"Anarchism is not about [...] class or opposing archists"

Are Lemmy anarchists okay? How does this person have 24 upvotes? In what universe are anarchists NOT doing class analysis, (therefore) don't want to abolish capitalism, and don't want to fight archism?

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I suspect this is just because libs absolutely DESPISE comrade @Cowbee@hexbear.net and will upvote anything smart-sounding that supposedly addresses whatever is being discussed?

Also, gotta love the whole "I have this opinion and many anarchists will disagree and that's what anarchism is about". Like, buddy, you haven't read one book or talked to one anarchist IRL, let alone organized in your entire life.

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280 comments

Oh. Hello! Looking forward to reading all of your opinions (which I'm sure will be very polite) when I get round to it.
- Do you want to abolish class and capitalism?
  
  Yes. I just don't know how so focusing on it seems kinda counter-productive. Right now I'm focusing on building a community I can belong to, since that seems achievable and I'm positive my views will change as a result.
  No reason to cement ideas that are destined to get destroyed in an earthquake.
  
  I just don't know how so focusing on it seems kinda counter-productive
  We "focus" on it because it defines our lives, it's the prime constraint, the great obstacle that prevents the birth of a better world, the enemy that can't be ignored except in fantasy and even then you'll find it hiding behind every idea that comes to your mind, because for the vast majority of humans on earth it takes effort and knowledge to deprogram ourselves from capitalist notions and prejudices
  We can either live in the real world despite the struggle or languish in the imaginary like lotus eaters
  
  There is a third option. Use the imaginary world as a guide to slowly move forwards in the real one. Slowly opening your mind to more and more of the real in manageable slices. Some people need comfort to move forwards. We need the ground to be solid below our feet before taking a step forward. I need to actually have anarchist friends before I start fighting capitalism. Thinking about how to do it, or analyse it, is useless without the ability to act on it.
  
  Sure, I don't necessarily disapprove, if it's a matter of maintaining your health and sanity, tho if you organized your imaginary world under a Marxist framework, you'd find your anarchism enhanced and more coherent, and you'll find yourself shocked at how much more easily you can comprehend the world, imaginary or not. And comprehension can translate into real-world confidence that can attract those anarchist friends you're looking for
  
  The imagination is not very helpful if you aren't coming from a perspective solidly grounded in how things operate in the real world, and you absolutely need class analysis for that. Otherwise, what you are imagining will be something useless, like imagining a technological invention without actually understanding relevant engineering fundamentals.
  
  But it is grounded in the real world. It's just that my analysis is anarchic, it focusses on all power structures instead of just class. I don't need to know anything more than "these are the people who use these means to oppress this group". Doesn't matter if they are capitalists, politicians, revolutionary leaders, school teachers or family.
  
  If you want something actionable, then yes it actually does matter what they are. Calling them "oppressors" is not enough, you need to understand the mechanisms of that oppression, and that invariably leads you back to class because it is the most fundamental feature of oppression across human society since before the invention of writing.
  I've seen many excuses for avoiding studying the subject of class, but fundamentally it just falls into hypocritical mischaracterizations (deriding it as "vague," when you unfortunately pride yourself on vagueness) and lifestylism ("my analysis is anarchic" is not a reason). You have yet to actually refute there being a practical need to develop a solid understanding of this topic.
  
  I don't want to. It seems like a lot of work for very little gain. I know what I'm up against. I know what I need to do to combat it. The first step in that process is going to give me more insight and change my mind anyway. My time is much better spent practising how to interact with others and trying to gain more understanding of revolutionary customs and cultures.
  
  You literally do not know what you are up against nor, by your own profession of vagueness and refusal to embrace a militant ideology, do you know what you need to do to combat it. You have some words for things, but those words stand-in for vast systems that need to be studied to be properly opposed, rather than taking the route of (for example) the utopian socialists and saying that all that we see in society is wrong and we shall birth a new world entirely by our own reason, ignoring how our reason is truncated by the existing system or how material reality constrains what is achievable at any point in time, to say nothing of the mechanisms of actually instituting whatever utopia it is. The value of Marxist analysis is having a framework for specifically answering these questions that utopians failed to.
  Additionally, if you don't do investigation on your own and think critically about these matters, then you can just be taken in by any sophist who says radical-sounding horseshit. This idea of waiting in epistemic suspense, "vagueness" as you call it, is a misbegotten attempt at epistemic humility. You don't develop an understanding by just sort of accepting a bunch of contradictory things and saying "so true, bestie," you develop an understanding by putting forward specific theories and testing them, and refining from your best available understanding. You don't just shrug, you take a specific position and accept that it will probably need to change with new information.
  
  Ok. let's try that again. Don't worry this is probably my last time (I'm getting rather tired):
  I know what I'm up against.
  Archy
  The belief that society must be divided hierarchically. That there must be a relationship of command and subordination in order for society to function.
  Polity
  That humans should belong to distinct groups with distinct rulers chosen by some method. The groups have their own written rules and members cannot join this group without some initiation ceremony or leave this group by their own will.
  and the methods they use to enforce their control:
  Social Contracts: Various different methods of control that must be entered before being allowed to be part of society. for example: Money, Contracts, Laws. If the contract gets broken:
  Violence: Physical, mental or social. examples: punching, isolation, debt, limiting access to resources.
  I know what I need to do to combat it.
  Find others to organise and share ideas with. (Ultimately changing my mind and making all of my thoughts a lot less meaningful)
  Create spaces that exist without the previously mentioned elements. Most likely finding other aspects that I haven't considered yet.
  Once (if ever) these spaces become big enough start influencing the rest of society by preforming outreach and showing that living without these aspects is possible.
  If the states start fighting against us. Fight back in self defence. Otherwise try and get along with them as best as you can. It's not our job to make people embrace anarchy.
  As step 1 says everything after it will probably change as soon as I reach it (which is why I haven't really brought it up).
  And this is just one instance of me describing it. Next time it will be changed, it may even be completely different. My ideology exists in my brain, and my brain exists in a constant state of change. This is a snapshot influenced by my mood and what I can remember. Don't think this is all that I believe/know (it definitely isn't) or even accurate tomorrow.
- Hello! Welcome to hexbear.
  
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- Howdy
- Fanon said that each generation must discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it, in relative opacity. This can apply to political ideologies as well. The duty of all anarchists is to oppose, combat, and ultimately triumph against all archies through their abolition. To not do so is to shirk from your responsibility.

280 comments

I know what I'm up against.

Archy

Polity

and the methods they use to enforce their control:

I know what I need to do to combat it.