Send me your questions about anarchism!
If you’re not sure about anarchism, it can be very difficult to get your head around, even down to our basic motivations. This account has always been an anarchist one and I’m very happy to answer questions, even if you’re just a little curious!
No question is too silly. I’m happy to talk about pretty much anything, complicated or simple, as long as you ask in earnest. Feel free to ask more than one question, too!
Anons are on (but don’t abuse it!)
Do you think it's possible to see a full shift from current societies to anarchist societies? I think sometimes I worry that a fear of (and maybe even desire for) authority is so deeply ingrained in most societies that it would be difficult to ever fully move past it. I'd love to get your input on the topic
you’ve actually hit on the basic axis of what anarchist organisation and praxis efforts revolve around. If you read Kropotkin, Goldman or even Bakunin, much of their seminal works revolve around deconstructing whether it is in fact possible to form an anarchist society.
As well as a means of political organisation and the method of analysis that underpins it, anarchism is also a lens of historical analysis. Anarchist views of history suggest that hierarchical power only exists because it is particularly fantastic at preserving itself. Some Anarchists would even argue that anarchist society is not only possible, but imminent; that humans fundamentally tend toward libertarianism, and have accepted authoritarian societal structures past their actual efficacy (as a stopgap means for communal defence and development) because it is a status quo that is particularly effective at asserting and reasserting itself.
This has parallels with Marxist historical analysis (see below).
In terms of my personal opinion, I think it is not only possible but feasible.
Anarchist revolution is like knocking down the rotting old frame of an old house after building a new one inside it. Anarchist praxis involves processes like mutual aid (see below), shifting culture and the construction of dual power mechanisms specifically because doing so builds power systems to fall back on when actions that overturn existing power structures (like revolution) bring it down.
These systems and actions already exist! Many communities, particularly marginalised ones, do mutual aid, community defence and dual power already. Anarchists simply want to improve the prevalence of those systems, and integrate them better with one another, with the goal in mind of achieving anarchist society.
Theoretically, anarchists construct a partially functional society within capitalism, then overturn it, leaving us with the existing network of communal power structures. This is a big reason why anarchist revolution is theoretically far less violent than other means of revolution.
Even though it seems it, hierarchical power is not invulnerable, and, like capitalism, is often subject to shocks and crises that undermine it. This is the reason that some anarchists say societies tend toward libertarianism.
Anarchist society is not only possible, but it’s been done before, and it can be done again.
Times anarchism has been done before: https://anarchy.works/primer.html
This is a pretty decent resource for those interested!
aquarium advertisments say stuiff like discover the longtooth grouper this friday
Do you think it's possible to see a full shift from current societies to anarchist societies? I think sometimes I worry that a fear of (and maybe even desire for) authority is so deeply ingrained in most societies that it would be difficult to ever fully move past it. I'd love to get your input on the topic
you’ve actually hit on the basic axis of what anarchist organisation and praxis efforts revolve around. If you read Kropotkin, Goldman or even Bakunin, much of their seminal works revolve around deconstructing whether it is in fact possible to form an anarchist society.
Genuine question. How does an anarchist state deal with people who want to kill for fun? Do we just let them, because to have rules is to oppose ever single anarchist value, or do we stop them because true anarchism like that would be the death of humanity?
It’s a question that anarchists get a lot. I’ll say first and foremost that, like any other field I personally am not involved in the organisation of, public safety is better left to professionals who understand its machinations (and hence how to deconstruct its inherent hierarchies) better than myself (and no, I don’t mean the police).
I’ll also posit that anarchist society is absolutely not founded on the concept of an absence of rules, just an absence of hierarchical (as opposed to self-) government. I don’t blame you for thinking that; it’s a very common perception of anarchism, especially considering the associations people tend to form with the word anarchism and anarchy in modern lexicon.
Great suggestion! The book is available to purchase online!
Genuine question. How does an anarchist state deal with people who want to kill for fun? Do we just let them, because to have rules is to oppose ever single anarchist value, or do we stop them because true anarchism like that would be the death of humanity?
It’s a question that anarchists get a lot. I’ll say first and foremost that, like any other field I personally am not involved in the organisation of, public safety is better left to professionals who understand its machinations (and hence how to deconstruct its inherent hierarchies) better than myself (and no, I don’t mean the police).
I’ll also posit that anarchist society is absolutely not founded on the concept of an absence of rules, just an absence of hierarchical (as opposed to self-) government. I don’t blame you for thinking that; it’s a very common perception of anarchism, especially considering the associations people tend to form with the word anarchism and anarchy in modern lexicon.
Say what you will about humans but they really went off with flatbreads
guys there are so many wikipedia articles about flatbreads...
Enough of the whole “old people falling in love is gross” thing bruh. That shit is so malicious.
Past a certain point it’s just below the radar ableism, too, and I’ll die on that hill.
So many “old people are gross” jokes entirely focus on physical disabilities that manifest with age, like that makes it more ok. Incontinence, mobility impairment, skin and hair issues and reduced or low social awareness are all easily identifiable as ableism when they’re pointed out in the young and disabled, but suddenly it’s fair game if they’re old?
There’s a loneliness and depression epidemic in the elderly for a reason. Don’t be a part of it.
Enough of the whole “old people falling in love is gross” thing bruh. That shit is so malicious.
inaccessibility cycle
yes . internet not physical space but still important . community places online have bias to people with less needs not OK actually . sometimes biggest reason why higher needs person not have internet is because abuse , because no one want teach how connect and give that choice that opportunity .
" but might spend all money , might believe catfish , " so on . dignity of risk . dignity of risk ! people is people is people . that means should get to learn how avoid these bad things , but not that anyone control unless that person ask for and want that .
no there is not near as much high support people online as low ones . that not mean OK just keep talk over , and keep say things that ask not say , and keep treat like rare spectacle even if " true " . should all work learn how life work and learn how can make things better and learn how treat like people . because some do find ways connect online , be in communities online , and more should get that chance .
Bird fact! The white tailed kite is a small raptor that is known to get into aerial grappling matches with territorial rivals. It largely avoids eating other birds with a preference for rodents. Mixed flocks of birds will even ignore them and continue feeding because theyre not seen as a threat.
MOOOORE BIRD FAAAACTSSS YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
This guy looks high asf
Bird fact! The white tailed kite is a small raptor that is known to get into aerial grappling matches with territorial rivals. It largely avoids eating other birds with a preference for rodents. Mixed flocks of birds will even ignore them and continue feeding because theyre not seen as a threat.
MOOOORE BIRD FAAAACTSSS YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
One of the biggest things I’ve learnt about as I got a bit older is that being desensitised from trauma isn’t a flex. It’s just kinda not fun. No aspect of trauma “builds character” or “makes you stronger” it just leaves you with lingering suffering.
I’ve spent way WAY too much time in my life acting I was better than people who didn’t get trauma like mine because I was “stronger” or “more resilient” because of it. Staying stuck in the mindset that I was somehow a better person from what I had to go through stopped me healing, because, in a serious way, that attitude was just an attachment to a mental state that only ever worked against me. It’s like scratching a scab because you thought the scar looked cool.
It’s a seductive mindset. You might have grown a lot since that event. You might have learnt a lot. But ascribing that to something that caused you all that suffering misses the truth; that you could have done all that learning and growing even if you weren’t traumatised. Proper healing from trauma is both accepting that it happened and (slowly) revoking your attachment to it.
One of the biggest things I’ve learnt about as I got a bit older is that being desensitised from trauma isn’t a flex. It’s just kinda not fun. No aspect of trauma “builds character” or “makes you stronger” it just leaves you with lingering suffering.
I’ve spent way WAY too much time in my life acting I was better than people who didn’t get trauma like mine because I was “stronger” or “more resilient” because of it. Staying stuck in the mindset that I was somehow a better person from what I had to go through stopped me healing, because, in a serious way, that attitude was just an attachment to a mental state that only ever worked against me. It’s like scratching a scab because you thought the scar looked cool.
One of the biggest things I’ve learnt about as I got a bit older is that being desensitised from trauma isn’t a flex. It’s just kinda not fun. No aspect of trauma “builds character” or “makes you stronger” it just leaves you with lingering suffering.
In 1993 scientists gave rats pairs of underpants made from different materials to determine what type of fabric got each rat the most rat sex.
Turns out: 100% polyester pant rats had significantly less sex than rats wearing other materials.
THEY WON A GD NOBEL PRIZE FOR IT
Three years later and doing a biology degree is literally just this 75% of the time
Of course it goes without saying that I am hopelessly dependent on the ingot
