Political events only matter when their meaning is established through struggle

Evidence

If political change doesn’t happen through events alone, there are nevertheless moments which function as thresholds, opening up a new terrain of struggle, and allowing different collective emotions to propagate. While — for the sake of our fragile collective mental health — we shouldn’t get too carried away by the Oxi vote last week, we shouldn’t underestimate its significance either. Besides, as Bert Russell argues, the meaning of Oxi is not already guaranteed — it has to be established politically. — Mark Fisher (edited by Darren Ambrose), K-Punk, 1955

Categorization

• DEEPTHINKING: Fisher’s distinction between events and thresholds, and the point that a vote’s meaning isn’t inherent but must be fought over politically, is a genuinely dense analytical frame worth revisiting — it reorganizes how to think about any political event’s aftermath.
• XREF: connects to: Struggles over the meaning of words constitute the political crisis itself — Timothy Mitchell, Colonising Egypt, 430; Political struggle is fundamentally waged over the legitimacy of concepts and ideologies — Fredric Jameson, Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic…, 577; Historical discourse functioned as an instrument forged in struggles over power. — Michel Foucault, Society Must Be Defended, 151 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Struggles over the meaning of words constitute the political crisis itself #expands (0.85) — Timothy Mitchell, Colonising Egypt, 430
• Historical discourse functioned as an instrument forged in struggles over power. #exemplifies (0.80) — Michel Foucault, Society Must Be Defended, 151
• Political struggle is fundamentally waged over the legitimacy of concepts and ideologies #qualifies (0.78) — Fredric Jameson, Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic…, 577
• Identity politics presumes identity guarantees politics when it is actually forged through struggle #corroborates (0.78)
• Culture acquires class meaning only through present political struggle #corroborates (0.75)