Hi there!
I’m writing on behalf of a recently created blog called Ask An Anarchist (AAA). AAA is composed of three anarchists of varying backgrounds who seek to answer any questions on Anarchism or anarchists themselves which come their way. Basically, we seek to put away our black masks and hoodies (for the moment) and demystify our sometimes secret and always revolutionary movement.
We offer calm, cool and collected discussion on anarchist theory and an impassioned defense of actions and those who take them in furtherance of its cause. Your question will be answered by one of the three anarchists who have (collectively) been involved in food issues, labor struggles, the anti-capitalist movement and the war movement as well as organizing and participation in militant street protest.
While all questions will be printed, we will only publish responses to those that are coherent, civil and are not used as a platform for hatred.
Finally we would like to make it clear, all answers are purely the opinion of the answerer and do not represent the thoughts of AAA as a whole nor is AAA the one solid voice of the entire anarchist movement.
Sincerely,
Frank,
Stay,
Addison
I guess my question is why the three of you felt the necessity to create something like this? Do you want this to be an advice column? A place where anonymous posers (oops, did I just forget the 't'?) can brag about their activist resumes? As an oldster and wannabe mentor I find your presumption provocative (and not really in a good way).
ReplyDeleteI have a question about the the anarchist persepective on police/jails and prison. I know from first hand experience how oppressive and dangerous the police can be and probably frequently are. I also know that many and maybe most people who are incarcerated are in for victimless crimes. And I know that incarceration is a superficial response to deeper problems like poverty, misogyny etc. But even taking all of this into account, aren't there still some people - murderers, rapists etc. whom we do need police to deal with and who do need to be locked up? It seems to me to be the case especially in cities where large numbers of people live together anonymously.
ReplyDeleteI am new to anarchism and only discovering it's roots through it's literature and have only found a base for modern anarchism. In terms of modern anarchism what is it's approach in modifying society as it is today? (I live in Canada) Is it better to modify the system trough it's own means or is it better to seek the destruction of the system by exaggerating it's maladies? (start a company and start exploiting people)
ReplyDeleteI have started an small anarchist brewing society, power is unevenly distributed. Me and another are the more experienced brewers and therefore are immediately treated as authorities and leaders. There are some who work less, and one who is greatly incompetent. Immediately power begins to centralize. We almost immediately provide most of the direction for the society,sometimes in order to convince someone to do something spontaneously, we need to cooerce them into doing it, something which is paradoxial... otherwise, nothing will happen. Now i know most of the solutions; our small society is not educated well in anarchism. the culture is that of the larger one that engulfs and tempers our psychologies. We have to create the culture that goes with an anarchist society. However, Money is another problem. some of us have money and some of us don't. and naturally, the ones who put forward more money feel entitled to more of the produce.
I bring up these problems also in asking the question of problems of an anarchist society on a macroscopic scale. what problems have occured in our society that would occur in a larger society and what are the potential solutions
Sal