Comments on: The Miss Rockaway Armada Takes on Middle America http://www.crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/ This website will function as a clearinghouse for bulletins from participating cells, enabling readers to keep abreast of their activities and, more importantly, coordinate activities with them. Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:12:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: someburke http://www.crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-26 someburke Thu, 21 Sep 2006 16:43:49 +0000 http://crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-26 I've had some good conversations with some of the artists involved with this project and been pleasantly impressed. Also, I'm from the midwest originally, and spent a lot of time on the river there. In response to Jean's post, not all of them are from Brooklyn so the assumption that they are all trendy Brooklynites is off base. Second, I'm still fairly well connected to the area and I can say with conviction that nothing like Miss Rockaway happens in central IL. Calling it bringing culture to the ignorant, vacant part of the midwest does sound condescending, Jean. Sharing a rolling, enjoyable artwork which is an opportunity for people to connect with something new and pick up inspiration, perhaps, is something different. Anyway, if you have any experience with the jumping carp in that area, they ARE living dangerously. I’ve had some good conversations with some of the artists involved with this project and been pleasantly impressed. Also, I’m from the midwest originally, and spent a lot of time on the river there. In response to Jean’s post, not all of them are from Brooklyn so the assumption that they are all trendy Brooklynites is off base. Second, I’m still fairly well connected to the area and I can say with conviction that nothing like Miss Rockaway happens in central IL. Calling it bringing culture to the ignorant, vacant part of the midwest does sound condescending, Jean. Sharing a rolling, enjoyable artwork which is an opportunity for people to connect with something new and pick up inspiration, perhaps, is something different.

Anyway, if you have any experience with the jumping carp in that area, they ARE living dangerously.

]]> By: pfm http://www.crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-15 pfm Mon, 04 Sep 2006 06:03:02 +0000 http://crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-15 Jean, thanks for the explanation, glad to know that a little prodding can lead to better discussion. I don't feel like spending time to defending a project I am not involved with, but your comments are appreciated for their potential for provoking discussion and analysis. Jean, thanks for the explanation, glad to know that a little prodding can lead to better discussion. I don’t feel like spending time to defending a project I am not involved with, but your comments are appreciated for their potential for provoking discussion and analysis.

]]> By: Jean Bonnot http://www.crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-14 Jean Bonnot Mon, 04 Sep 2006 05:46:59 +0000 http://crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-14 Fine, I will offer constructive criticism. Here are the problems I have with this project: 1) This group raised tens of thousands of dollars by selling hipster art to yuppies in New York. They then spent the money on a vacation for themselves. This is an essentially capitalist venture, and fundamentally partakes of the bourgeois leisure life-style. 2) It is presumptious for a group of trendy Brooklynites to think they are needed to bring culture to the supposedly ignorant and vacant middle part of the country. I find it condescending. 3) This project is explicitly apolitical. It makes no attempt at any kind of radicalism either in methodology or message. When people describe Crimethinc (and post-left anarchy generally) as "life-style politics" they are usually wrong; in this case they would be correct and the accused would not even bother to disagree. 4) This project reinforces rather than challenges mainstream cultural production. Rather than attacking a vulgar culture of representation, they only seek to spread it. They would rather make it into the MoMA (and they have), than tear it down. I offer these thoughts, and my previous criticism, because post-left anarchy is in danger of becoming a parody of itself. If projects like this one are uncritically applauded everything will turn into Burning Man. Whatever happened to "Live Dangerously"? Fine, I will offer constructive criticism.

Here are the problems I have with this project:

1) This group raised tens of thousands of dollars by selling hipster art to yuppies in New York. They then spent the money on a vacation for themselves. This is an essentially capitalist venture, and fundamentally partakes of the bourgeois leisure life-style.

2) It is presumptious for a group of trendy Brooklynites to think they are needed to bring culture to the supposedly ignorant and vacant middle part of the country. I find it condescending.

3) This project is explicitly apolitical. It makes no attempt at any kind of radicalism either in methodology or message. When people describe Crimethinc (and post-left anarchy generally) as “life-style politics” they are usually wrong; in this case they would be correct and the accused would not even bother to disagree.

4) This project reinforces rather than challenges mainstream cultural production. Rather than attacking a vulgar culture of representation, they only seek to spread it. They would rather make it into the MoMA (and they have), than tear it down.

I offer these thoughts, and my previous criticism, because post-left anarchy is in danger of becoming a parody of itself. If projects like this one are uncritically applauded everything will turn into Burning Man. Whatever happened to “Live Dangerously”?

]]> By: pfm http://www.crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-13 pfm Mon, 04 Sep 2006 01:37:48 +0000 http://crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-13 I agree, totally pathetic. They should be at home posting negative comments about other people's projects on other people's blogs. One more useless comment Jean, and that's it. Please only comment when you have something to contribute to the site. I agree, totally pathetic. They should be at home posting negative comments about other people’s projects on other people’s blogs. One more useless comment Jean, and that’s it. Please only comment when you have something to contribute to the site.

]]> By: Jean Bonnot http://www.crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-12 Jean Bonnot Mon, 04 Sep 2006 00:54:33 +0000 http://crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-12 This is pathetic. Meet the new hippies. Well-funded avant garde artists do something unconventional. Stop the presses. This is pathetic. Meet the new hippies. Well-funded avant garde artists do something unconventional. Stop the presses.

]]> By: thevillagemagazine http://www.crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-11 thevillagemagazine Wed, 16 Aug 2006 02:42:13 +0000 http://crimethinc.com/blog/2006/08/15/the-miss-rockaway-armada-takes-on-middle-america/#comment-11 This sounds amazing. My spouse saw something about this on a Progressive Islam site, and immediately thought, crimethinc! I wish you all the good fortune in the bioregion. I've been a river rat forever. If you feel like sailing up the Illinois, up the unnavigable Sangamon, to the capitol of Illinois, we'd be glad to put you up for the night, and feed you some good grub. There's nothing like floating down the muddy river. sharqi This sounds amazing. My spouse saw something about this on a Progressive Islam site, and immediately thought, crimethinc!

I wish you all the good fortune in the bioregion. I’ve been a river rat forever. If you feel like sailing up the Illinois, up the unnavigable Sangamon, to the capitol of Illinois, we’d be glad to put you up for the night, and feed you some good grub. There’s nothing like floating down the muddy river.

sharqi

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