Left Forum 2017

Technology and Revolution track

Human Connection: Key to Technology for Revolution
Tools for Human Connection: The Basis of Revolutionary Technology
Reclaiming Human Connection: A Revolutionary Tool

While capitalism/imperialism uses technology to separate and exploit us, and wage war, revolutionary technology builds on and expands the most fundamental of human technologies: the ability to connect with, listen to, and think with each other. Capitalist/imperialist uses of technology (as do all its institutions) embody, execute, transmit, and perpetuate ideas that are inaccurate about ourselves, others, and the nature of human beings and of reality. These oppressive ideas are emotionally and ideologically damaging, condition us, and internalize as patterns of complacency, discouragement, hopelessness, competition, individualism, nationalism... Past successful revolutions and movements have broken through this conditioning to conceive and carry out concerted actions and while they have made positive changes in the lives of people eventually the capitalist/imperialist conditioned emotional/ideological patterns have undermined these gains, sometimes reversed them. To achieve and sustain a radical new world it is necessary to recognize these conditioned patterns, subvert them, and recover from the emotional damage they inflict in order to think well individually and collectively. In movement and organizing spaces there is a growing awareness of the negative impact of this emotional/ideological conditioning on our ability to conceive and sustain concerted actions.
This workshop offers theory and practice to reclaim the basic human tools of connection in order to break this conditioning and unleash human beings' natural mechanisms for recovery and healing, simple and yet revolutionary processes such as laughing, crying, expressing anger... There will be opportunities to connect with other participants, share stories, listen to each other about our movement work, our communities, ways we might apply these tools in our movement work, and steps we are taking or want to take toward building a radical new world.

Maritza Arrastia is a member of United to End Racism and teaches classes and workshops for people of color, immigrants, and others to help break down capitalist/imperialist conditioning and reclaim more of our flexible thinking. She is a member of the May First/People-Link leadership committee and is committed to contributing to the revolutionary use of technology. She is a New York Writers Coalition Workshop leader and is committed to contributing to every one having a voice.

Irene Hong Ping Shen is a member of United to End Racism (UER), Sustaining All Life (SAL), and No Limits for Women (NLFW), all projects of Re-evaluation Counseling. She teaches classes based on the theory and practices used in these projects for undoing the effects of oppression. She leads workshops, classes and support groups for people of color, immigrants, women, and people of all backgrounds to effectively rid ourselves of the traumas caused by oppressions which are used to manipulate identity politics and perpetuate capitalist ideologies. These efforts facilitate working relationships that unite people across different backgrounds and experiences. Irene's political work also focuses on workers' rights and energy democracy.

Kathy Martino has been an anti-war activist, working class organizer, and past participant in leftist organizations. She has since been interested in determining why the great socialist revolutions failed in the long run; why progressive movements have often stalled; and why many seemingly progressive and well-intentioned people remain classist, racist, and sexist in their everyday interactions. After learning the tools of Re-evaluation Counseling, she believes they can be key in achieving a radical, human new world.