Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!ncar!noao!amethyst!hdunne
From: hdunne@amethyst.ma.arizona.edu (|-|ugh)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: New Mailing List to Discuss Anarchism
Message-ID: <565@amethyst.ma.arizona.edu>
Date: 18 Apr 88 23:08:05 GMT
References: <14925@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU>
Sender: uucp@amethyst.ma.arizona.edu
Organization: Dept. of Math., Univ. of Arizona at Tucson
Lines: 28
Zippy-quote: It was a JOKE!!  Get it??  I was receiving messages  from DAVID LETTERMAN!!  YOW!! =<:-)


In article <14925@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU> tws@beach.cis.ufl.edu (Thomas Sarver) writes:

}So what we are really talking about is not a newsgroup for anarchists but one
}for those who like to *TALK* about anarchy.  One escapes the self-contradiction
}of anarchists tying themselves to the implications of being in a newsgroup by
}saying that these people aren't really anarchists.  By stating "I wish to join
}this newsgroup in order to discuss Anarchy," one is avoiding saying "I am an
}anarchist that wishes to use an implictly rule-ordered system in order to
}discuss my beliefs with other anarchists."

The contradiction arises only from your false perception of an anarchist as
someone who will not submit to any discipline whatever. If anarchists were
like this, they would soon wipe themselves out driving on the wrong side of
the road. Actually, anarchists are a diverse bunch with the common thread that
they believe that nation-states are an anachronism, a relic of feudal kingdoms
which must wither away before human freedom and potential can be fully
realised. Talking about anarchism does not preclude being an anarchist, and
slinking around in dark alleys with a bomb under your trench-coat is not a
prerequisite. Personally I don't consider myself a "card-carrying" anarchist.
Ideally the state could be dispensed with though I'm not sure it could work in
practice. However I'm interested in hearing arguments to the contrary. Since
the proposed mailing list which started all this hasn't materialized yet, why
not discuss this here. After all, anarchism (as opposed to "anarchy") is one
possible option for future societies.

Hugh Dunne        |  UUCP: ..{cmcl2,ihnp4,seismo!noao}!arizona!amethyst!hdunne
Dept. of Math.    |     Phone:      | ARPA:     hdunne@amethyst.ma.arizona.edu
Univ. of Arizona  | +1 602 621 4766 | Bitnet:   hdunne@arizrvax
Tucson AZ  85721  | +1 602 621 6893 | Internet: hdunne@rvax.ccit.arizona.edu