Introduction
I want to start this blog off with the caveat that this is my own perspective and my own understanding. My hope is that I can persuade you to agree with my concept of Anarchy and encourage its use in your daily life. There are many so-called grey areas and philosophical debates that can arise from this topic that I won’t be touching on.
The Confusion
Anarchy is a complicated topic due to many misinterpretations and the great numbers of people claiming to be representatives of Anarchy when in actuality they fail to live up to the ideals of Anarchy. Anarchy literally means ‘Without Rulers’ NOT ‘Without Rules’! Those who destroy property have no right to claim they are anarchists. Nor do those who harm others, steal, fearmonger, incite hatred, or purposefully misrepresent anarchy. Another reason for the confusion comes from the great multitudes of so-called anarchist groups. Red/Black, Green/Black, Yellow/Black, Grey/Black, Blue/Black, Orange/Black, Teal/Black, Purple/Black, Rainbow/Black, and other offshoots simply distract and minimize the REAL truth within Anarchism. However, the greatest misconceptions surrounding Anarchy is perpetrated by Governments. Years of overt and covert disinformation and propoganda are used to trick the public into believing that anarchy represents chaos, hate, and destruction. In the book The End of all Evil, the author, Jeremy Locke, sums up this idea in a clear way in a subsection called Enemies.
“In order to offer people an escape from violence, new authorities teach people that obedience will end war. The design of authority is obedience. Authorities condition people to obedience by promising to protect them from dangerous enemies. Theocracies have used the enemy of blasphemy. The Nazis used the Jews. Communists used the rich. Many, many enemies have been created; but by far the most common is anarchy.”
-Jeremy Locke, The End of All Evil: Page 21
Anarchy Itself
Another misconception is that anarchy is a replacement for government, when in fact anarchy is the organic byproduct of a strong moral society that has no need for rulers at all. When a society represents the ideals of love, kindness, and mutual respect, external rules becomes redundant. However, it would be naive to believe that this state can exist in its pure form, due to the evil so prevalent in the world. Yet, if the laws succinctly stated “Don’t hurt people and don’t take their stuff” and this mindset was nurtured within communities, then freedom and liberty would thrive as a result. The various methods of enforcing this natural law is a hotly debated topic. However, instead of arguing semantics, we should focus our efforts on education and lead by example.
Morality
To further add to the complex nature of Anarchy, morality is another concept that has been (mis)used for millennia. Religions and cultures have tainted the concept of morality to the point that people believe it to be subjective and debatable. If you surveyed enough people on what they believe is ‘moral’, the result would be a vin diagram with hundreds of circles representative of the different culturals, races, classes, genders, and religions. History is wrought with the slaughter of millions, all in the name of morality. So, what is the golden key to morality? It is very simple, you are a FREE being with INFINITE value that NO ONE has the right to govern. You have the freedom to exercise your free will in whatever ways you deem fit, as long as your actions do not inhibit the freedom of others. Everyone deserves to be recognized for what they truely are, a free and infinitely valuable being. This core principle is anathema to tyranny, and its obvious why this idea is suppressed and subverted. In the past, those who have tried teaching these key concepts have been crucified, burned, hung, shot, or silenced by ‘the powers that be’.
Love
Love is the cornerstone of morality. Love does not harm its neighbors, nor ignore its neighbors when in peril. The golden rule of “Do unto others as you would have done unto you” is a simple and clear guide to morality, yet humanity still struggles to live under natural law. This is the evil in the world that cannot be buried. It is the evil that drives tyranny, and it is the root of war, suffering, and malice. Love is a virus to government. A nation that loves one another can not be governed and cannot fall prey to divide and conquer tactics.
Action
We do indeed live in a world ravaged by an evil that cannot be reasoned with or easily silenced. We anarchists lead not just by defending against tyranny, but also by spreading love and unity wherever possible. Love should not be confused with pacifism. The right to self-defense is both vital and justified. The price of liberty is constant vigilance. Use every opportunity to love your neighbor. Brand yourself as an anarchist, yet let your acts of community service be an example to others. Let us show the world what real anarchy looks like.