I don't read fiction. I did however pick up Ursula K. Le Guin’s book “The Dispossessed” thanks to a dear anarchist comrade who insisted I must read it. She had good reasons to insist.

“The Dispossessed” takes place in a distant future in a different star system where a revolutionary group of 200.000 anarchist left their main planet to set up a settlement on a moon of the main planet. The story explains in detail how the society and economy in the anarchist settlement work and contrasts it to the dominating capitalist and authoritarian society on the main planet. The main protagonist is a scientist who is on the verge of discovering a device that might enable instant interstellar communication which would change the balance of power within interstellar relations.

The book was first published in 1974 and there are several parts where the description of the anarchist society reminded me of the cybernetic concepts of Stafford Beer (down to the vocabulary Le Guin uses). This is no surprise as Stafford Beers work for Allende’s socialist Chile (Project Cybersyn) was the object of international attention before and after the socialist government was overthrown by dictator Pinochet in 1973. This to me is one of the reasons why “The Dispossessed” was such a joy to read: It paints a vivid picture of the possibilities and struggles of a post-capitalist society and economy that abolishes state, police, prison and hierarchies. This kind of inspiring scenarios are as needed now as they were in 1974.

The other main appeal is the description of the inner world of the protagonist. He is described in a way that probably feels very relatable to neurodivergent readers. In one scene he shares a risky and unconventional decision with his friends who are unsettled by it. Le Guin writes “If there was a circle of silence around him, it was no bother to him, he has always been alone.” Many readers will understand what this feels like.

Die Zeit ist gekommen: Das 5. Buch der Känguru-Reihe ist da! 🦘
Viel Spaß beim Lesen (& Rebellieren?)👀
#Neuesvomkaenguru #dieKaengururebellion

#Weimer lügt - und ist feige, wie es sich für einen autoritären Charakter gehört. Er hat in seinem Absage gegenüber den Buchhandlungen tatsächlich behauptet, die unabhängige Jury hätte so entschieden. Es ist so unfassbar. PM der Anwälte: https://www.prigge-recht.de/pressemitteilung/bundesbeauftragter-fuer-kultur-und-medien-bkm-hat-buchhandlungen-belogen/