Read & Revolt

On October 3, 2017, we will be reading – “A Very Short Introduction to Afro-Pessimism” by Isidore.

This is the preface of the new book “Afro-Pessimism: An Introduction.” Afro-pessimism is a theoretical tendency that centers anti-blackness as opposed to white supremacy itself, and explores how the concept of the human is made in antithesis to that of the slave. These theorists re-examine the definition of slavery and the social death that accompanies it in order to demonstrate that this society is structured by the social death of black people, that blackness is defined in this way, and that it is impossible to eliminate this social death without destroying the foundations of this society

On Tuesday, September 19th, we will be reading “Eating the Other: Desire and Resistance” by bell hooks, which is a chapter from her 1992 book Black Looks: Race and Representation.

This text analyzes how blackness is viewed by white people as being more intense, authentic, and therefore threatening, and how a commodified form of blackness is sought after because it is seen as more pleasurable. You can pick up a free copy the text at Boxcar Books for two weeks prior to its discussion, or read it online here.

This is the second in a series of discussions we will have about anti-blackness throughout September and October. By sharpening our ideas, we hope to better fight against racism and this monstrous society that it is deeply woven into.

We will be meeting at Boxcar Books, 408 E. 6th Street, starting at 7 PM. Read & Revolt is a discussion group seeking to analyze this society and the potential for liberation from an anarchist perspective.