“is the revolution really as simple as dancing?”

Check out this video from the ever-amazing BrownFemiPower (originally via Carmen). Watching people dance makes me happy!

To be topical, there’s some interesting stuff in the comments when Ilyka asks (and I paraphrase) “is the revolution really as simple as dancing?” BFP says “It gets a lot harder when you start thinking in terms of larger abstract concepts like “equality” or “freedom” or something along those lines–cuz everybody is going to have a much different idea on what “equality” means–for example, the rwoc [radical women of color] critique of white centered feminism that applies here is what do you mean when you say equality with men? MOC [men of color] aren’t ‘equal’ with white men–so who are WOC [women of color] trying to be equal with? What group of men? And can we include equality with wihte women, cuz we aren’t equal with white women either, ya know?”

And then “and it seems like far too often–we get together to cry, and then run back out into the fight again–and forget to recognize that joy in today’s world is a radical emotion–the mobilization of joy and love and commitment is something that so rarely happens–because it’s not realistic, it’s not angry and mean enough, it’s considered ‘candy’ organizing, you know? but what gender is associated with joy and love and commitment? would a gender analysis be useful in understanding why “snotty and snarky” is rewarded and joy and love is dismissed?”

So, question: When do things need to be simple and when do they need to be complicated? In anthropology or otherwise?