I have observed anarchists generally don't like being told what to do. That is not a judgement. Just observed behavior leading to an obvious conclusion. To be

I have observed anarchists generally don't like being told what to do. That is not a judgement. Just observed behavior leading to an obvious conclusion. To be fair here, I don't like being told what to do. When the machinery of society is running well, lives are reasonable, etc... these people continue to advocate and agitate, but the masses will generally go with what is easy, reasonable. It's all pretty harmless. Now consider the case when said machinery is not running well, is unjust, and generally not reasonable. Suddenly, that advocacy and agitation takes greater root. Screw being told what to do, essentially. Society sees greater unrest and in general the basic social contracts come into question. From whatever establishment happens to be in majority control point of view, anarchists and others willing to subvert are bad, harmful elements that should be avoided and or dealt with more formally. Seems to me that is not harmful at all, may even be beneficial, a self correcting mechanism of sorts. Anarchists are simply a necessary artifact of human nature. The T-cells of society. The remedy is not to condemn anarchists, or consider their ideas irrelevant. It is to run society better. Make the basic deal sexy, compelling enough that people will accept being told what to do in return for a modest, reasonable, dignified life. Edit: From discussions with an anarchist friend: When the common man, labor, the basic, necessary classes are abused, overexploited, they are offended. It may be they are members of said class too. So there is clear self interest. Agency really matters. Potential does too. Overly totalitarian society tends to labor to excess and snuff out being human. Social democracy is largely comparable with anarchism. Rule by democracy, not by purse, or bloodline, army, or god. This exchange seems to support my observations above. Nice weekend lark! This discussion here, along with a couple I will have with others will prove interesting and informative. If nothing else, I suspect many of us, if we are truly seeking info like this, will understand one another better. Never a bad thing.