Don’t Give Them The Gift Of Our Joy: Genocidaires, Fascists, + The Vibes-based Election / Vicky Osterweil

Writer and agitator Vicky Osterweil returns to the podcast to discuss some of the themes raised in her essay, Feeling Good Doesn't Require the Democrats, published for her newsletter. The piece tackles the very vibes-based election cycle in the US, as Vice President Kamala Harris takes up the Democratic Party ticket to face up against Donald Trump this November. Vicky deftly navigates the affect-shift this change in the nominee, from current president Joe Biden to Harris, has had, both in its desired effect, and what is lost in riding this wave of "positive vibes only" while looking away from the realities that demand our fuller attention. In short, Vicky imparts this bit of wisdom that will remain relevant as we continue to move swiftly though our crises-laden times: don't give them the gift of our joy.

“All of this long meandering comment is to say that the sense of power and solidarity and hope that we have pulled from the wreckage of 500 years of settler-colonial genocide and planet destruction, that we have managed to yank and build in our little communities in our immediate sort of chosen families and among friends and in infrastructures like podcasts—like media infrastructures—but also many sorts of DIY assistance, I will say, for many different situations, and mutual aid stuff, and through looting and rioting and marching in the streets together—all of these things we have pulled from the heart of a dying empire—we cannot at this moment give it back to the Democrats because they're finally—finally—throwing a punch at this paper tiger, to mix my metaphors incredibly poorly.

“It's not the Democrats fault, in fact, that [MAGA] movement was falling apart and could be blown over like a feather. The Democrats didn't do that. They did everything they could to fluff the movement. They kept it alive. They literally chose Donald Trump as their opponent in 2015. We have to remember, at this moment, where we're feeling relief—and I am feeling relief, and I am feeling hope—that we are not headed for not only a world historical genocide that the country that I live in is supporting and that the taxes I'm forced to pay are funding—not only that, but then also it's going to turn into full in the street fascism. The fact of that second thing isn't happening doesn't mean I have to hand it to the other forces that have built this situation.”

Bio:

Vicky Osterweil is a writer, worker and agitator currently based in so-called Philadelphia. She is the author of the 2020 book, In Defense of Looting: A Riotous History of Uncivil Action. Vicky has a new book coming out with Haymarket in 2025 called The Extended Universe, which is about Disney movies, intellectual property, and franchise cinema. She writes the blog and newsletter, All Cats Are Beautiful, where she writes about politics, history, abolition, anarchy, movies, queerness, trans issues, organizing, culture and technology.

Episode Notes:

Read Vicky’s piece, Feeling Good Doesn't Require the Democrats

Subscribe to her newsletter, All Cats Are Beautiful

Purchase a copy of her book, In Defense of Looting, from Bookshop

Read the quoted Middle East Eye article, Pro-Palestine activists who heckled Kamala Harris in Detroit call for nationwide disruptions, written by Azad Essa

The song featured is “B538” by Nick Vander from the album Kodama (Nowaki’s Selection), used with permission by the artist.