Pure Anarchism - A Warning

In studying anarchism one can't help but notice the fact that it's development has been signally influenced by a handful of individuals, both modern and ancient. From Tolstoy to Chomsky, the landscape of anarcho thought has been molded by these great thinkers. But lately I have been vexed by something that has caught my attention regarding this very fact. It would seem that anarchists in every position on the spectrum of thought, are no longer merely influenced by these thinkers, but they are being guided by their writings as though they were holy writ.

I recently read an article in a popular online magazine for anarchistic thought, where the modern occupy wall street movement was said to be conforming to old ideals of a few anarchist philosophers. This is all well and good and not neccessarily the problem. The problem lies in a section where the fact is established and defended that these protesters are to be held accountable to their conformity to this set of ideals they are reflecting (there was no mention as to whether the ideals were purposefully being upheld, or the reflection is merely coincidental). This is where I would digress from modern anarchistic thought, if this is indeed the general consensus.

We have to take a step back and consider what it is we hold close as anarchists. We MUST do this if pure anarchism is to survive. It is imperative that we keep sacred the one thing that has always held true throughout our philosophies, the fact that we are convinced of our ability to be a self governing people. If we lose sight of this one thing, our anarchism is rendered utterly, and completely useless and powerless. It is this one tenet that makes pure anarchism the only political ideal that offers true and unhindered freedom. When we lose hold on self governance, we lose hold on freedom.

How than are we to link these two thoughts here presented? Anarchism is essentially a lack of political dogma. While full of rhetoric and powerful, moving prose, it lacks the dogmatic approach of other, more close minded and narrow political ideas. Herein lies the power, contrary to popular critique. This is lost in modern herd mentaility as we have a generation of people raised in a culture of followers. Now the great free thinkers of our past are held up as gurus of political ideals rather than idealists whose purpose was to fuel their readers own thought process. They are obeyed rather than read. Their ideals are pushed as rules and dogma rather than the foundations of free thought. Atrocities are committed in their name that, foundationally, have absolutely nothing to do with their ideas. I think our anarchist forefathers would not approve.

In summation, let's not turn the only political ideal that can offer true freedom into just another system of bondage and tyrranical rule. We must not forget the great minds from which this philosophy has sprung, but just as importantly, we mustn't forget the great philosophy that shaped these minds. They were great because they thought freely, not because they reinterpreted the philosophies of the great thinkers who inspired them. In fact inspiration is a spring board, not a framework.

Your fellow Anarchist,
Candyman