What are some both effective and ineffective ways to spread anarchist principles?

Question

Some folks here are critical of my suggestion of participating with neighbors in a state-funded community garden project as a way to engage with the community and hopefully spread anarchist ideas and even inspire other similar projects without state help. (See the related answer)

It seemed to make sense to me but I only have a small amount of experience in this realm.. So I'm eager to hear actual experiences people have had, both their failings and successes, in spreading anarchist principles or even inspiring projects where people feel less dependent on the state, self-organized, horizontal, mutual aid, etc.. not necessarily revolutionary or outright anarchist.. but where people have freed themselves from the state's brain grip, even a little bit. Or if you've ever fomented a full-scale revolution, please share any tips.

I'd definitely prefer to hear actual anecdotes, which is where my own original answer may have failed since it wasn't born of actual experience.

Comments

Here's a related discussion: http://anarchy101.org/683/anarchists-communicate-people-without-seeming-evangelistic

And another: http://anarchy101.org/1157/would-one-about-spreading-philosophy-anarchy-non-violently

Answer 1

while i reject your premise (spreading anarchist principles), your goal of spreading the word through good works is what critical mass, food not bombs, and free radio projects (among many other smaller diy projects like bike libraries, prison support groups, etc) are about. well, one of the things they're about.

Comments

Would you care to elaborate on why you reject that premise, and what is a better idea? Do you mean just that we need to spread the whole package?

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Part of my annoyance is due to the dualism you announce sarcastically ("Or if you've ever fomented a full-scale revolution, please share any tips.") while at the same time admitting that you have very few experiences actually doing what you say you want to do. The mixture of moralism and inexperience is bothersome. The entire tone is of lecturing us on what needs to be done, regardless of sponsorship. As I mentioned on your other question, if it's set up by part of the government, it's created NOT to allow for individual initiative. Whatever good you can tweeze out of it is purely accidental. It might be better to explore the projects dot references if you just want to do Good Works.

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Wasn't sarcasm- just a joke. I think you're reading me entirely wrong. Maybe I should have prefaced my question differently. I thought it might make people think I was sore or something, but figured my overall tone would prevail. I'm really just interested in what y'all think and I'm humbly curious about what is more effective and why my idea isn't so realistic, and also excited to hear stories. Anyway, I really enjoy reading yours and dot's responses on here-- they're really, really informative and I feel like I'm learning by leaps and bounds every day as I read this site.

As for helping a govt community garden project, I understand it's created not to allow individual initiative within it, but I don't see why that would prevent one from showing your neighbors how those sorts of projects can be accomplished without help from the government.

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Nothing prevents you from showing your neighbors anything. But they have already agreed to the terms of the sponsorship. My experience with normal people (non-anarchists, non-radicals) is that they are so accustomed to having other people plan and do things that they don't even recognize that 90% of the time they are acting like anarchists -- not only that, if you actually point that out to them, they are usually horrified. Your questions and comments make you come across as a missionary, which is why dot and I have both referenced Good Works. And not only do normals not like having it pointed out to them that they already know how to act without a state/cops/government, they also have a tendency not to appreciate being preached at. Unless they're christians.

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I guess I do feel like a missionary (and I see that's why you mentioned my 'moralism'..)... So how do y'all do it? I suppose you don't preach it to folks but maybe just act your beliefs and share with whoever is interested?

I want to say, I'm not here to fight. I'm here to learn.. so I appreciate you pointing out where I may fall short... but I hope it's in good faith.

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If it were bad faith there would be some meanness in my comments. I know you're trying to figure out how to connect with other anarchists and with normals at the same time. It's not easy.

Yes, mostly we (if I can be so bold as to say "we") act with as much anti-authoritarian integrity as we can given how much of the dominant culture is geared toward hierarchy and domination. If you're a good person, people might ask you why. In my experience, mostly they don't; they just know you're a good person and leave it at that. If you always go around announcing to everyone you meet or interact with on a regular basis that you're an anarchist, it might end up finishing the conversation rather than starting it. Share your opinions and be prepared to back them up, but insisting that other folks pay attention to everything you do is a little aggressive, innit?

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Fair enough! I'm left wondering how you feel revolution comes about. ...and what revolutionary action is, as well as when it's appropriate? I couldn't gather much from the limited recent question list on your profile.

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butting in here, I think that the idea of revolution is also a loaded word for many of us, as it implies a moment or an event that suddenly changes everything. Instead, I would encourage looking for those moments where you can bring your beliefs to level with not only with your daily life but also in ways that create situations that can't be ignored or dismissed by others.

(and now I just sounded like a five year old zine...)

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formyinfo - a lot of people on this site don't really think that revolution (as it is commonly understood) is an option (revolution as an event that comes and changes fundamental principles that people operate from, for example). sometimes i still use the word, but only as a short cut for a dramatic and foundational change, not because i think the word works well or that any previous revolution has ever been something i want to emulate.
and i in particular think that we have either no idea, or so little influence that we might as well have none (or both), about what will bring about that kind of fundamental change. so that what i do during my life is much more situational, much more about living life the best i can, the most in tune with my values, and much less about reaching a goal that has in the past been corrupted over and over again.

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@dot:

"so that what i do during my life is much more situational, much more about living life the best i can, the most in tune with my values, and much less about reaching a goal that has in the past been corrupted over and over again."

This is a really interesting concept for me because I think I can say, with sincerity, that my only really driving desire at this point is the destruction of the existent (the social order, capitalist society, etc). So, for someone whose desires might coincide with the spreading of "anarchist principles" (at least those that involve the deep-set hatred of capitalist/hierarchical/oppressive social relations), would it not be a sincere question to ask how to spread those principles more effectively?

This is still something that I'm trying to understand and articulate and come to some conclusion with, but I'm interested in other people's thoughts.

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RB (and maybe FMI) what does getting other people to agree with you (aka "spreading anarchist principles") have to do with living your life as best you can?
if you mean something else by "spreading anarchist principles" then perhaps that is worth spelling out?
i hear it as entirely analogous to "spreading the good word" (as already noted), and as an effort to democratize--to make anarchy something with mass appeal.
if the question is about where is the line between informing people of options they don't know they have, and encouraging them to join our team, then that would have to be... um... contextual (a word i overuse, probably).

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My response would be, what does living your life the best you can have to do with smashing capitalism and the state? I still don't see what's problematic about, for ex., making anarchist ideas accessible and free to 'normal' people  (like a zine explaining how wage labor is exploitative). To use slavery as an analogy, is it unacceptable proselytizing to convince your fellow slaves that slavery is not just? Shouldn't there be am effort to create critical dialogue?

Do you want anarchism to spread but you feel the only way to spread it is through living in line with your beliefs? And looking out for situations that other people can't ignore, like ingrate said? Is that because you don't believe anarchism can ever have mass appeal? Or just not now?

I often sat at a free anarchist lit table in NYC and was always surprised at how many 'normal' people are interested, receptive, and ready to read about anarchism.

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@dot:

When I say "spreading anarchist principles", I really mean, I dunno - I'm trying not to abuse insurrectionist terminology, but, "generalize the human strike"? "Spread the social war"? I don't necessarily mean going up to somebody and giving them a pamphlet on why being an anarchist is good and why they should become one; I mean any activity that encourages people to come into conflict with the social order.

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Knock.knock. "hello, I'm comrade ingrate and this is comrade rice boy.  We're from the tendency for autonomy mutual aid and arming desires: the anarchists! Can we interest you in some photocopied literature about our goals? Well,  really less about our goals than our hatred of the existant..."  :)

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ingrate, while not quite the same, a friend of mine participated in some black bloc actions which were of course demonized in the media, so him and a few others went a-knockin', presumably saying something similar to your script, claiming responsibilty and explaining why they did what they did. They were pretty well received as I recall.

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RB - the jargon (aka terminology) is pretty much my point. those aren't activities - they're interpretations of practices. so what are actions that you (one) would take to "encourage people to come into conflict with the social order"? does that mean teaching (ie convincing people to look at things differently through talking)? or does it mean breaking windows (convincing people to look at things differently through activity)? or something else? what would work to convince people, and why do you think they need to be convinced? isn't the issue that the system convinces people of itself? and if it doesn't, then how could you/we do it?
FMI - mostly i want anarchy to exist. i don't care what people believe (and i am unconvinced about the relationship of belief to behavior). i don't think it's my place to monitor what people believe, i just know that my friends and i can't live the lives we want to. and in general i think i prefer a world where there are more options for diversity and flexibility than there are in our current system.
i think that it can be a good exercise to talk to people who don't agree with us, or who agree on certain very limited things for certain (usually very short) periods of time, but to have that agreement be understood as crucial, or even important, means a fucked up emphasis and a perversion of what i think is important.

Answer 2

If nobody minds me jumping on an old thread again, absolutely not. State funding is completely antithetical to the values of anti-statsm and autonomy. If you want to join the welfare state go ahead, but don't you dare call that anarchy. However, community gardening projects  are a good idea, but that's just me.

Comments

I'd be willing to bet that many of the things you have to do on a daily basis are antithetical to anarchism. It's about using that situation as a jump-off to engage people in creating more anarchistic projects.

..but you didn't quite answer the real question?

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Do you really think so? Do you even know who I am?  I have my entire life, sacrificed the privileges taken for granted by most for the sake of not taking part in an immoral government. this has prevented me from driving, going to college, working for corporations(no W2), and many other things that would require joining the"good guys"

As far as your question is concerned, I did say that community gardening projects are a good idea. They can help us to gain independence if only one more step.

But the minute you have government involved, you're asking the government to aid in the cause of anarchism. And why would that be in their interest?

but if you want to spread anarchism, spread knowledge of anarchism and work towards autonomy.

If you want to know more about not participating I suggest you watch the documentary,  ungrip by Ben Stewart.