The Reluctant Anarchist

I woke up this morning and penned a note;

What is Anarchy?

It is the desperate attempt to live in the absence of the rule of law.

In other words, it is the only rational system of governance in the absence of a rational system of governance.

Toward the end of the day yesterday one of the people I work with had wandered out from his pen and was to be found talking with another colleague of mine who sits close by. I did not pay too much attention to the conversation but at a point in time the subject of the government arose - I imagine on account of the annual public raping spectacle that played out, to our collective destruction earlier this week. I can’t quite recollect exactly what I likely pitched up with, inevitably something along the lines of being rid of all of them, which then drew some ill-considered comment as to anarchy. I dislike intensely how badly understood anarchy is and my ire is especially drawn when the word is used dripping with a bitingly negative intonation. It is a word which is dangerous, it asks many questions and questions are dangerous, consequently it is a word which has received the full gamut of bent attention. It is a bad word.

At the time I suggested how badly misunderstood anarchy is and how any anarchist of merit is wholly married to the rule of law. It was laughingly suggested that perhaps I should go live in Somalia. This came from a person who likely bathes nightly in the piss warmth that radiates from self-certified cleverness.

Still, for all that my response wasn’t really good enough and likely why I woke with a clear understanding, not as to what it is to be an anarchist, but why.

The simple truth is that it is a desperate position to have to adopt. It is the Gault drive that is absolutely necessary when society has abandoned the rule of law. Or, more simply put, when government is not to your benefit. In that case it is irrational to continue to support it and so, inevitably you move toward self-government.

And why is that desperate, because it is ultimately denying the benefit that should be all of ours from being a part of a collective and so it is only ever with reluctance that one adopts the necessity of anarchy, it is the only rational choice when society, having abandoned law, simply proffers slavery.