WeAreAllVeryAnxious

Six Theses on Anxiety and Why It is Effectively Preventing Militancy, and One
Possible Strategy for Overcoming It 1 Reposted with the kind permission of the
InstituteforPrecariousConsciousness

1: Eachphaseofcapitalismhasitsowndominantreactiveaffect. 2 Eachphaseof
capitalismhasaparticularaffectwhichholdsittogether.Thisisnotastaticsituation.
Theprevalenceofaparticulardominantaffect3issustainableonlyuntilstrategiesof
resistanceabletobreakdownthisparticularaffectand/oritssocialsourcesare
formulated. Hence, capitalism constantly comes into crisis and recomposes around
newlydominantaffects.
Oneaspectofeveryphasesdominantaffectisthatitisapublicsecret,somethingthat
everyoneknows,butnobodyadmits,ortalksabout.Aslongasthedominantaffectisa
publicsecret,itremainseffective,andstrategiesagainstitwillnotemerge.
Publicsecretsaretypicallypersonalised.Theproblemisonlyvisibleatanindividual,
psychologicallevel;thesocialcausesoftheproblemareconcealed.Eachphaseblames
the systems victims for the suffering that the system causes. And it portrays a
fundamentalpartofitsfunctionallogicasacontingentandlocalisedproblem.
Inthemodernera(untilthepostwarsettlement),thedominantaffectwasmisery.In
thenineteenthcentury,thedominantnarrativewasthatcapitalismleadstogeneral
enrichment.Thepublicsecretofthisnarrativewasthemiseryoftheworkingclass.
Theexposureofthismiserywascarriedoutbyrevolutionaries.Thefirstwaveof
modernsocialmovementsinthenineteenthcenturywasamachineforfightingmisery.
Tactics such as strikes, wage struggles, political organisation, mutual aid, co
operatives and strike funds were effective ways to defeat the power of misery by
ensuringacertainsocialminimum.Someofthesestrategiesstillworkwhenfighting

misery.
Whenmiserystoppedworkingasacontrolstrategy,capitalismswitchedtoboredom.
Inthemidtwentiethcentury,thedominantpublicnarrativewasthatthestandardof
livingwhichwidenedaccesstoconsumption,healthcareandeducationwasrising.
Everyoneintherichcountrieswashappy,andthepoorcountrieswereontheirwayto
development.Thepublicsecretwasthateveryonewasbored.Thiswasaneffectofthe
Fordistsystemwhichwasprevalentuntilthe1980sasystembasedonfulltimejobs
forlife,guaranteedwelfare,massconsumerism,massculture,andthecooptationof
thelabourmovementwhichhadbeenbuilttofightmisery.Jobsecurityandwelfare
provision reduced anxiety and misery, but jobs were boring, made up of simple,
repetitivetasks.Midcenturycapitalismgaveeverythingneededforsurvival,butno
opportunitiesforlife;itwasasystembasedonforcefeedingsurvivaltosaturation
point.
Ofcourse,notallworkersunderFordismactuallyhadstablejobsorsecuritybutthis
wasthecoremodelofwork,aroundwhichthelargersystemwasarranged.Therewere
reallythreedealsinthisphase,withtheBworkerdealboredomforsecuritybeing
themostexemplaryoftheFordismboredomconjuncture.Today,theBworkerdeal
has largely been eliminated, leaving a gulf between the A and Cworkers (the
consumersocietyinsiders,andtheautonomyandinsecurityofthemostmarginal).

2: Contemporaryresistanceisbornofthe1960swave,inresponsetothedominant
affectofboredom.
If each stage of the dominant system has a dominant affect, then each stage of
resistanceneedsstrategiestodefeatordissolvethisaffect.Ifthefirstwaveofsocial
movementswereamachineforfightingmisery,thesecondwave(ofthe1960s70s,or
morebroadly(andthinly)1960s90s)wereamachineforfightingboredom.Thisisthe
waveofwhichourownmovementswereborn,whichcontinuestoinflectmostofour

theoriesandpractices.
Mosttacticsofthiserawere/arewaystoescapetheworkconsumediecycle.The
Situationistspioneeredawholeseriesoftacticsdirectedagainstboredom,declaring
thatWedonotwantaworldinwhichtheguaranteethatwewillnotdieofstarvation
isboughtbyacceptingtheriskofdyingofboredom.Autonomiafoughtboredomby
refusingwork,bothwithinwork(usingsabotageandgoslows)andagainstit(slacking
offanddroppingout).Theseprotestformswereassociatedwithawidersocialprocess
ofcounterculturalexodusfromthedominantformsofboringworkandboringsocial
roles.
Inthefeministmovement,thehousewifemalaisewastheorisedassystemicinthe
1960s.Later,furtherdissatisfactionswererevealedthroughconsciousnessraising,and
thetextsandactions(fromTheMythoftheVaginalOrgasmtotheRedstockings
abortionspeakout)whichstemmedfromit.Similartendenciescanbeseeninthe
Theatre of the Oppressed, critical pedagogy, the main directaction styles
(carnivalesque,militant,andpacifist),andinmovementsaslateasthe1990s,suchas
thefreepartymovement,ReclaimtheStreets,DIYculture,andhackerculture.
Themidcenturyreorientationfrommiserytoboredomwascrucialtotheemergence
ofanewwaveofrevolt.Wearethetailendofthiswave.Justasthetacticsofthefirst
wavestillworkwhenfightingmisery,sothetacticsofthesecondwavestillwork
whenfightingboredom.Thedifficultyisthatwearelessoftenfacingboredomasthe
mainenemy.Thisiswhymilitantresistanceiscaughtinitscurrentimpasse.

3:Capitalismhaslargelyabsorbedthestruggleagainstboredom.
There has been a partial recuperation of the struggle against boredom. Capitalism
pursuedtheexodusintospacesbeyondwork,creatingthe socialfactory afieldin
which the whole society is organised like a workplace. Precarity is used to force
peoplebacktoworkwithinanexpandedfieldoflabournowincludingthewholeofthe

socialfactory.
Manyinstancesofthispursuitcanbeenumerated.Companieshaveadoptedflattened
managementmodelsincitingemployeestonotonlymanage,butinvesttheirsoulsin,
their work. Consumer society now provides a wider range of niche products and
constant distraction which is not determined by mass tastes to the same degree as
before.Newproducts,suchasvideogamesandsocialmedia,involveheightenedlevels
ofactiveindividualinvolvementanddesocialisedstimulation.Workplaceexperiences
arediversifiedbymeansofmicrodifferentialsandperformancemanagement,aswellas
themultiplicationofcasualandsemiselfemployedworksituationsonthemarginsof
capitalism.Capitalismhasencouragedthegrowthofmediatisedsecondaryidentities
theselfportrayedthroughsocialmedia,visibleconsumption,andlifelonglearning
whichhavetobeobsessivelymaintained.Variousformsofresistanceoftheearlier
period have been recuperated, or revived in captured form once the original is
extinguished:forinstance,thecorporatenightclubandmusicfestivalreplacetherave.

4:Incontemporarycapitalism,thedominantreactiveaffectisanxiety.
Todayspublicsecretisthateveryoneisanxious.Anxietyhasspreadfromitsprevious
localisedlocations(suchassexuality)tothewholeofthesocialfield.Allformsof
intensity,selfexpression,emotionalconnection,immediacy,andenjoymentarenow
lacedwithanxiety.Ithasbecomethelinchpinofsubordination.
Onemajorpartofthesocialunderpinningofanxietyisthemultifacetedomnipresent
webof surveillance.TheNSA,CCTV,performancemanagementreviews,theJob
Centre, the privileges system in the prisons, the constant examination and
classificationoftheyoungestschoolchildren.Butthisobviouswebisonlytheouter
carapace. We need to think about the ways in which a neoliberal idea of success
inculcatesthesesurveillancemechanismsinsidethesubjectivitiesandlifestoriesof
mostofthepopulation.

We need to think about how peoples deliberate and ostensibly voluntary self
exposure,throughsocialmedia,visibleconsumptionandchoiceofpositionswithinthe
fieldofopinions,alsoassumesaperformanceinthefieldoftheperpetualgazeof
virtualothers.Weneedtothinkaboutthewaysinwhichthisgazeinflectshowwe
find,measureandknowoneanother,ascoactorsinaninfinitelywatchedperpetual
performance. Our success in this performance in turn affects everything from our
abilitytoaccesshumanwarmthtoourabilitytoaccessmeansofsubsistence,notjust
in the form of the wage but also in the form of credit. Outsides to the field of
mediatisedsurveillanceareincreasinglyclosedoff,aspublicspaceisbureaucratised
andprivatised,andawideningrangeofhumanactivityiscriminalisedonthegrounds
ofrisk,security,nuisance,qualityoflife,orantisocialbehaviour.
Inthisincreasinglysecuritisedandvisiblefield,wearecommandedtocommunicate.
Theincommunicableisexcluded.Sinceeveryoneisdisposable,thesystemholdsthe
threatofforciblydelinkinganyoneatanytime,inacontextwherealternativesare
foreclosedinadvance,sothatforcibledelinkingentailsdesocialisationleadingtoan
absurd nonchoice between desocialised inclusion and desocialised exclusion. This
threatismanifestedinsmallwaysintodaysdisciplinarypracticesfromtimeouts
andInternetbans,tofiringsandbenefitsanctionsculminatinginthedraconianforms
ofsolitaryconfinementfoundinprisons.Suchregimesarethezerodegreeofcontrol
byanxiety: the breakdown of all the coordinates of connectedness in a setting of
constantdanger,inordertoproduceacollapseofpersonality.
Thepresentdominantaffectofanxietyisalsoknownasprecarity.Precarityisatypeof
insecuritywhichtreatspeopleasdisposablesoastoimposecontrol.Precaritydiffers
frommiseryinthatthenecessitiesoflifearenotsimplyabsent.Theyareavailable,but
withheldconditionally.
Precarity leads to generalised hopelessness; a constant bodily excitation without release.
Growingproportionsofyoungpeoplearelivingathome.Substantialportionsofthepopulation

over10%intheUKaretakingantidepressants.Thebirthrateisdeclining,asinsecurity
makespeoplereluctanttostartfamilies.InJapan,millionsofyoungpeopleneverleavetheir
homes(thehikikomori),whileothersliterallyworkthemselvestodeathonanepidemicscale.
Surveys reveal half the population of the UK are experiencing income insecurity.
Economically,aspectsofthesystemofanxietyincludeleanproduction,financialisationand
resultantdebtslavery,rapidcommunicationandfinancialoutflows,andtheglobalisationof
production.Workplaceslikecallcentresareincreasinglycommon,whereeveryonewatches
themselves,triestomaintaintherequiredserviceorientation,andisconstantlysubjecttore
testing and potential failure both by quantitative requirements on numbers of calls, and a
processwhichdeniesmostworkersastablejob(theyhavetoworksixmonthstoevenreceive
ajob,asopposedtoalearningplace).Imagemanagementmeansthatthegapbetweenthe
officialrulesandwhatreallyhappensisgreaterthanever.Andthepost911climatechannels
thiswidespreadanxietyintoglobalpolitics.

5:Anxietyisapublicsecret.
Excessive anxiety and stress are a public secret. When discussed at all, they are
understood as individual psychological problems, often blamed on faulty thought
patternsorpooradaptation.
Indeed,thedominantpublicnarrativesuggeststhatweneedmorestress,soastokeep
us safe (through securitisation) and competitive (through performance
management).Eachmoralpanic,eachnewcrackdownornewroundofrepressive
laws,addstothecumulativeweightofanxietyandstressarisingfromgeneralover
regulation.Real,humaninsecurityischannelledintofuellingsecuritisation.Thisisa
vicious circle, because securitisation increases the very conditions (disposability,
surveillance, intensive regulation) which cause the initial anxiety. In effect, the
securityoftheHomelandisusedasavicarioussubstituteforsecurityoftheSelf.
Again,thishasprecedents:theuseofnationalgreatnessasvicariouscompensationfor

misery,andtheuseofglobalwarasachannelforfrustrationarisingfromboredom.
Anxietyisalsochannelleddownwards.Peopleslackofcontrolovertheirlivesleads
to an obsessive struggle to reclaim control by micromanaging whatever one can
control. Parental management techniques, for example, are advertised as ways to
reduceparentsanxietybyprovidingadefinitescripttheycanfollow.Onawider,
sociallevel,latentanxietiesarisingfromprecarityfuelobsessiveprojectsofsocial
regulation and social control. This latent anxiety is increasingly projected onto
minorities.
AnxietyispersonalisedinanumberofwaysfromNewRightdiscoursesblamingthe
poor for poverty, to contemporary therapies which treat anxiety as a neurological
imbalanceor adysfunctional thinkingstyle.Ahundredvarietiesofmanagement
discourse time management, anger management, parental management, self
branding,gamificationofferanxioussubjectsanillusionofcontrolinreturnforever
greaterconformitytothecapitalistmodelofsubjectivity.Andmanymorediscourses
ofscapegoatingandcriminalisationtreatprecarityasamatterofpersonaldeviance,
irresponsibility, or pathological selfexclusion. Many of these discourses seek to
maintain the superstructure of Fordism (nationalism, social integration) without its
infrastructure (a national economy, welfare, jobs for all). Doctrines of individual
responsibilityarecentraltothisbacklash,reinforcingvulnerabilityanddisposability.
Thentherestheselfesteemindustry,themassiveoutpouringofmediatellingpeople
howtoachievesuccessthroughpositivethinkingasifthesourcesofanxietyand
frustration are simply illusory. These are indicative of the tendency to privatise
problems,boththoserelatingtowork,andthoserelatingtopsychology.
Earlierwearguedthatpeoplehavetobesociallyisolatedinorderforapublicsecretto
work. This is true of the current situation, in which authentic communication is
increasingly rare. Communication is more pervasive than ever, but increasingly,
communicationhappensonlythroughpathsmediatedbythesystem.Hence,inmany

ways, people are prevented from actually communicating, even while the system
demandsthateveryonebeconnectedandcommunicable.Peoplebothconformtothe
demand to communicate rather than expressing themselves, and selfcensor within
mediatedspaces.Similarly,affectivelabourdoesnotalleviateanxiety;itcompounds
workerssufferingwhilesimplydistractingconsumers(researchershavefoundthat
requirementsonworkerstofeignhappinessactuallycauseserioushealthproblems).
Thevolumeofcommunicationisirrelevant.Therecompositionreconnectionof
liberatorysocialforceswillnothappenunlesstherearechannelsthroughwhichthe
publicsecretitselfcanbespoken.Inthissense,peoplearefundamentallymorealone
thanever.Itisdifficultformostpeople(includingmanyradicals)toacknowledgethe
realityofwhattheyexperienceandfeel.Somethinghastobequantifiedormediated
(broadcastvirtually),or,forus,tobealreadyrecognisedaspolitical,tobevalidatedas
real.Thepublicsecretdoesnotmeetthesecriteria,andsoitremainsinvisible.

6: Currenttacticsandtheoriesarentworking. Weneednewtacticsandtheoriesto
combatanxiety.
Duringperiodsofmobilisationandeffectivesocialchange,peoplefeelasenseof
empowerment, the ability to express themselves, a sense of authenticity and de
repressionordisalienationwhichcanactasaneffectivetreatmentfordepressionand
psychological problems; a kind of peak experience. It is what sustains political
activity.
Suchexperienceshavebecomefarrarerinrecentyears.
Wemightherefocusontworelateddevelopments:preemption,andpunishmentby
process.Preemptivetacticsarethosewhichstopprotestsbeforetheystart,orbefore
theycanachieveanything.Kettling,massarrests,stopandsearch,lockdowns,house
raidsandpreemptivearrestsareexamplesofthesekindsoftactics.Punishmentby
processentailskeepingpeopleinasituationoffear,pain,orvulnerabilitythroughthe

abuseofproceduresdesignedforotherpurposessuchaskeepingpeopleonpre
chargeorpretrialbailconditionswhichdisrupttheireverydayactivity,usingnofly
and borderstop lists to harass known dissidents, carrying out violent dawn raids,
needlesslyputtingpeoplesphotographsinthepress,arrestingpeopleonsuspicion
(sometimesinaccordwithquotas),usingpaincomplianceholds,orquietlymaking
knownthatsomeoneisundersurveillance.Oncefearofstateinterferenceisinstilled,it
isreinforcedbythewebofvisiblesurveillancethatisgriddedacrosspublicspace,and
whichactsasstrategicallyplacedtriggersoftraumaandanxiety.
Anecdotalevidencehasprovidedmanyhorrorstoriesabouttheeffectsofsuchtactics
peopleleftanervouswreckafteryearsawaitingatrialonchargesforwhichthey
wereacquitted,committingsuicideaftermonthsoutoftouchwiththeirfriendsand
family,orafraidtogooutafterincidentsofabuse.Theeffectsarejustasrealasifthe
statewaskillingordisappearingpeople,buttheyarerenderedlargelyinvisible.In
addition,manyradicalsarealsoonthereceivingendofprecariousemploymentand
punitive benefit regimes. We are failing to escape the generalised production of
anxiety.
If the first wave provided a machine for fighting misery, and the second wave a
machineforfightingboredom,whatwenowneedisamachineforfightinganxiety
andthisissomethingwedonotyethave.Ifweseefromwithinanxiety,wehavent
yetperformedthereversalofperspectiveastheSituationistscalleditseeingfrom
thestandpointofdesireinsteadofpower.Todaysmainformsofresistancestillarise
fromthestruggleagainstboredom,and,sinceboredomsreplacementbyanxiety,have
ceasedtobeeffective.
Current militant resistance does not and cannot combat anxiety. It often involves
deliberateexposuretohighanxietysituations.Insurrectionistsovercomeanxietyby
turningnegativeaffectsintoanger,andactingonthisangerthroughaprojectileaffect
ofattack.Inmanyways,thisprovidesanalternativetoanxiety.However,itisdifficult

forpeopletopassfromanxietytoanger,anditiseasyforpeopletobepushedbackthe
otherway,duetotrauma.Wevenoticedacertaintendencyforinsurrectioniststo
refusetotakeseriouslytheexistenceofpsychologicalbarrierstomilitantaction.Their
responsetendstobe,Justdoit!Butanxietyisareal,materialforcenotsimplya
spook. To be sure, its sources are often rooted in spooks, but the question of
overcomingthegripofaspookisrarelyassimpleasconsciouslyrejectingit.Theresa
wholeseriesofpsychologicalblockagesunderlyingthespooksillusorypower,which
isultimatelyaneffectofreactiveaffect.SayingJustdoitislikesayingtosomeone
withabrokenleg,Justwalk!
Thesituationfeelshopelessandinescapable,butitisnt.Itfeelsthiswaybecauseof
effects of precarity constant overstress, the contraction of time into an eternal
present,thevulnerabilityofeachseparated(orsystemicallymediated)individual,the
systems dominance of all aspects of social space. Structurally, the system is
vulnerable.Therelianceonanxietyisadesperatemeasure,usedintheabsenceof
strongerformsofconformity.Thesystemsattempttokeeprunningbykeepingpeople
feelingpowerlessleavesitopentosuddenruptures,outbreaksofrevolt.Sohowdowe
gettothepointwherewestopfeelingpowerless?

7:Anewstyleofprecarityfocusedconsciousnessraisingisneeded.
Inordertoformulatenewresponsestoanxiety,weneedtoreturntothedrawingboard.
Weneedtoconstructanewsetofknowledgesandtheoriesfromthebottomup.To
this end, we need to crease a profusion of discussions which produce dense
intersections between experiences of the current situation and theories of
transformation. We need to start such processes throughout the excluded and
oppressedstratabutthereisnoreasonweshouldntstartwithourselves.
Inexploringthepossibilitiesforsuchapractice,theInstitutehaslookedintoprevious
casesofsimilarpractices.Fromanexaminationofaccountsoffeministconsciousness

raisinginthe1960s/70s,wehavesummarisedthefollowingcentralfeatures:

Producingnewgroundedtheoryrelatingtoexperience.Weneedtoreconnectwithour
experiencesnowratherthantheoriesfrompastphases.Theideahereisthatourown
perceptionsofoursituationareblockedorcrampedbydominantassumptions,and
needtobemadeexplicit.Thefocusshouldbeonthoseexperienceswhichrelatetothe
publicsecret. Theseexperiencesneedtoberecountedandpooledfirstlywithin
groups,andthenpublicly.

Recognisingthereality,andthesystemicnature,ofourexperiences.Thevalidationof
ourexperiencesrealityofexperiencesisanimportantpartofthis.Weneedtoaffirm
thatourpainisreallypain,thatwhatweseeandfeelisreal,andthatourproblemsare
notonlypersonal.Sometimesthisentailsbringingupexperienceswehavediscounted
orrepressed.Sometimesitentailschallengingthepersonalisationofproblems.

Transformation of emotions. People are paralysed by unnameable emotions, and a

generalsenseoffeelinglikeshit.Theseemotionsneedtobetransformedintoasense
ofinjustice,atypeofangerwhichislessresentfulandmorefocused,amovetowards
selfexpression,andareactivationofresistance.

Creating or expressing voice. The culture of silence surrounding the public secret
needstobeoverthrown.Existingassumptionsneedtobedenaturalisedandchallenged,
andcopsintheheadexpelled.Theexerciseofvoicemovesthereferenceoftruthand
realityfromthesystemtothespeaker,contributingtothereversalofperspective
seeingtheworldthroughonesownperspectiveanddesires,ratherthanthesystems.
The weaving together of different experiences and stories is an important way of
reclaimingvoice.Theprocessisanarticulationaswellasanexpression.

Constructingadisalienatedspace.Socialseparationisreducedbytheexistenceofsuch
aspace.Thespaceprovidescriticaldistanceononeslife,andakindofemotional
safetynettoattempttransformations,dissolvingfears.Thisshouldnotsimplybea
selfhelp measure, used to sustain existing activities, but instead, a space for

reconstructingaradicalperspective.

Analysingandtheorisingstructuralsourcesbasedonsimilaritiesinexperience.The
point is not simply to recount experiences but to transform and restructure them
through their theorisation. Participants change the dominant meaning of their
experiencebymappingitwithdifferentassumptions.Thisisoftendonebyfinding
patterns in experiences which are related to liberatory theory, and seeing personal
problemsandsmallinjusticesassymptomsofwiderstructuralproblems.Itleadstoa
newperspective,avocabularyofmotives;anantiantipoliticalhorizon.
Thegoal istoproducethe click themomentatwhich the structuralsource of
problemssuddenlymakessenseinrelationtoexperiences.Thisclickiswhichfocuses
and transforms anger. Greater understanding may in turn relieve psychological
pressures,andmakeiteasiertorespondwithangerinsteadofdepressionoranxiety.It
mightevenbepossibletoencouragepeopleintosuchgroupsbypromotingthemasa
formofselfhelpeventhoughtheyrejecttheadjustmentorientationoftherapeutic
andselfesteembuildingprocesses.
Theresultisakindofaffinitygroup,butorientedtoperspectiveandanalysis,rather
thanaction.Itshouldbewidelyrecognised,however,thatthisnewawarenessneedsto
turnintosomekindofaction;otherwiseitisjustfrustratinglyintrospective.
Thisstrategywillhelpourpracticeinanumberofways.Firstly,thesegroupscan
provideapoolofpotentialaccomplices.Secondly,theycanprimepeopleforfuture
momentsofrevolt.Thirdly,theycreatethepotentialtoshiftthegeneralfieldofso
calledpublicopinioninwayswhichcreateaneasiercontextforaction.Groupswould
alsofunctionasalifesupportsystemandasaspacetostepbackfromimmersionin
thepresent. Theywouldprovideakindoffluencyinradicalanddissidentconcepts
whichmostpeoplelacktoday.
Anxietyisreinforcedbythefactthatitisneverclearwhatthemarketwantsfromus,
thatthedemandforconformityisconnectedtoavaguesetofcriteriawhichcannotbe

establishedinadvance.Eventhemostconformistpeoplearedisposablenowadays,as
newtechnologiesofmanagementorproductionareintroduced.Oneofthefunctionsof
smallgroupdiscussionsandconsciousnessraisingistoconstructaperspectivefrom
whichonecaninterpretthesituation
Onemajorproblemwillbemaintainingregulartimecommitmentsinacontextof
constanttimeandattentivepressure.Theprocesshasaslowerpaceandamorehuman
scalethanisculturallyacceptabletoday.However,thefactthatgroupsofferarespite
from dailystruggle,and perhapsaquieter styleof interactingandlisteningwhich
relievesattentivepressure,mayalsobeattractive.Participantswouldneedtolearnto
speakwithaselfexpressivevoice(ratherthananeoliberalperformancederivedfrom
thecompulsiontosharebanalinformation),andtolistenandanalyse.
Anotherproblemisthecomplexityofexperiences.Personalexperiencesareintensely
differentiatedbythenuanceddiscriminationsbuiltintothesemiocapitalistcode.This
makestheanalyticalpartoftheprocessparticularlyimportant.
Aboveall,theprocessshouldestablishnewpropositionsaboutthesourcesofanxiety.
Thesepropositionscanformabasisfornewformsofstruggle,newtactics,andthe
revivalofactiveforcefromitscurrentrepression:amachineforfightinganxiety.
Footnotes
1.ThediscussionhereisnotfullyrelevanttotheglobalSouth.Thespecificcondition
oftheSouthisthatdominantcapitalistsocialformsarelayeredontoearlierstagesof
capitalism or precapitalist systems, rather than displacing them entirely. Struggles
alongtheaxesofmiseryandboredomarethereforemoreeffectiveintheSouth.The
Southhasexperiencedaparticularvarietyofprecaritydistinctfromearlierperiods:the
massive forced delinking of huge swathes of the world from global capitalism
(especiallyinAfrica),andthecorrespondinglymassivegrowthoftheinformalsector,
whichnoweclipsestheformalsectoralmosteverywhere.Theinformalsectorprovides
fertileterrainforautonomouspolitics,asisclearfromcasessuchasthecityofElAlto

(a selforganised city of shantytowns which is central to social movements in

Bolivia), the Zapatista revolt (leading to autonomous indigenous communities in
Chiapas),andmovementssuchasAbahlalibaseMjondolo(anautonomousmovement
ofinformalsettlementresidentsinSouthAfrica).However,itisoftensubjecttoakind
of collectivised precarity, as the state might (for instance) bulldoze shantytowns,
dispossessstreettraders,orcrackdownonillicitactivitiesandperiodicallydoesso.
Revealingly,itwastheselfimmolationofastreettradersubjecttothiskindofstate
dispossessionwhichtriggeredtherevoltinSidiBouzid,whichlaterexpandedintothe
Arab Spring. Massive unrest for similar reasons is also becoming increasingly
commoninChina.Itisalsocommonforthissectortobedominatedbyhierarchical
gangs or by the networked wings of authoritarian parties (such as the Muslim
Brotherhood).
2.Affect:emotion,bodilydisposition,wayofrelating
3.Whenusingthetermdominantaffect,thisisnottosaythatthisistheonlyreactive
affectinoperation.Thenewdominantaffectcanrelatedynamicallywithotheraffects:
acallcentreworkerisboredandmiserablypaid,butanxietyiswhatkeepsher/himin
thiscondition,preventingtheuseofoldstrategiessuchasunionisation,sabotageand
droppingout.