Anarchy starts in your head

[Tim] That seems... too simplistic of a solution. If we transitioned from this world to instant anarchy there would be complete chaos. I don't see how any transition to anarchy could end without chaos.


[Jay Hailey] ‎@Tim - most of the chaos and violence of a transition to anarchy is premised on the idea that a sizable proportion of people would behave violently unless there was the force of law to deter them.

Most people feel this way - so most of the violence of a sudden transition to Anarchy would be from people trying to identify and elminate these "Stupid... See More/Violent Others"

However - this fear of our neighbors and community members is... just that. It's prejudice - it's one of those things that "everyone knows" without having good evidence for.

It's also a major tool for oppression - people put up with totaliatarianism and oppression because they're afraid of what would happen without it.

Anarchy as a political philsoophy is not about not having laws - it's about having laws and social orders that we agree to of our own free will. I don't want to wind up with an S&M biker gang burning down my home any more than anyone else does.

"But... THAT'S anarchy!"

Nope. That's the Fear. That's the Imaginary Picture that keeps you in the corral, and not running free.

There will never be a suddden transition to anarchy except by disaster. History shows that when people are thrown into anarchy, instead of using the tools appropriate to anarchy - Respect for each other, negotation and presuasion - people rebuild a state. They want the security it provides.

So the transition to Anarchy will be a slow evolution of what "Everyone knows" - because in this case, like when people thought the world was flat - what "Everyone knows" is just dead wrong.

People use the state as a tool to try and achieve security. When deprived of it, they make one up.

What I fear is disaster and social trauma - history shows that cultures under stress geek for dictators and totalitarians - they want security HARDER, and some lunatic shows up to give it to 'em.