4 ms·

That's the neat thing about leaderless resistance. Although Anonymous is special, because typical leaderless resistance can only exist with very strict rules (

That's the neat thing about leaderless resistance. Although Anonymous is special, because typical leaderless resistance can only exist with very strict rules (see: ALF).

nitrogen 16y ago
I'm curious whether anyone has researched how vulnerable a leaderless group is to suggestion by agents provocateurs. On one hand I could see the "inertia" of the group tending toward some mean purpose, but on the other hand it seems possible for a leaderless group to be pushed quite easily. I suppose it would depend on how much shared philosophy there was within the group, and whether that philosophy would have enough weight to prevent outsiders from pushing the group off track. It makes me think of swarms, flocks, and emergent behavior.
- steveklabnik 16y ago
  The problem that agent provocateurs is that it's difficult to convince someone that you're in the in-group. I've been in a situation with agent provocateurs[1] and frankly, the 5'11" dude in a crew cut that's built like a house is not an anarchist. It was pretty freaking silly. You'd think that it would be easier for something like Anon, but it's actually probably harder. The only thing you have is communication, and so it'll be scrutinized even more. Anon's humor style is incredibly deep and nested, when you really get down to it. I'm not saying that it's impossible, it'd just take some work. 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPFC7THiKho http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPFC7THiKho
  - khafra 16y ago
    It's too bad videos of police infiltrators trying to rouse peaceful protestors to violence don't get more airtime.
  - nfriedly 16y ago
    I wouldn't call those guys "provocateurs", it looked like they were just walking with the crowd. But they definitely didn't seem to fit in.
G_Wen 16y ago
Can you specify exactly what you mean by ALF? Wikipedia turns up both the Arab Liberation Front and the Afar Liberation Front, both of which mention leaders.
- die_sekte 16y ago
  Animal Liberation Front
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]

That's the neat thing about leaderless resistance. Although Anonymous is special, because typical leaderless resistance can only exist with very strict rules (see: ALF).

nitrogen 16y ago

I'm curious whether anyone has researched how vulnerable a leaderless group is to suggestion by agents provocateurs. On one hand I could see the "inertia" of the group tending toward some mean purpose, but on the other hand it seems possible for a leaderless group to be pushed quite easily. I suppose it would depend on how much shared philosophy there was within the group, and whether that philosophy would have enough weight to prevent outsiders from pushing the group off track. It makes me think of swarms, flocks, and emergent behavior.

steveklabnik 16y ago
The problem that agent provocateurs is that it's difficult to convince someone that you're in the in-group. I've been in a situation with agent provocateurs[1] and frankly, the 5'11" dude in a crew cut that's built like a house is not an anarchist. It was pretty freaking silly. You'd think that it would be easier for something like Anon, but it's actually probably harder. The only thing you have is communication, and so it'll be scrutinized even more. Anon's humor style is incredibly deep and nested, when you really get down to it. I'm not saying that it's impossible, it'd just take some work. 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPFC7THiKho http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPFC7THiKho
- khafra 16y ago
  It's too bad videos of police infiltrators trying to rouse peaceful protestors to violence don't get more airtime.
- nfriedly 16y ago
  I wouldn't call those guys "provocateurs", it looked like they were just walking with the crowd. But they definitely didn't seem to fit in.

G_Wen 16y ago

Can you specify exactly what you mean by ALF? Wikipedia turns up both the Arab Liberation Front and the Afar Liberation Front, both of which mention leaders.

die_sekte 16y ago
Animal Liberation Front

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]