Anarchy - A Way of Living

[Marblehead]

I don't get involved in any anarchist organizations. For me that would be like my going to an Atheist church.

 

Yes, I know, I could likely meet people with common interests. How "common" would that be?

[GrandmasterP]

Good call MH. Organised anarchy is the pits in my experience.

When I taught in London back in the old ' Peoples Republic of the Inner London Education Authority' days under Ken Livingstone's uber socialist political administration of the capital my union was an anarchist stronghold and Black Flag was the newspaper of choice on sale at all union branch meetings.

It was a great paper, really cut through the BS of local government ( which for Greater London was really BIG government), we had a bigger regional economy than any entire country in Europe barring the UK, France and Germany

The problem with the anarchist 'leadership' in our union and likewise the editorial board at Black Flag, some of whom were professional colleagues and union comrades; was that they were forever falling out amongst themselves over political minutiae.

That led to splits.

Anecdotally the Black Flag debacle inspired the Judaean Peoples' Front skits in the movie Monty Python Life of Brian.

Endless schism and splitting into ever smaller warring factions so concerned with their own petty squabbles that nothing of note politically could be accomplished either within the unions of across London.

Then the newspaper 'folded' to be replaced by an intermittently published poorly produced 'magazine' eventually becoming moribund until the internet arrived.

On paper anarchy is a fabulous polity and, my own preferred option of anarcho- syndicalism is even better. Both approaches are spoiled however by the anarchists / syndicalists' perpetual fecking about and fallings out.

Old anarcho-syndicalist joke.

Farmer: " I am thinking of employing some anarchists to clean out the stables."

Farmer's wife: " Forget it. Those people can't even get their own shit together."

Edited June 7, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Marblehead]

Funny, the joke.

 

I suppose all organizations go through that growing period where 3 percent of the membership all want to be the leader. If they are not selected then they take their followers and form a splinter group. Witness the Christian religion.

 

I don't know enough about your government to talk about it but I'm sure I wouldn't have much in a positive nature to say about it. I find it hard to say anything nice about my own government.

 

Taoism really is a rather good base for Anarchy. In the case of Taoism, Lao Tzu passed on before anyone could compete with him. (Chuang Tzu, on the other hand, had lots to say in that regard. Hehehe.)

 

In the human world I think that there will always be leaders and followers. Nietzsche spoke of the herd mentality. I think it is a very old instinctual need; the need for the group to overcome its enemies. We still have the instinct even though we don't necessarily have the need for it anymore.

 

Lao Tzu may have been an Anarchist but if he was he didn't express it very well. Of course, he worked for the government and didn't want to lose his head.

Edited June 7, 2014 by Marblehead

[silent thunder]

I feel Lao would resist the title of anarchist while quietly embodying its core principles.

Perhaps through necessity, a bit like living in the closet in a homo-phobic culture.

Self preservation.

[woodcarver]

Today I didn't break any laws because I wouldn't feel any better if I did, not because I fear the consequence.

[zerostao]

i think we will always hear some dismissive to anarchy tome from those who support empire and like having colonies under their feet. tome reminds me of tomb and a tomb is where these empire mongers would place free spirited folk. irony always finds a way and they entomb and doom themselves ultimately. and not surprisingly to anyone paying attention these days.

 

 

the battle is being fought (fiercely) with words. i am not sure how many of ya'll have access to JSTOR but if you do i highly recommend kurt spellmeyer's "Too Little Care": Language, Politics, and Embodiment in the Life-World