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Why I Am Not an Anarchist, by Greg Hill

Started by Cramulus, May 20, 2014, 12:08:23 PM

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Cramulus

Greg Hill and Robert Shea frequently exchanged letters... this is an article Mal-2 wrote for Shea's zine, NO GOVERNOR.

from http://historiadiscordia.com/ ...













transcript:

Greg Hill: Why I Am Not An Anarchist for Robert Shea's No Governor, June 1975, Page 00001.
Courtesy the Discordian Archives.

About five years ago I considered myself an anarchist (anarchopacifist, in particular), because I believe that the highest authority available to any individual is one's own honest experience and that any other authority provides only vicarious information at Most Unexceptional.

I've not changed my opinion about this, but I have ceased referring to myself as an anarchist. The reason is basic and simple: TOO MANY DAMN RULES.
OK, it's a joke. But it's a TRUE JOKE. The incompatibility is not between my position and some anarchist theories, but between my position and the position of most of those who use the label "anarchist."

It seems that Rule Number One of anarchy, as understood by authoritarians and by most who call themselves anarchists, is that a government is an enemy. Rule Number Two is that to gain freedom the individual is politically or morally or somehow obligated to fight this enemy.

In my opinion, these rules represent a position which would be better referred to as anti-archy. The prefix "a" means "without" and it need not imply "against." There is an exact parallel with the word atheist—it is usually used and understood, by those for it and against it, as thought eh word was anti-theist.

I can respect the anti-archist position, but I don't share it. The government is not my enemy because there is no government. OK, another joke, but still a TRUE joke. I know good and well that there are people with guns who restrict my free decisions, and I know about groups of people collecting taxes from me, and all of the rest of this government business. I perceive it in the same manner that I perceive (for example) a big rock in my path which necessitates stepping around and compromising myself. Frankly, I don't believe in rocks either—I just step around and compromise (which is actually easier than is believing in them). I think that there is a big difference in degree between (a) existentially responding to a phenomenon and (b) conceptualizing it as an "enemy." If everything in the universe that has ever thwarted my purpose is my enemy, then only nothing can be my friend—and that excludes even myself. But, still, I respect the anti-archist position. After all, if one does perceive aphenomenon to be an enemy then one would be a damn fool to do other than defend ones' self.

Much of this essay is futzing around with labels. Still, I feel free to futz, and in any case what I'm trying to do is to avoid the assumption by others that I am at war with certain people just because those people think that they are a government and go out of their way to forcibly impose their notions on me.

I'm not at war with them or with them or rocks either. And insofar as anyone thinks that an anarchist is one who is supposed to believe something or another, or is obligated to do something or another, then there are too damn many rules for me and to hell with the whole business.

Cain

A shame most of the "Discordians Must Be Anarchists" crowd hasn't read this.

LMNO

It worries me that this seems to make a lot of sense.

hooplala

Quote from: Cain on May 20, 2014, 01:44:49 PM
A shame most of the "Discordians Must Be Anarchists" crowd hasn't read this.

They would likely make the argument that he admitted to being considering himself an anarchist earlier (and very likely when the Principia was being written).
"Soon all of us will have special names" — Professor Brian O'Blivion

"Now's not the time to get silly, so wear your big boots and jump on the garbage clowns." — Bob Dylan?

"Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)"
— Walt Whitman

Junkenstein

And as we all know, changing, altering or re-evaluating and beliefs or stances is heresy of the highest order.

Other good stuff on that site too, The Oswald transcript is quite interesting, for a look at Thornley as much as Oswald.

Quote from: LMNO, PhD (life continues) on May 20, 2014, 01:52:03 PM
It worries me that this seems to make a lot of sense.

Why? The worry, I mean.
Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

The Good Reverend Roger

To statists, I am an anarchist.

To anarchists, I am a tool of the state.

Not to blow their minds, or anything.  It's that I hate them, and I wish to make them angry.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

LMNO

Quote from: Junkenstein on May 21, 2014, 09:34:29 PM
Why? The worry, I mean.

Just your run of the mill "Kill Yr Idols/The Buddha on the Road" sort of thing.

Cramulus

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 21, 2014, 11:57:45 PM
To statists, I am an anarchist.

To anarchists, I am a tool of the state.

Not to blow their minds, or anything.  It's that I hate them, and I wish to make them angry.


:mittens:

once again, Roger, you have the high level perspective this planet needs.

The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: Cramulus on May 22, 2014, 01:33:23 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 21, 2014, 11:57:45 PM
To statists, I am an anarchist.

To anarchists, I am a tool of the state.

Not to blow their minds, or anything.  It's that I hate them, and I wish to make them angry.


:mittens:

once again, Roger, you have the high level perspective this planet needs.

The moment you let THEM label you, you belong to THEM.  They now have a steering wheel rammed up your ass, and They can drive you around.  Instead, let US label you.  Because we're better drivers.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Junkenstein

Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

The Good Reverend Roger

" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Junkenstein

It'll get the same attribution your works always get.

"THUS SPAKE THE DESERT PROPHET ROGER, HIS EYES AGLAZE, HIS BALLS AFIRE, HIS HAIR RECEEDED DUE TO YOUR INABILITY TO SHUT UP"

I'm getting it on business cards as a time saving measure.
Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: Junkenstein on May 22, 2014, 02:25:56 PM
It'll get the same attribution your works always get.

"THUS SPAKE THE DESERT PROPHET ROGER, HIS EYES AGLAZE, HIS BALLS AFIRE, HIS HAIR RECEEDED DUE TO YOUR INABILITY TO SHUT UP"

I'm getting it on business cards as a time saving measure.

Fuck yeah.   :lulz:
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

LMNO

I request that Roger put that in his profile.


Either here or on LinkedIn, either one works.

Reginald Ret

I as a fellow former anarchist approve of this message.
Lord Byron: "Those who will not reason, are bigots, those who cannot, are fools, and those who dare not, are slaves."

Nigel saying the wisest words ever uttered: "It's just a suffix."

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