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-Lastly, check out some of my hot takes on the DNC and the Bratification of Kamala in my newsletter last week for
I also offered some commentary on how the graffiti I saw in Italy and Greece reflected the clash between the old and new left:
As I wrapped up my travels in Italy and prepared to make my way to Greece, I was struck by the omnipresence of graffiti in public spaces. I was told that policing in Italy was not like in the US: The police frequently pull people over on the roads for no reason, and can fine you for leaving a store or restaurant without your receipt, but rarely if ever prosecute unauthorized graffiti artists.
The slogans I found could just as easily have been found in New York or London: overplayed cliches like “smash the patriarchy,” “my body my choice,” “from the river to the sea…” Though I must admit chuckling at the comically random “f*ck you, I won’t do what you tell me” and the crafty “ovary gang” with two hands making what apparently was an ovary hand gesture spray painted above it. These American h.r.-approved slogans made it hard to take these young rebels’ brand of progressivism very seriously.
A few weeks ago, I cited Pasolini’s critique of Italy’s New Left in the 1970s, which seemed to be oblivious to its conformism and uprootedness from “the people.” He insisted that true progressivism was less concerned with performative gestures than it was with being in touch with the culture and concrete needs of a given locale. Thus my relief upon visiting family members in Greece, who live on what is known as the “red rock” island. During the Greek Civil War in the 1940s, nearly 13,000 communists were exiled to Ikaria. Unlike in Turin, the only graffiti you’ll find on the island features the logos and slogans of KKE (Communist Party of Greece), which plays an active role in Ikaria’s political and social affairs (the current mayor, a member of KKE, received the majority vote).
The party, which my uncle told me is more democratic socialist than revolutionary communist, won over residents for teaching them trades and offering them other forms of practical aid during the turmoil of the post-war era. Still today, the party is more interested in responding to the needs of the people and respecting their values than in radical posturing. Take its positions on drug legalization, the EU, NATO, and religion, which—unlike those of the more conventionally-left SYRIZA—are shockingly “based” (they opposed legalizing gay marriage this year on the grounds that it would “abolish paternity-maternity”).
The beautiful beaches, active agricultural industry, spirit of neighborliness, and overall safety (“no one steals here” is a line one often hears) are all part of the reason Ikarians are known for their jovial temperaments, as well as their remarkable longevity (Ikaria is one of five “blue zones”). Progressives—and reactionaries who laughably insist that Harris is a commie—would do well to learn from such remnants of the Old Left, who concretely contribute to the flourishing of families and local communities, and leave behind the “spectacular” antics that have little to do with the actual needs of the everyday people.
