FBA, i'd say around a year ago or so. i can't remember exactly what i read, but i read one thing (not necessarily about anarchism) that led to another that led to another, and eventually to reading about anarchy and anarchism, and i ended up finding a few anarchist websites.
about 7 or 8 years ago, i spent an afternoon talking with a good friend about all kinds of things, and at some point she mentioned to me "oh, you're an anarchist!", to which i replied "i am?". i previously had other connotations of the word (no surprise), and i told her i didn't relate to anything with an "ism" at the end. i didn't really investigate anarchy any further after that, i just knew i looked at things a certain way that seemed different from anyone else i knew. anyway, when i ultimately began reading stuff last year written by anarchists (old and new), i realized how much of it sounded just like the type of stuff i thought, felt, and often said in conversations (with most people telling me i was crazy, or immature, or utopian)...and it felt damn good to know other people had similar thoughts and desires. i also felt sort of surprised i hadn't stumbled upon the writings of anarchists sooner, but then again, you don't see them in the library or across the television screen. i told my friend last year that i understood why she called me an anarchist, and that i now agreed with her (although i still sometimes feel wary of the "ism").
i never really thought i needed validation for how i looked at the world, but reading (and having conversations here with) people who have thought deeply about this stuff, really has helped me to articulate my views, and to deconstruct a lot of the crap that goes on in social situations.
i ran away from home at 17, quit working jobs by my early 30's, and quite fortunately met a woman who also had a desire to live against the prevailing culture - i knew we had something in common when she told me she tossed her jury notice in the trash. so even during the years while i played the game quite a bit (thought about a "career", bought a house, etc.), i always had part of my mind and heart in another place.
i really desire to meet more people who identify as anarchists - so far, i haven't met any in the flesh.
wow, i didn't plan to write that much...if you kept reading, thanks for listening. :)
