This week’s readings create their own self-fulfilling world, or at least the efforts and possibility of such creation within Zapatistas. It is about a fight for human right pursued by indigenous people, and also led (at least ideally) by them. Marcos, as the subcomandante of the revolution, had become the most iconic figure in the fight through time. However, this is not a traditional story about the becoming of a legendary political leader and the “glorious fruit” he and his followers bring about. It is a narrative of the making and disappearance of a single leader, as he ultimately dissolves into people.
In Marcos’ book, it is obvious that he pours his efforts into the pursuit for human rights in a rather universal context, starting from Mexico but trying to out to all population living under the same precarity as the consequences of neoliberalism, of which he regards as the forth World War. It seems that a unity of people without oppressing hierarchy is the destination of the campaign, therefore the unique organization of Zapatistas is of great significance. By stating that “it is our conviction and our practice that in order to rebel and to struggle, neither leaders nor bosses nor messiahs nor saviors are necessary. To struggle, one only needs a sense of shame, a bit of dignity, and a lot of organization” (Marcos, Between Light and Shadow), Marcos unfolds a blue print where the majority of people would not be sacrificed to suffice what the power and mighty minority demand. The only way to truly accomplish this goal and secure its sustainability would be “death” of a leader, who might one day become a dominant ruler is not carefully watched. Marcos constantly attempts to remind people of such a destination by calling out to them “in the name of the children, elders, men and women, all of them indigenous”, emphasizing that “we” “want you to know we recognize your greatness as indigenous peoples and human beings, and we want you to receive this salute sent, through my hands, from all the indigenous rebels of the Zapatista National Liberation Army.s” (Marcos, 224). In these persuasive writings, Marcos is a hologram with a leader’s persona, a figure constructed only to be destroyed one day, ideally a media from people, through people to people, and for people.
In the Death of a Political ‘I’, Taylor traces the reasons behind the political performance of Marcos’ farewell to the audience, in comparison with some other political figures. Through years of struggle, Marcos has already become a cultural phenomenon, known as meme. It appears to be a mortal person, whereas in fact its spirit is imprinted in a zeitgeist, tied to modernity, human rights and community, therefore “the man who was Marcos may die, but “Marcos” will live as long as he fulfills a symbolic function (Taylor). The liveness of “Marcos” is replicated, distributed and reside in all people that hold the same belief, it has no irreplaceable flesh, and thus it can be evergreen and immortal.