the main reason I still describe myself as an anarchist is because I think it’s absolutely crucially important to be able to think “this is a really terrible thing” without the corrolary then being either “let’s give the power to do something about it to a detached institution with a monopoly on the legal use of violence” or “let’s do nothing” — that is, to maintain an analytic distinction between collective action and state action.
like fair enough if you don’t think that necessitates an anarchist politic, I would in fact agree that it doesn’t, but this is the central theoretical/tactical issue I keep butting my head up against, every time I get to “yes but what are we going to do about it?”, so it’s a pretty definitive question for me.
also I came to anarchism because I was disillusioned with the feminist discourses I was exposed to, rather than the other way around — that’s probably a factor. it had a lot to do with being fed up with the umpteenth resurgence of the feminist sex wars. I feel like they are having another comeback which is depressing because the main two sides are both wrong.
this is not a “guys all anarchists are not terrible!” thing, because I don’t give a shit about protecting the reputation of anarchism, and in any case I’d rather organise with almost any other group than any of the specifically anarchist groups in my area. it was just something I was thinking about.
also I don’t wanna hear from any of you Marxists of Tumblr wanting to clarify your view of the state, because for real, you are just as bad, just better read and worse dressed.
