Dan Goss is a happy revolutionary. Unlike me Dan actually works hard on many active political campaigns. We first met through Plan C. Although Dan is a very committed and serious organizer, he's also very based and reflective and funny, too, which is why I asked him to do a podcast. We are joined by Rosie Hiscock, who is a working actress and musician. We recorded this podcast in Dan's home in London.
Notes with timestamps:
how to shut down a coal mine in South Wales (1:56)
activist guilt, and work guilt, and why they're fucked up (7:50)
doing direct action just for fun (9:05)
honesty as the only radical political obligation (9:40)
don't be insecure about seeming selfish (13:00)
don't do stupid activist shit if you don't honestly believe it's going to make revolution (15:00)
why I like Plan C (15:30)
Dan is against altruism and selfishness (15:50)
What if the joy of our relationships was the only thing? (18:15)
don't care what some random activist group thinks (18:50)
maybe we need a cult with no leader (24:30)
how does one become ungovernable? (34:20)
acting and performance as a political skill (37:25)
The power of self-observance (38:00)
Rosie teaches us the Alexander Technique (39:00)
the political significance of a slouching posture (41:40)
resentment and conservatism (52:30)
how is Dan so happy all the time? (55:00)
on becoming revolutionary or hating yourself (63:00)
how the fear of being offensive turns people off to politics (74:30)
the idiotic performances of activism (75:00)
refuse anything that does not feel like the liberation of your soul (76:20)
radical politics is learning how to live (83:00)