worthy? - not worthy?

[last_angry_man]

As a newcomer to this forum, I’m still trying to determine the general outlook regarding which activities are considered useful versus those that are a waste of time, or worse.

On the most basic level, even a casual reader of this forum will quickly come away with the understanding that local organizing is looked highly upon, while fantasizing about guerilla war in the USA is both silly and counterproductive.

But I haven’t yet gotten a sense of where the forum stands on more grey areas. For example, the ‘direct action’ campaigns of the environmental / animal protection movements: does this type of action have any useful place in the revolutionary movement? If so, is it valued only for its propaganda / public relations value, or is there value in slowing down the wheels of capitalism, however briefly? In other words, is there value in slowly chipping away at the colossal machine, or does direct action really only have value from its media exposure and potential to recruit new dissidents?

Thanks.

[Black Dagger]

In other words, is there value in slowly chipping away at the colossal machine, or does direct action really only have value from its media exposure and potential to recruit new dissidents?

It depends - if DA can help or lead to winning gains for the working class or oppressed peoples then yeah i think it's worth it (but DA in and of itself will not destroy capitalism or the state)- and i'm not totally convinced about the ability of DA to achieve the latter part of what you're talking about (though i'm sure it does in some cases)- but regardless i don't oppose direct attacks against capital or the state - even if they're not taking us closer to liberation.

Basically, without organising in the workplace, in communities etc. to back it up - DA is not gonna get the goods - isolated acts of DA cannot destroy capitalism or create anarchy - this will come through the self-organisation of the working class as a whole - not of the actions of minor or vanguard elements within it.

[last_angry_man]

Basically, without organising in the workplace, in communities etc. to back it up - DA is not gonna get the goods - isolated acts of DA cannot destroy capitalism or create anarchy

I guess the follow-up question would be: In support of large scale organizing, would consistent, wide spread DA (everything from destroying property, to shoplifting, to sabotaging factories, etc.) prove beneficial? If everyone involved in the movement made it their goal to strive for a $100/day minimum negative impact, would this have meaningful results, or just provide corporations with another type of tax write-off?

[Dimentio]

Basically, without organising in the workplace, in communities etc. to back it up - DA is not gonna get the goods - isolated acts of DA cannot destroy capitalism or create anarchy

I guess the follow-up question would be: In support of large scale organizing, would consistent, wide spread DA (everything from destroying property, to shoplifting, to sabotaging factories, etc.) prove beneficial? If everyone involved in the movement made it their goal to strive for a $100/day minimum negative impact, would this have meaningful results, or just provide corporations with another type of tax write-off?

It would benefit capitalism, since it would create jobs.