I wanna preface this with: Iām learning and I want to learn. I have so many questions and Iād love to hear the perspectives of some seasoned anarchists on my thoughts and questions. Iām here to learn, and I greatly appreciate any input anyone can give.
Iām confused. I have so many anarchist friends, and I politically relate to them on a very very deep level. In a lot of ways I consider myself an anarchist, I sympathise with it for so many reasons:
- Iāve been let down by so many electoral movements the last 10 years, and thereās somethin so empowering about not asking or waiting for help
- Anarchist calisthenics has changed my life, not asking for permission to change things, to take charge
- I believe in the power of the grass roots, that ultimately, if enough of us got together, we can make the change we want
- Whenever a disaster occurs, look around: thereās anarchists everywhere. In natural disasters? Anarchist groups are found distributing food, water and shelter. In homeless crisis? Theyāre found in soup kitchens distributing food.
- It challenges systems of power by default that governments use to harm marginalised folk
Despite all of this? Iām still a member of my countryās Green Party. We have a very progressive leader and their policies could make a huge difference to my life and the people I care about, my community, everyone. While Iām not going to rely on them to win power, or even to hold onto their promises, I canāt help but feel like itās still worth campaigning for them because I feel like it moves me closer to a country where more of us have the help we need.
Some of my anarchist friends shit on these electoral parties (even if theyāre super progressive). And I understand why, and I feel itās difficult to critique them for it, because electoral politics has rarely won us any consistent safety or justice.
But as a disabled trans person, Iāve been on the shit side of the state so oftenā¦ that no matter whoās in power, Iāll always feel like an adversary to the state. Because at the end of the day: the state has power, and itās difficult to invision a state that doesnāt abuse vulnerable groups (perhaps thatās a problem?).
On the other hand? I also feel likeā¦ The state is a central entity that can organise large amount of resources much easier than the people themselves can. And after centuries of capitalism, is it possible for enough of us to work with each other to build power, community, care and resources outside of the constraints the government and state give us?
Iām also well aware that anarchism isnāt the absence of hierarchy necessarily, itās the conscious understanding and consent to hierarchy that we choose (if Iām understanding it correctly). Whether thatās through choosing people to lead certain things or groups to do it etc. but then Iām also like: is it human nature that problematic hierarchies occur, whether through governance or anarchism?
Thatās my other question: the way I feel Iām an anarchist is as an activist. Which is to say: when I cover up fascist stickers and propaganda in my city? Iām not waiting for the government and I donāt care about the laws that prohibit me from doing it. But as far as changing things on a societal and cultural level? I feel this conflict: I feel the need to work within electoral politics to temper the rise of the far right parties in my countryā¦ but at the same time I recognise this system is a sinking ship, and therefore? I want to build resources, community and support on the ground irrespective of government.
I donāt knowā¦ Iām very confused and I donāt know what Iām thinking, saying or doing. I feel like these contradictions are incompatible with anarchism. But do my values and praxis make me an anarchist, even if Iām participating in electoral politics? Am I wrong for wanting to seek some electoral power to at least have a leader in my country thatās NOT a raging transphobe, or neo Nazi?
I know donāt necessarily have to choose between the two (though I guess it depends on who you ask), but I wonder: how do you reconcile the contradictions?
You sound less like you want to know what to call yourselfĀ¹ and more like you want to resolve what you feel is a contradiction. Do correct me if Iām wrong here.
Purism is of limited utility. So how do you fit your values commonly associated with disparate ideologies together? I have ideas, but I want to see evidence youāve tried this rather than just fitting yourself to a prefab mould before I tell you what occurs to me.
Iāll try not to take that as an insult, but Iām pretty sure anyone self aware of any ideology that allows self awareness feels that way sometimes.
Ā¹thatās for communicating not thinking. Tell people what communicates what youāre trying to communicate in that moment. Donāt stress about totalizing definitions. Fuck that shit.
youāre totally right, I think itās more about the contradiction than the label itself.
as far as integrating my anarchist values go:
I guess thatās how I reconcile the contradictions. Canāt say it feels like enough, hence the post I suppose. I think for me, notĀ engaging in an electoral movement thatās spreading anti fascist talking points and moving people over from the rightĀ is an opportunity that feels reckless to miss. Because as much as Iād love it if enough people on the ground got into anarchism and learned, thatās not the reality Iām living in, and while I build that reality I feel like this is a good compromise? Idk, I feel like I could be operating from a lot of logical fallacies.
Eh, enough. So hereās my thought: the state currently exists.
The state is a piece of shit that wants to enslave or kill you.
The state is unlikely to give you anything you want without a gun to its head or a lot of shaming; external pressure/organizing
The state finds it easier to concede when it can pretend its doing so on its own terms and isnāt concedeing, youāre conceding, shut up
Thereās more to organizing than the state, which does fundamentally fucking hate you