‘anarchy’ is a terrible word to describe freedom
self-labeled anarchists should probably have calling cards printed with the boilerplate about the primary definition of anarchy supposedly not meaning chaos. this perpetual burden of dissociation doesn’t do much to spread the concept, and neither does the takeover of the word by socialist primpers with piss for brains. advocates for peace are fighting much distortion for no reason.
the advocacy of “anarchism” should be ditched altogether — not because it’s been wrongly taken over by the chaos squad, but because it was taken over correctly. the association with chaos will never leave, and it shouldn’t.
i hear that anarchy comes from the greek (anarchos) and latin (anarchia) for “having no ruler”. then of course chaos/disorder is the natural meaning. the immediate picture is one of slop, and there’s no benefit to spending hours attempting to thwart this natural connotation. the non-socialist “anarchists” are attempting to use the word to describe self rule, not the absence of rule. this is not a side issue; it’s the essential nature of mutual liberty. each must rule himself. and if you don’t rule yourself — allowing yourself to act aggressively — then somebody will put you down ethically, using force if necessary. none of this sensible order is conveyed by a word which means “having no ruler”. ruling oneself is not the absence of a ruler.
ditch this word, which is worthless to the cause of liberty. please. let it have its natural meaning of chaos and disorder. run from it and the ridiculous “A” icon. stop trying to convince people that you’re so goddamned smart because you have a counterintuitive definition requiring 15 minutes of explanation. it’s not a plus.
i’ve published my rough view on a theoretical society with the absence of external rule, and nothing’s changed. i think it’s impossible, and i spit on the “from scratch” society theorists. even if the terrible word “anarchy” is replaced by something accurate, i will never fall into the ramblings of the “here’s how it will work” crowd, the best response to which is a hearty “go fuck yourselves”.
there are many good words to describe those who advocate self rule. i choose “voluntarist”, and enjoy seeing others choose words more appropriate than “anarchist”.
May 8th, 2010 at 10:32
[...] designing, beyond principle, of how things “should” operate. listening to “anarchists” regularly rock this gadget is enough to induce [...]
November 12th, 2010 at 14:40
[...] “anarchists” regularly kill their prize theory straight out of the gate. “the wonders of the market!”, they’ll shout. the market will compete with disparate wide-ranging solutions, the winner triumphant through voluntarism! oh, and here’s the solution that would win. blech. [...]