'The Personal is Political’ was a phrase popularised by the feminist activist Carol Hanisch in the 1960s. It means that even private spaces are political.
It seems to me Western societies have embodied this framework. And as everything has become political, it means that everything is up for a democratic debate and potentially subject to a vote.
When I say everything, I mean everything. From religious belief and personal convictions through to knitting and computer gaming. Anything can be now debated under the democratic framework.
Nothing exists outside of it.
The positive side to this is that everything can be discussed and debated. In a free society, the truth can be uncovered. But the downside is nothing is sacred. There is nothing beyond the purview of the democratic lens. There is nothing off limits.
Though I wonder what would happen if we decided some things were off limits. I wonder if we agreed to refrain from discussing certain issues or topics within the democratic framework. I wonder what would happen if we said a particular physical space or organisation was non-political and outside the democratic debate. What would happen?
When we look at the history of space exploration, post the Cold War, we see all the global superpowers working together. Russian, Chinese and Western astronauts shared this same space without political conflict. It’s as though when it comes to the topic of space exploration, colonisation and astronomy, the political and national barriers fall away.
Space is one of those rare topics which is outside of the political realm. It’s almost like it is above it, beyond the democratic framework.
Anglofuturism is primarily an outer-space focussed ideology. It wants to bring the Anglosphere together under an identity which encourages the advancement of space travel. With this aim in mind, like all those organisations which get involved with space, astrophysics and astronomy, Anglofuturism should not get distracted by the political sphere.
Anglofuturism is a non-political movement and avoids making comments on controversial political issues. It may analyse politics in terms of its own cultural lens, but it shouldn’t worry about the day to day news cycle.
Anglofuturism should refrain from needlessly getting drawn into political arguments, as it functions outside the political realm. It needs to ensure there is a separation between the itself and the politics of the state. Lurching into the political sphere, will fracture the movement.
Though, it would be interesting to see what politics could develop from the lens of Anglofuturism, but this is not the primary goal of the movement.
Politics is divisive. A political movement comes together in order to try and dominate its ideological enemies and take power. At its heart, it is combative.
In contrast, Anglofuturism wants to bring all the English-speaking peoples together in the single aim of space exploration. It doesn’t seek political power, but wants to create a new cultural paradigm.
Bearing all this is mind, like outer-space, we can then say Anglofuturism is also liberated from the axiom, ‘The Personal is Political’.
When I say everything, I mean everything. From religious belief and personal convictions through to knitting and computer gaming. Anything can be now debated under the democratic framework.
Only if you choose to partake in the politicization of everything.