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disabled_larper OP wrote (edited )

Thanks for sharing. I was thinking of joining the IWW myself but they're so small that I question if I should even bother. But at the same time, they're the only explicitly left wing organization I know of that's somewhat popular internationally.

Almost exclusively focused on convincing people to join.

Have you thought of trying to make change from within? I find an issue with political junkies is that many are focused on fantasy and culture rather than real world organizing and change. I was that kind of person for a while until recently. I think it could be beneficial if we could get other "radicals" to see that side of things and turn them into effective organizers that focus on what people actually care about, rather than being ideological larpers. What's your take on that?

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subrosa wrote (edited )

Most of the contact I had with other members was via email, as I lived an hour away from the smaller of the two 'local groups' in the small country I live in. Maybe one or two people I met were active and enthusiastic about the whole thing. The discussions that weren't how do we get new members revolved around relations to the GLAMROC (German Language something something committee), finances and the organizing of some big meet-up in Hamburg (iirc).

I can't be too harsh on them for the strong focus on growth, there really weren't too many people involved. I couldn't afford a trip to Germany, and I didn't see any reason to join the chit-chat sessions, so eventually I settled for paying my 3 buck a month fee and occasionally bothering people about the One Big Union, hoping to eventually see some growth. So that the actual fun can begin.

All this caused me to question the whole approach. People weren't interested in joining a union. Most seemed happy enough with how it is, and I never managed to talk anyone out of that. Woulda been a good time to get into anarchy.

My kind of 'change from the inside' wouldn't fit the program, so all that was left to do was leave. My ideas about 'organizing' have changed drastically over the years. I have no interest in negotiating wages, nor in dual power approaches, nor in attempting to out-organize capitalist firms with democratic committees... or whatever else syndies think they do. If there really is any use in the real world organizing vs ideological larping juxtaposition dichotomy, I'd probably put the IWW in the latter category. It might be a good place to make friends though.

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