10 - Against Leviathan: An Anarchist Fairytale of the Origin of Civilization

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Oct 24, 2024

Gather around for a chilling tale exploring civilization as a monstrous Leviathan. Journey through ancient Sumer to witness egalitarian communities transform into hierarchical societies. Discover the roles of powerful figures like Sargon of Akkad, who becomes a puppet to this consuming force. Delve into the tensions between rulers and the ruled, and consider how these age-old dynamics still echo today. Brace yourself—this isn't just a story; it's a reflection on our social structures and their grip on humanity!

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INSIGHT

The Illusion of Individualism

While democracies promote individual importance, this can be an illusion.
Authoritarian governments and monarchies reveal that individuals often serve the state.

ANECDOTE

Sumeria's Transformation

Perlman's story begins in ancient Sumeria, where egalitarian communities transitioned into hierarchical cities.
He uses this to explore the roots of power and control.

ANECDOTE

Perlman vs. Morgan

Lewis H. Morgan's theory of higher states suggests humanity progressed from savagery to civilization.
Perlman views this theory as a fairy tale, albeit one with a moral.

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Gather around the campfire for a ghost story about the most destructive monster in history: civilization itself.

In this episode, we delve into the countercultural writings of Fredy Perlman, whose strange 1983 book “Against His-Story, Against-Leviathan”—riddled with grammatical errors and misspellings—blends myth and history to explore the nature of power, subjugation, and the struggle between the rulers and the ruled.

Our journey takes us back to ancient Sumer, where egalitarian hunter-gatherer communities transformed into peasants and slaves bound by a mysterious force even the rulers couldn’t control.

We trace the rise of the first Lugals, the original kings of Mesopotamia, from Urukagina of Lagash, whose reforms sowed the seeds of his downfall, to Sargon of Akkad, who conquered all of Sumer only to become part of the Leviathan’s vast machinery.

Together, we’ll explore how power and control first took root in the world's earliest cities—and how those ancient systems still shape our world today.

This is a spooky episode. The hair on the back of your neck might stand up. But we can stay seated and relax. It is just a story after all. A fairytale, as Fredy would call it.

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CITATIONS

Against His-Story, Against Leviathan [book] by Fredy Perlman (1983)

Sargon of Akkad [article] by Joshua J. Mark (2009)

Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles [book] by Albert Kirk Grayson (1975)

Akkadian Empire victory stele circa 2300 BC from Louvre Museum

Music: Celestial Soda Pop

By: Ray Lynch

From the album: Deep Breakfast

1. Amazon: Celestial Soda Pop

https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B000QQXURI

2. iTunes:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/celestial-soda-pop/3242445?i=3242425

3. Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/2THDVIVytLuGX7S7UghuC1?si=20ea63807bba401f

Additional Credits

Vanhan ajan sota, taistelu, miekkailu / Ancient, old time battle, combat, horses snorting and galloping, men shouting and barking, fencing, swords clanging, mix by YleArkisto -- https://freesound.org/s/258207/ -- License: Attribution 4.0