What Do You Think About Anarchy?

by Rachael Anne Fajardo

Indeed, why not? Well, I am discovering that despite all the reflections, readings, discussions and disputes involving government I have experienced, I really have nothing to say about anarchy. Or, anarcho-capitalism, whatever. My own chosen way of thinking, and I am at a loss for words! 

I had a rather long flight last week, so I brought a notebook onboard, a purple spiral left over from school days, and I was going to try and write something for this article. I still had nothing to say. So I looked to my fellow passengers for inspiration. I was stuck next to them for three hours, and figured I may as well use them. 

The seventh grader next to me had never heard of anarchy. I told her it is the absence of government. Her eyes lit up. "Cool!" A pause. Eyes relight. "No strict rules!" Then she picked up her teddy bear and looked out the window. Okay, that didn't go too far, and I didn't want to be annoying, or push the limits of her capacity to recognize the greatness of the concept. I preferred to think that she was contemplating the benefits of a stateless society as she hummed Britney Spears and commented on every damn cloud. So I turned to the person on the other side of me, a man across the aisle with whom I had camaraderie based on the four screaming children in front of us.

"Excuse me, can I ask you a random question?" That proposition seemed to interest him more than working on his Power Point presentation. 

"Sure." 

"Do you have any thoughts on anarchy?" 

He looked a bit surprised. Hey, I warned him it was gonna be random. "Anarchy?" Inward sigh. 

Great, I picked another winner. "Yes, anarchy." I said it a bit clearer that time. 

But this man turned out to be of average intelligence. We engaged in a conversation mostly consisting of me refuting "what ifs" and "what about this?" He had been alive a lot longer than I had, and he asked about historical events I am not familiar with at all, but I never have a problem bullshitting. I just said, "Well, was that really our responsibility?" and he would have to say no. He seemed to harbor some Republican notions about controlling other countries. Anyway, the basic gist of our conversation was that he liked the idea very much, but felt very comfortable with life and government just the way it is. But I made him think. And that was my real goal, to stimulate his mind and challenge him, and get some fodder for this damn article. 

Anyway, today as I held the same purple notebook, this time sunbathing (and the warmth of the southern California sun can be more distracting than screaming kids in an enclosed space) a thought floated through the hazy mist of relaxation into an alert part of my mind. Maybe I have nothing to say on anarchy, because what DOES one say about nothing? It’s only an issue because its antithesis exists. Anarchy is the greatest thing never invented.  No one had to abolish or restrict government in the beginning, they had to create it. 

So let's go natural!  Hey, I do it in lots of ways.  There are plenty of other everyday happenings I consider useless, like wearing shoes everywhere, wearing underclothes at all, and being kind to stupid people.  I'm also naturally greedy, and despise taxes, especially since I can work and be taxed, but cannot vote.  That's a whole other topic though.  But my lifestyle isn't the point.  The point is, we should all be free to do what we want, whether it is go braless or spend our money as we please.

June 15, 2001