Matt Hern's Lectures

The Canadian anarchist icon schools Philly on why tolerance is overrated.

by Katie Karas

The world isn't looking so good. We've got an economic recession that's hard to fix, terrorist attacks here and there, wars galore and a melting planet. Not to mention corrupt Philly cops and a city budget that's bursting at the seams. In times like these, who can revive our hopes for a brighter tomorrow? The anarchists, of course.

Matt Hern is a Canadian professor, author and social activist, and this week he's speaking at two of Philly's anarchist hot spots. Having penned controversial books such as Field Day, which argues that institutionalized schooling is ineffective and should be replaced with something far more fun, Hern should fit right into our city's anti-establishment scene.

His first stop is the Wooden Shoe, where his "Radically Democratic Urbanism" lecture will explore how citizens can grab the reins of power from City Hall. James Deneric, a member of the store's events committee, says Hern will focus on how to create "cities from below with radically democratic and participatory planning," and will reference his own experience in organizing grass-roots movements in East Vancouver. Then Hern moves on to the A-Space — another anarchist collective — where his "Against Tolerance: A New Way" presentation will show that multiculturalism and tolerance are merely disguised forms of colonialism. "Tolerance is a kind of polite distaste," he says. Based on his time working in the Arctic Circle and Turkey, he instead advocates for "hospitality and friendship as the seeds for developing real understanding." 

Though he doesn't promise they'll actually save the planet, Hern's lectures may be helpful if current events have made you distrustful of authority. But if anarchism isn't your thing, don't be courteously tolerant — you know how he feels about that.

Thu., April 9, 7 p.m., free, Wooden Shoe Books, 508 S. Fifth St., 215-413-0999, woodenshoebooks.com; Fri., April 10, 7:30 pm, free, A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave., 215-727-0882, the-aspace.org.