[VIDEO] Jeff Monson's Remarkable Political Journey
The legendary fighter & dissident on revolutionary philosophy & praxis
Jeff Monson is, simply put, one of the most accomplished, durable, elite professional fighters in modern human history. The former Division I collegiate wrestler went on from his amateur career to compete internationally in Mixed Martial Arts for 20 years, amassing long win-streaks on several occasions, fighting for the world heavyweight championship, and scoring an incredible 36 submission hold victories in 87 career fights. In addition to that, he is an IBJJF Black Belt Absolute division world Jiu-Jitsu champion and has medaled five separate times at the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships, including two gold medals.
Monson’s competitive career in elite MMA and submission wrestling may be unparalleled, but in the following conversation we only really touch on it to serve as backdrop to discuss Jeff’s journey as a thinker, political activist, and dissident.
Like most Americans, Jeff never used to much question his nation’s empire, dig too deeply into our history, or challenge many of the conventional narratives we’re fed through our sophisticated propaganda systems that sadly include schools and corporate media. Still, he cared deeply about people and as a young therapist, social worker, and case manager Jeff began to develop an analysis that involved both the psychological and material worlds.
Encountering devastating poverty up-close-and-personal at a moment he never expected to, however, sent Jeff on a lifelong search to re-examine everything he thought he knew about the world. Now, the anarcho-communist activist has become a Russian citizen, social service provider and politician, grappling with what tactics to use to help as many people as he can and deciding if and when to compromise as he reconciles philosophy with praxis.
In this Deconstructing Consent podcast interview (embedded below) we speak with Jeff, whose fascinating life gives him unique perspective on a host of things. Watch and listen, below, to get Monson’s take on becoming a radical leftist in the largely reactionary world of American sport, what ideas are unintelligible and not allowed in the U.S., as well as the opportunities and limitations he faces in his new home of Russia.
“I love Russia, and I love being here but to say it’s not an oligarchy is not being honest with myself. And, it’s a capitalist oligarchy,” he admits.
It is a love for the Russian people that Monson says cleaved him to the nation, not any illusions about the nation being a political utopia. His unique vantage point has also seemed to help Monson consider and debate within himself the best approach for the moment to affect positive change in society.
For example, Monson has begun to reexamine his approach to revolution. He is now more open to usage of statist apparatuses like political parties and elections, for example, after thinking about the shortcomings of violent revolutions of the past as well as the successes of more peaceful ones.
“It took the vanguard party to make it happen, to spark it. It wasn’t just peasants,” he says of the Russian Revolution.
“Man, I really struggle with this. If you look back through history …[when] you look at revolutions that weren’t peaceful, they just didn’t last. If you take [control with] violence because you have more power then you just laid the foundation, in practice, that you can be overthrown by someone more powerful than you. You haven’t laid the foundation for, ‘we’re doing this because it’s right.’”
Watch and listen to the full conversation, below.
I shared it when I saw the post, Monson has to be one of the most intelligent and empathetic men ever to compete in combat sports. Proud to be a fan of his. Can’t wait to finish the podcast.