Political influences and touch-points

Being all for transparency here’s some spiel all about me, which I suspect is only of real interest to me. 


Childhood

Influence of liberal parents, comfortably well-off, NHS doctors — meaningfully contributing to society (and family), pro-welfare state, anti-lawyers/bankers/“parasites on society”, pro-Palestine. Unforced Christian ethics. Rural village dwellers. 

 

Struggled or lacked motivation with schooling; dyslexic, introverted, appeal towards nonconformity.    

 

Viewed politics and political commentary as impotent performance and entertainment, like armchair anthropologists, armchair politics (particularly between father and brother) seemed distasteful; my own preference for no opinion rather than opinion based on limited knowledge. 

 

Pacifist, aversion to violence, vegetarian, concern for the welfare of others including animals and natural world. 

Deep sense of appreciation for nature, spent much time outdoors. 

 

Teenage - early 20s

Lacking sense of self-worth/identity related to absence of clear path into meaningful work which contributed to society — History of Art degree felt indulgent and useless. 

 

Exposure to post-structuralist, post-colonial, and marxist thought. 

 

Desire to work with people, to help people directly. Consideration of NHS work, landed on teaching (Covid informed choice, one of few avenues). 

 

Enticed by 19th Century Russian literature, existentialist ideas, lingering Christian ethics again.

 

Leaning further into marxist, new left and anarchist (Colin Ward) political thought and critical pedagogy whilst working in shitty state school academies in 2020-21 (Covid years) and pen-palling a staunch socialist. Deeply agitated by the state of education. 

 

Post-graduate Cambridge years

More exposure to post-structuralist and post-humanist thought — disillusioned with it, especially the latter. Academia felt like an impotent and self-serving space of entertainment for the privileged, mental masturbation, little real-world applicability despite parading as political (anti-neoliberal — this seemed more like a trendy aesthetic).

 

Enticed by Toaism. Be like water. Appeal for Wu Wei (non-action), letting things unfold naturally (like my parents’ liberal parenting style). Resonated with gentle anarchist and liberal sympathies I was already infused with.

 

Personal future trajectory unstable. External influences informed a feeling that going back to school teaching would be a “low-status” move, that I should be more ambitious than that. Material conditions of teaching and awareness of the incompatibility of my ethics (pacifist, liberal, anarchic, anti-control) with contemporary school culture also steered me away.

 

First exposure to Effective Altruism (start of 2022) — deeply skeptical of it’s cult like capitalist nature, high status signalling, longtermism (tech) focus linked to disregard for education and social issues of the present day. Deeply uncomfortable with the hypocrisy of it’s “doing good” narrative whilst giving perks to it’s elite members — (why did they get free food when the community kitchen down the road was struggling to feed the homeless?).

 

The personal is political. Rejected by a (EA, AI, progress movement ilk) partner who saw themselves with someone “more ambitious” – matching their own politics/lifestyle/aspirations – and who wanted to devote more time to career climbing than to a relationship. Equate ambition with income.

 

Relationship with Peruvian marxist. Values seemingly aligned more with this partner than the last. However, in time made to feel part of the white-person neo-colonial neo-liberal issue with the state of the world. My privilege was something I very knowingly couldn’t shake off. Expanded my insight into global south perspective and history. Confirmed my distaste for EA and private sector solutions. Felt that marxism has more potential in global south — England is a lost cause, TINA mentality deeply rooted.

 

Exposure to local politics and charity enterprise through work with a young people’s well-being survey initiative (led in collaboration with charitable organisations, local councils, and academics). Gave sharp awareness of the importance of schmoozing/networking/marketing self as valuable.

 

Hedonistic approach to life = do a PhD. Awareness of social capital = do a PhD at a top university.

 

Mid-twenties, PhD years (now)

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble

 

Into the melting pot go my past influences. It is far easier to summarise with hindsight.

 

Deeply agitated by the state of education.

 

Mostly vegan. Polyamorous.

 

Questioning sense of social responsibility in tension with inclination towards non-action (self-centredly hedonistic, lazy and nihilistic?).

 

Now influences:

 

  • grass roots activists (typically de-growth, not clued up on economics)
  • academic arty “activists” (I am skeptical)
  • individual-led centre-left pragmatic politics (I am hopeful)
  • the EA ilk emerge in my life again (“progress” movement) (I respond disagreeably)
  • Reading a lot by Yanis Varoufakis (utopian but compelling)