have been able to create the ubiquitous form-factor of the smartphone without the liberal-arts fest that was Startrek? I think you're missing the trees for the forest.
NEW DISCORD SERVER discord.gg/ahY43NQR
the algorithm loved me the day I found this channel
Ursula K Le Guin is a philosophical badass
If only I was 40 years older and it was 1969...
I've read The Dispossessed twice (though not for many years now), and this makes me want to read it again. I appreciate how your love for the book is shown in the video. I've been an anarchist since I was about 17, and now I'm approaching 60, but I increasingly find myself drawn to materialist ways of thinking. While I can't say I fully embrace the marxist critique of anarchism, a lot of it does make sense to me now. These days I'm much more interested in thinking about how the actual conditions of life shape our idea and behavior. The absence of this style of thought comes through strongly in your discussion. I can't help wishing Le Guin had said more about it, as opposed to what was apparently her primary interest, the power of ideas. And as important as the individual's own revolution is, in their life, in their heart, I do also want a political and economic revolution. The anarchism described here seems very passive, or at least highly circumscribed. It feels like the kind of revolution that would never be too challenging to capitalism or imperialism. It allows those in power to continue their devastation of the world and humanity. I can't accept that, though I realize full well that we do not seem close to being in a revolutionary situation. But I suspect that no one in history guessed they were approaching a real revolutionary situation until they actually were in it. So I think preparing for revolution is a moral obligation, to the extent we can manage it. I wonder if Odo would have agreed, except the resolution of the revolution on Urras was to deport the revolutionaries to Anarres.
Please don't think this critique means I feel any hostility to this book. On the contrary, I love it. Reading Le Guin's sentences will always be the purest of pleasures.
Thanks for the video.
I think the part that goes missed often when talking about UkLG's Anarchism is the spiritual element of Daoism, which is the other half of her philosophy. To our realpolitik ways of thinking it can seem like a really passive worldview. But it's kind of an "active-passive" or stoic way of thinking and engaging in politics. In Daoism trying to use force to explicitly change the world can only lead to negative, or at least unforseen, consequences. Daoism contends that all change must be bottom-up, natural, and uncoerced to be in line with the Dao and thus not fall apart. The Lathe of Heaven is her manual of Daoism in the way that the Dispossessed is her manual of Anarchism and I encourage everyone to read both at some point, as they really are the twin souls of her philosophy imo.
Awesome, The Disposessed is such a special work. Thanks!
the dispossessed is my favourite book at the moment. i’ve also started reading the earthsea series and ugh Ursula’s mind is just something to behold. i am an anarchist in my heart, but we can’t get to that state until the people’s consciousness to the systems that dominate their mind is awoken. so i fight for that in the hopes that future generations will be able to enjoy an anarchist future
Anyone with an intro like that covering Ursula K. Le Guin, instant sub :)
The Dispossessed is no doubt a masterpiece. It examines so many themes in an interconnected way and the only thing it asks of the reader is to engage with the ideas, it's utopian without being naïve. I also love that it's a fiction - it makes a good complement to reading theory or history or biographical accounts on similar topics. It places all these ideas in a setting and lets them play out.
I also love that its call to action is manifold. It inspires the reader to be a revolution in and of themselves, to strive for the greatest freedom possible for yourself, your loved ones, your community, and the world (and indeed, *worlds", since there are two in the book).
When it comes to the potential for prefiguration and creating similar libertarian societies to Anarres in the real world, I think there are some interesting examples, like Rojava and the Zapatistas. I think we have the potential (though never without risk) of doing this to an even greater extent - I think there's plenty of room for more such experiments. We can also be like Shevek on Urras - living in the midst of the most disgusting social and environmental conditions, and attempting to rebel against it, even if many don't want to listen.
Cool video! I also like the fonts and the text.
thanks for noticing the fonts they are my pride and joy 🤠
Dude I resonated so much with how you described this book as life changing. I’m with you on that, it literally changed the way I see the world and the possibilities of human societies. I need to start recommending it to more people
Your videos are fab. Found my way here because of the Little Miss Sunshine essay, and these just keep getting better. Keep on doing this. 💫
thank youuuuu
I read The Dispossessed for university. It was a wild ride. I think it changed me too.
Very interesting video. Lots of engaging ideas to discuss. I am a libertarian socialist myself and I wanted to discuss some of the ideas you put forth in this video.
I agree that leftist revolution doesn't necessarily mean a militarized coup d'etat. A few hundred years ago, our society converted from Feudalism to Capitalism. This change didn't happen over night. It happened slowly, over many decades. I think the shift away from capitalism will happen in a similar manner. Not one violent take over, but a persistent and gradual change in how our society is organized. Prefiguration is key to this process of change. Creating horizontal systems within our hierarchical society. Mutual aid networks, worker co-ops, radical syndicates and worker unions, libertarian socialist affinity groups, etc. How does a concrete parking lot become a field of flowers? Grass and weeds poke through the cracks, slowly making those cracks bigger and eroding the grey slab that's preventing growth. I highly recommend the video "How to starts a revolution" by Andrewism if you wanna know more about this topic.
19:18 I disagree with the idea that anarchist action is doomed to fail. For one, there are currently ongoing libertarian socialist projects. Rojava and the Zapitistas come to mind. If your interested in learning more about said projects, I highly recommend the ongoing series by the youtuber Anark called "Liberation in Action". Second, this discounts the smaller scale liberatory actions thats happening on the local levels, things like unions and mutual aid networks. The "Food no Bombs" movement is a good example of that. Third, I think we are currently living through a time that is ripe for liberatory action. Around the 1920's and 30's the socialist movement had a lot of momentum. Society was facing serious economic problems (The Great Depression) leading to the radicalizing of many workers. I think we are currently within a similar socio-economic moment. However, this societal hardship is a double-edged sword. Whenever capitalism fails, we either progress into socialism or fall into fascism. We must fight to make sure our society moves towards libertarian socialism rather than following the path of Germany and Italy in the early 20th century.
Overall, very thoughtful and intriguing video. The book you talk about seems like something I would like. I have heard lots of good things about Ursula K Le Guin. Her works have been very influential within the fantasy and sci-fi genres, even if she doesn't always receive the mainstream acclaim that she deserves.
"We live in capitalism, its power seems inescapable... so did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art. Very often in our art, the art of words" Ursula K. Le Guin, 2014 acceptance speech.
Def will be looking into the resources you mentioned. I may have miscommunicated if it sounded like I was saying any Anarchist action is doomed to fail. I more meant that we are nowhere near ready for widescale (nation-level) Anarchism. Slow, gradual change is a better way to initiate "revolution" IMO. Thanks for your comment!
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 oh. My bad. It might be on me. I misinterpret stuff sometimes. Overall, still a great video. Glad i found your channel :)
“It is our suffering that brings us together. It is not love. Love does not obey the mind, and turns to hate when forced. The bond that binds us is beyond choice. We are brothers. We are brothers in what we share. In pain, which each of us must suffer alone, in hunger, in poverty, in hope, we know our brotherhood. We know it, because we have had to learn it. We know that there is no help for us but from one another, that no hand will save us if we do not reach out our hand. And the hand that you reach out is empty, as mine is. You have nothing. You possess nothing. You own nothing. You are free. All you have is what you are, and what you give.”
― Ursula K. Le Guin, The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia
best quote ever
Had to resist the urge to include a quote from every page in this video. So many great ones.
@@TheStoriesWeTell303 true. I was reading this book at stations, in an observatory, on rooftops... each time I found a gem, I took a photo. Gathered a whole gallery full of quotes from it. But I chose to share this one because it was the one that made me read the book to begin with. :)
Please do more on Ursula le Guin!
The People of Omelas
I would like to push back on the idea of "All anarchist experiments have failed" because it sounds too close to thought terminating cliches that reactionaries and centrists love to say.
There are TODAY, multiple communities of different sizes that implement different versions of Anarchism successfully. You can check out Anark's channel on youtube to learn more about that as well as learning about the ideas people have for how an anarchist society can grow a military force to defend itself without falling into the trap of hierarchy.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed the video and found it very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
thanks for the comment! I will check out that channel for sure.
I have been wanting to explore anarchist ideologies better for a while now, and this video was a nice way to start accomplishing my goal!
Additionally, I read Earthsea very many years ago (I was too young to even remember it well now), but I never let go of my love for Le Guin, and this video has shown me I was right not to! She seems like someone I could learn a lot from.
Thanks for making this, I enjoyed it very much :)
just finished it and i also call it my favorite book :D great vid!
Again great vid essay as always. I had just finished the book couple of days ago. It is an amazing book. There were so many points in between when I thought, "Damn"!.
For example I loved how Shevek's interpretation of time as circle could be taken as a feminist point, but it also be taken as a cyclic universe theory. Or when Bedap (I think he was Bedap) said they have been learning Odo's words since they were child, but that itself goes against her teaching. I completely agree with you when you say Ursula definitely is a great Philosopher of modern time.
I loved how open the ending is too. Shevek itself states he isn't sure what will happen when he returns Annaras, we don't know what happens to the Terra/Hainish dude that wants to visit Annaras with him.
Again thank you for such amazing recommendation. It is very high in my list of favourite books.
@@Гпник-д3ч damn you blew through that! Always happy to turn on folks to Le Guin. Yes! The whole temporal aspect of the book is crazy; could be interpreted all kinds of ways. Again I barely scratched the surface
As a life-long anarchist I have to say that The Dispossessed is a cautionary tale that most anarchists I know have taken to heart. As Yevgeny Zamyatin says in We, there is no such thing as a finite number, how then can there be a finite revolution? In my home town of Brisbane, Queensland, in the 1980s there was an anarchist restaurant called Annares.
Please do more on Ursula le Guin!
I am currently obsessed with this book and I loved the way you expressed your ideas. I wanted to know if you could recommend other articles like the one written by Victor Urbananowicz :)
I would search "The Dispossessed" on JSTOR. There were several other interesting articles on there. You can get free access by setting up an account.
You've inspired me to finally read some more Le Guin!
Thanks for the review! Moi has soooo many comments that won't fit here, but 'just expressing thanks to ya this way, sensei!
5:09 I'm surprised that you haven't referenced Le Guin-sensei's own translation of the Dao De Jing? It's a more accessible, witty, funny, heartfelt translation than the dry ones.
Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching: A Book about the Way and the Power of the Way (ISBN-10: 1570623953)
Here's chapter 10 with her more comfy translation!
_Techniques_
Can you keep your soul in its body,
hold fast to the one,
and so learn to be whole?
Can you center your energy,
be soft, tender,
and so learn to be a baby?
Can you keep the deep water still and clear,
so it reflects without blurring?
Can you love people and run things,
and do so by not doing?
Opening, closing the Gate of Heaven,
can you be like a bird with her nestlings?
Piercing bright through the cosmos,
can you know by not knowing?
To give birth, to nourish,
to bear and not to own,
to act and not lay claim,
to lead and not to rule:
this is mysterious power.
20:45 There's something sadly imperialistic and colonial about this sentiment? There's such a thing as indigenous anarchism and other anarchist projects and undertakings (that don't outright claim to be anarchist yet there's that spirit), like the ongoing Zapatista revolution and their formations there and such... Reducing anarchism to a philosophy robs its of its own revolutionary roots, and it falls traps to the hyper-individualism of the West, the Empire?
Also, moi remembers Le Guin herself talking about the masculinist tendencies of The Dispossessed, so she went onto writing a more feminist, a more ecological anarchist utopia weaving and writing in her book "Always Coming Home"?
Sorry for the disparate thoughts and feels! Sana nakatulong ito para mapukaw ang mas marami sa buhay na anarkisma!
I had just found your channel, great great great videos! Keep on doint it :D
you're awesome
Freedom without any responsibility & consequences is both impossible and impractical, there has to be a balance, yet when order breeds stagnation chaos ensues to halt the spread, yet there is reason for every action,
Nice vid bro! Subbed :)
🔥
This video feels a lot similar to my deconstruction out of christianity
Have you read The Eye of the Heron?
I have not! I don't have a copy. Next le guin up for me is Lathe of Heaven. But if I find this one I will def cop
24:05 he farted
Compare it to:
*Voyage from Yesteryear* by James P Hogan
LeGuin was a better writer but Hogan knew more about technology and economics. 4 billion people are not walking around with smartphones because of humanities and liberal arts majors.
But 4 billion people having smartphones isn't the point of life. Sure it leads to a different and more connected life, but have phones really elevated the human spirit to new heights? What about all the people who are now "lesser" in your view because they don't have phones and everyone else does? Would Steve have been able to create the ubiquitous form-factor of the smartphone without the liberal-arts fest that was Startrek? I think you're missing the trees for the forest.