Why I'm an Anarchist

Wait...did you say you're an anarchist?

Yup. That's right.

Now hold on, before you hit that "back" button, you should know that whatever you're thinking "anarchist" means, you're probably wrong. Not that I blame you, because almost everybody is...including, as a matter of fact, most of the people who like to call themselves anarchists.

I'll tell you what we're not: we're not angry teenagers trying to rebel against our parents and teachers. We don't read The Anarchist Cookbook (ug!), build bombs, or plan to blow anything up. We're not currently planning some ridiculous militant overthrow of the government and don't intend to at any point in our lifetimes. We don't dumpster-dive, live on the streets, or drop out of society and call it political action. And while some of us may have tattoos, piercings, or enjoy wearing nothing but black, these things are actually not a part of our politics (and personally, I often prefer to wear the fuzzy sweaters my grandma gave me).

We also don't hate anything and everything having to do with government services. As it happens, this author happens to have parents who are employed by the state (as a teacher and a librarian), and I love them and appreciate their work for their community very much. In fact, strictly speaking, we anarchists don't actually have any problem with the idea of government at all.

Wait a minute, you might be thinking, isn't being anti-government what anarchism is all about?

Well, yes and no. We are most assuredly anti-this-government (and, you know, pretty much every other major government currently existing or in history), but the commonly held idea that anarchism wants to create a society without governing systems, without community, without any rules, structures, or social contracts, is complete and utter horse puckey.