On Wielding the Subversive Scalpel

by Ken Knabb

This pamphlet is not a subversive act: it is an exploration of the theory of subversion. This is an important distinction: No subversive act exists within the covers of a book or pamphlet. But out of critical theory, acts flower.

The original edition of On Wielding the Subversive Scalpel, which was published anonymously in an edition of 1800 copies, was partly set in poetic lines with no capitals and rather minimal punctuation

16 pages

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Ken Knabb (b. 1945) is an American radical writer and translator, particularly known for his translations of Guy Debord and the Situationist International. His works include The Relevance of Rexroth (1990), the Situationist International Anthology (1981), and the collection Public Secrets (1997). More recently, Knabb has written extensively on the Occupy movement. He holds a bachelor's degree from Shimer College in Chicago, where he enrolled via the early entrance program. (from Shimer College Wiki)

Reviews

[Mehdi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixing poetry with revolutionary theory, this short pamphlet combines a compelling analysis of spectacular society with a (rather confusing) call to subversion. As one of its authors later points out, it is filled with incoherences (e.g., the anti-nihilist stance, the use of spectacular imagery it condemns, etc.). Incoherence stems from spontaneity, and in that sense this small-run work (1,800 copies) offers a uniquely refreshing glance into the too-often austere field of revolutionary theory.