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> too many people who believe in violence and seizing of others property loudly proclaim themselves 'anarchists' Just like people committing computer fraud cal

by klez 13y ago

> too many people who believe in violence and seizing of others property loudly proclaim themselves 'anarchists' Just like people committing computer fraud call themselves hackers. The fact that fraudsters (and media, as is the case with both 'hacker' and 'anarchist') use the term wrongly doesn't diminish the original and correct meaning that dates back to the 19th century.

nailer 13y ago
I think the analogy's spot on, but that it /does/ diminish the original meaning. Eg, I don't call myself a 'hacker' around people who aren't geeks because I know it will be misinterpreted, and additionally people who think that definition is a good thing will want to associate with me.
- peterwwillis 13y ago
  This gets round to the comment I wanted to make about the whole topic: Anarchism is a word that closes people's minds and should not be used to try to promote some better system of organization or community. Can you imagine people trying to encourage community and a family unit by trying to bring back Skinhead culture? Try as you might to explain its positive, non-racial origins, people just associate it with neo-naziism. And though I acknowledge Anarchism can be a productive form of collective organizing, if I see somebody with a torn jacket with a circled A patch on it, I think that person's a jackass.
  - klez 13y ago
    Maybe I'm only biased because I only know 'real' anarchists and 'real' skin-heads, so when I hear these terms I don't think about the negative connotation. Still I think the right way to overcome this is spreading information, not changing name.
    - peterwwillis 13y ago
      How can you spread information if there's a huge barrier in front of you? Most people don't want to change their carefully-guarded vision of the world around them. If they already associate your movement with imagery of chaotic lawlessness they're not going to stop and listen to you on the off chance they might be misinformed. They're going to write you off immediately and go on with their life. On the other hand, if you make a compromise and reform your presentation of ideas in a new way, people will be more likely to stop and listen. It's not enough to simply have a good idea; you have to sell it to them, too.
      - klez 13y ago
        Maybe somewhere in-between? I could present my ideas without labeling them and once people have listened to me I drop the bomb "Oh, by the way, this is what anarchism is all about". Could it work?

by klez 13y ago

nailer 13y ago

I think the analogy's spot on, but that it /does/ diminish the original meaning. Eg, I don't call myself a 'hacker' around people who aren't geeks because I know it will be misinterpreted, and additionally people who think that definition is a good thing will want to associate with me.

peterwwillis 13y ago
This gets round to the comment I wanted to make about the whole topic: Anarchism is a word that closes people's minds and should not be used to try to promote some better system of organization or community. Can you imagine people trying to encourage community and a family unit by trying to bring back Skinhead culture? Try as you might to explain its positive, non-racial origins, people just associate it with neo-naziism. And though I acknowledge Anarchism can be a productive form of collective organizing, if I see somebody with a torn jacket with a circled A patch on it, I think that person's a jackass.
- klez 13y ago
  Maybe I'm only biased because I only know 'real' anarchists and 'real' skin-heads, so when I hear these terms I don't think about the negative connotation. Still I think the right way to overcome this is spreading information, not changing name.
  - peterwwillis 13y ago
    How can you spread information if there's a huge barrier in front of you? Most people don't want to change their carefully-guarded vision of the world around them. If they already associate your movement with imagery of chaotic lawlessness they're not going to stop and listen to you on the off chance they might be misinformed. They're going to write you off immediately and go on with their life. On the other hand, if you make a compromise and reform your presentation of ideas in a new way, people will be more likely to stop and listen. It's not enough to simply have a good idea; you have to sell it to them, too.
    - klez 13y ago
      Maybe somewhere in-between? I could present my ideas without labeling them and once people have listened to me I drop the bomb "Oh, by the way, this is what anarchism is all about". Could it work?