'Racism' verses 'Race War'.

Literally just sat down to revise for my final exam of my final year of bloody university and I come across something that may be worth looking at. Something that differentiates discrimination in such a way that may allow me to come to terms with it in understanding.

I have always had the problem that to me discrimination was difficult to accept on some level. Yes indeed it happens, and yes there is such a thing as racial/sexist/ageist discrimination and it is bad. What I always had a problem with was that much of the things which have been seen as discrimination simply did not seem to be that; they lacked something, or indeed had something more to them that gave them a different category.

Racism for example, happens when someone irrationally 'hates' someone of another 'race' and also discriminates against them, using what abilities they have (within their own personality) to disadvantage another. I don't see racism as such, or at least another sort of racism, in the disadvantagement of a group as a result of societies mechanisms.

Now reading Foucault, or at least an understanding of Foucault from my lectures I think I may have come to the understanding of that differentiation. This proposition is entitled 'Racism' and 'Race War, as it is an idea of a subtle 'Race War' within societal biopolitics which allows for a differentiation.

Biopolitics is the politics of people. It shows how power is a matter for networks and is not physically held by an individual or body but is facilitated by a myriad of other bodies or nodes (in fact all bodies or nodes) that souround it in flows. For example a king has, in a classical understanding of power, all the strength and sovereign right to enact the most power in a nation. But if it happened that all the people died and only he was left then he would loose all power. No matter how insignificant it may seem that an individual is they still are important in the networks of power to some extent.

Thus you can see how it is important inside a biopoltical understanding of power for life to be promoted. And for that life to be statistically understood so as to see, for example, where the best and worst places to live are so as to move populations to the best places and improve the worst. And it is by increasing life that power is increased. Why could it then be seen that some states have the death penalty? Doesn't this go against the very basic premise of a biopolitical structure?

Indeed it would, but as you can control the best places to live, you can also control the best people. It is of control and knowledge of the individual that biopolitics shows it's ugly underbelly. And here Racism is shown. Not the racism of hate, but the mechanisms of race without the discourse of racism. How would this work? And how is this any different from a singular understanding of Racism?

Race War is a matter for societal control. The best populations for the society to promote are thusly encouraged, where as those that are designated by society and not individuals within society are disencouraged to some way. This is still racism, but it isn't a racism, as I have said of hate, this is a racism of the sort that allows society to advance as a body-politic. It is vital for society that it is able to discriminate.

Often this is based on statistics, on evidence but in many instances this is a matter of a cover. Look for example the way in which London gains a certain preferential treatment over other areas of the country. This is State discrimination. This is racism without the discourses of race. This is needed within society. And this can extend to the extremes of the Holocaust, to the most minor of a budget restructuring between county councils.

Ultimately though it is the extremes which highlight the issue and make it most clear. As Foucault said, Biopolitics claims life "in order to reclaim death". He continues, "...to be able to inflict death on it's subjects, its living beings, biopower must make use of racism; more precisely, racism intervenes here to grant access to death to the boipolitical state."

And yes this is the sort of state we live in.

Madeleine parents to see the Pope

Fucking arrest them already!!!!!

This is beyond a joke.

Might rant about this later, but really, these are the worst parents ever!!!!

Contempary Knowledge...

I'm not sure why exactly but for some reason I find the interchange I had a while back between me and a random at a house party interesting. I will explain below, but for some reason I think I need to clarify that the reference towards terrorism is meant as an ironic joke.

Me: Hey! Who are you?
Him: My names [err.. random?]. I'm a terrorist. I'm from Bahrain. I bet you dont know where that is.
Me: Yeah I do! It's in the Middle East. I do Politics.

Now this got me thinking. Not only why was he introduceing himself as a terrorist but also my (drunken) understanding of the location of his country of origin being based upon my Political degree.

There seems to be a lack of knowlege at the moment that isn't hot. That isn't based upon some sort of innate reasoning. Whats happened to knowledge for knowledge's sake? I forget what Foucault calls this, but even in the early 20th century it was a matter for him. This sudden lack of belief in unaccountable but real knowledge was important in some way.

It also seems comical that it is not a geographer who could be seen to make the comment "I know where that is.." But a politicaly minded individual. I mean, at what point did Geography become democraphics and specifics and not the world? Bah. But thats a side point.

What education needs right now is real knowledge. The knowledge of individual interest. Of a wider approach to what is valuable to an individual. Not what we have at the moment. Knowledge and understandings of the world that are sensationalist, single issued and short lived.

/rant over.

Self respect....

Just a comment that Mat - Landlord of the Bobbin - said in relation to a comical session where I was (acceptably) the butt of some joke or othere...

"Do you have any self respect?"

I was thinking about it, and possibly I do not.

My point is that maybe this is the issue that I have with work and personal progress. I just think maybe I need to hold myself in a more important light in my own head. To concentrate on my own progress, and respect myself both now and what I can work for in the future...

World of warcraft - to - Revision - to - Exams

Bah, ive been had!

Those clever people at Blizzard have turned a quick 10-day free trial into a purchase into hours and hours spent playing that most hated of MMOs WORLD OF WARCRAFT!

Save me! End the internet! ....PLEASE!

Bah.

Its fun though... I suppose.

Revision is naff. I hate it. It has no linier mostion; no progression that makes any sense to me. So the result is i find it incredibly hard to get into it. I guess its nothing abnormal. Its just a fact... And its going to have a detrimental effect on my exam results I bet!

Talking of exams. Only a week to go untill my first one. Ohh I'm gonna start shitting myself soon. W00t for sleepless, stressfulled nights.

UPDATE
----------------
Just realised that I have 2 weeks till my first exam... You have no idea how much of a relief that was.... Really you don't!

Back to Uni....

Back for my final term at Lancaster University and ive had my final seminars, lectures and what-not. Its odd... Things seem a bit empty now even though i have still got my exams; three of them to be precise. Maybe its just a matter of getting stuck back into the work, and that most hated of work - revision.

As a distraction I have recently discovered the 10 day free trial for World Of Warcraft... It can't be good. I just wish Dark Age of Camelot actually worked on this network instead. Gr.

Finally, a quote. From that most wonderful thinker that has ever graced this planet (even though he was French, heh) Foucault. He is talking about something more broad in this, but i can see also that this fits to Politics. It's not about what you do or indeed how you do it, but how you tell it.

“My intention was not to deal with the problem of truth, but with the problem of the truth-teller, or of truth-telling as an activity... At issue for me was rather the attempt to consider truth-telling as a specific activity, or as a role.” Foucault, Fearless Speech, pp. 169

Cheers. Anthony

English bashing.

From Dizzy Thinks. Probably should put this in PI4W but meh. :-P Here is a taste of the idiocy!

Gregory Campbell MP you are neither big, clever or funny

EDM 1253

That this House notes the recent results of the Northern Ireland football team in the European Championship qualifiers, including the 2-1 win over Sweden; acknowledges the fact that after this latest result Northern Ireland now sits top of their group; salutes the outstanding performance of Lawrie Sanchez, all the team including top scorer David Healy, and their magnificent supporters; and encourages all the other home countries who currently occupy lower positions in their groups to take as their inspiration the country whose unofficial anthem is We're not Brazil, we're Northern Ireland.

Plaid Cymru have anti-English PPBs and now the DUP is having a dig at us and the bloody Scots. When will the madness end?

Bah, well they have no-one better(or worse) to yell at now they have had enough of yelling/blowing up/shooting each other (thankfully, in the case of Northern Ireland). We just have to watch out that it doesn't get too far and they stupidly begin to properly break the Union. It's intersting though, that these things stick to the small victories as if they prove a point or whatever. Silly politicians.

Talking about bloggin....

Ive done a bit of fiddling with the Politics is for Wimps blog, keep an eye on there for some fun and interesting comments on politics... Yeah... Politics and fun. NOT an oxymoron!

Politics Is For Wimps

What to do, what to do?

It's amazing that right now I have just finished the main chunk of my degree. I have done my Dissertation, completed my essays, endured lectures, cringed through seminars and survived multiple caffein overdoses. Woot.

Methinks now it's time to get productive... Ahem.

So here is a list of things to do.

1) Blog. Blog. Blog
2) Watch far far too much Stargate.
3) Plan the monstrous construction that will be my new PC.
(Speaking of which, I guess I am going to have to get a second monitor, GAH)
4) Find the funds for that PC probably meaning a *shh* JOB.

....Oh yeah and GRADUATE!

Bugger this!

Right, I have one more essay to write.

I am about 20% the way through the probable amount of research I am going to do of which I should probably do more but meh. And I want to rant about the usually amazing lecturer Mick Dillon.

Baiscly the situation is that he has totally reworked the last (and most interesting half) of the course. And I have to choose a lecture topic to use as a essay question. What is annoying is that I have 2 or three days (depending on if i go out tomorrow night, in which to write something and I am not about to start and dredge up old topics to re-learn. Basicly this means I have to have a go at the topics most recent.

AS I have said, they were all messed up, re-worked, and generally incomprehensible with referance to the seminar topics that are in the handbook. Thus I am in a position of choosing my own essay title, with a limited amount of references, limited knowledge of foucault and limited time.

Thank god for Northern Ireland, the perfect filler of time for my essays. It seems as if it is basicly a case study for Foucault and his wakey theories!

Oh and my word has stopped working on my desktop... GRRR!

ANGER! PANIC! STRESS! 4tw!

Flash Circle TowerDefence

Very addictive and well done sequel to the very popular Flash Element TD. Enjoy!



read more | digg story

Gah! How can they do this?!

Relentless the 'new' energy drink is 'orrible. How can they betray my love for the substances by releasing such a monstrosity!!!

And worst of all, it ACTUALLY looks like piss. Instead of most of them that just resemble it in some vague extent.

Love will Tear us Apart again

Great tune.

Wouldn't mind doing a cover and bastardising it at some point with this fictional-never-will-happen band I keep hoping to create.. Though I am starting to realise i need to get learning the guitar again and actually becoming a musician... of sorts.

Ideas, less skills.

Anyway, any chance people could do some comments or something if you read this... I know it sounds a bit desperate but... Its nice. Oh and pop onto Politics is for Wimps! Cheers.

Legend

Continuing he tendency I hope i don't get stuck into. A no comment post.

Band : 7 seconds of love

Gotta smile lots :)

If I'm a Libra, you're a parasite - Summer fun!

Ha, it's amazing. A sudden wave of the essence of summer has overcome me.

Watch out. I can't wait to get hammered, lazily in fields with some crap summer compilation CD (which incidentally I am already compiling) and a random group of whoever can be cobbled together at the time.

Also it will be the end of my degree. I just can't wait. I've had enough of writing essays. Of jumping through the academic hoops that are ignorant of the realities of learning and personal betterment. It has begun to take its toll.

Things will change this summer. Just you see.

----------------

Random song.
Mansun - Right to the end of the Earth.

The bigger you come
The harder you fall
I'll be waiting
Whatever it takes
No matter how long
I'll be waiting
Whatever you do
Wherever you go
I'll be watching

Cos it says in your starsign, you never can hide
If I'm a libra, you're a parasite
You'll be sucking someone for fun

As I grew up what I heard about was no illusion
Face it, you've got a shadow
Right to the end of the earth
You've got a shadow

Whoever you are
On one particular day
Is no reflection
Don't ever get low
Don't ever get bored
Don't let your guard down
If you are discreet
Wherever you hide
I'll blow wide open

Cos it says in your starsign, you never can hide
If I'm a libra, you're a parasite
You'll be sucking someone for fun

As I grew up what I heard about you's no illusion
Face it, you've got a shadow
Right to the end of the earth
You've got a shadow
Right to the end of the earth
There's no escaping my shadow

The bigger you come
The harder you fall
I'll be waiting
Whatever you do
Wherever you go
I'll be watching

Cos it says in your starsign, you never can run
From a wall of persistence that will never give up

New political bloggity-ness

For all you wonderful people out there is a far too intellectual blog for you to read about international/domestic politics you will ever need!

More specifically and without any sense of sales-pitch; it is a blog started by me and my good friend Lucy with is at least on one level there for us to spout out and round off our political leanings in the public domain. This COULD be interesting.

I bet it wont be, but its worth a wonderful whole hearted try! :D

First post of detail by me is on the wonderful ex-neoconservative Francis Fukuyama (and incidently needs tidying up).

Have fun!

...Oh and the link!

POLITICS IS FOR WIMPS!


Whoop Whoop!

Whooooo! What is digg?

What is digg? I suppose that is quite a philosophical and laden question if you are of the variety of the human species that is either too much of a geek or too much of a failing academic.

Anyway, click the link, its slightly comical.

Changes are looming...?

It seems like something may be changing.

Plans are in the pipeline for a new politics blog.. Yes indeed a new politics blog that will probably do exactly the same as all the other hundred blogs out there, but you never know it might be actually worth while...

Not that I am selling this, but I guess the important comment is that I wont be alone with this new effort. Someone will be there to give me constant rough pokes to the side to get me going, and most important thinking about politics.

Why bother? Well it is getting to that time where things are getting serious, my university course is almost at an end and I need to start thinking about what next. Why in the hell am I doing a blog of all things? Well. One possible line for me is politics. In creating a solely political blog I will be able to force myself to think about topics that will be important in such a career as well as showcase something of my own political opinion.

Well that's the basic plan. I guess all that needs to be done is get myself active and thinking about something other than my Dissertation... Oh and Neverwinter Nights 2.

This

This is what I hate at the moment. The unresoluted desire to be something. To be someone. To hold in your hands an ability, above others that cannot be taken away but is always; always, given.