Forum Post: The Joy of Anarchy
Posted 11 years ago on June 6, 2013, 6:12 a.m. EST by markjsteinberg
(-24)
from New York, NY
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Hi!
My name is Mark J. Steinberg. If you came to Occupy GA and protests in NYC you might have seen me. I gave a few talks on modern day anarchy. I have a PhD in anthropology from Columbia University.
I just finished a book called "The Joy of Anarchy". It's a play on "The Joy of Sex" and "The Joy of Cooking" series.
The last chapter is dedicated to occupiers form all over the world. I ask the question - "If you could choose one element from anarchy, particularly Occupy's version of anarchy, that brings you joy and excitement, what would it be?"
I will select answers based on uniqueness and originality. The last chapter of the book will consist entirely of these answers.
I would love it if you could all participate!
Thanks, Mark J. Steinberg
I believe that Anarchy doesn't necessarily mean no governmental role or rule, but that in order for a better and promising future to be secure, the present government (or in this case the essence of Late Capitalism) needs to be completely effaced. Once this is accomplished, a new government with a new system can be constructed which is more suitable towards the people's will. That being said, the promise of removing and bringing about the collapse of Late Capitalism in the hope of raising a new, efficient, and less corrupt system based upon the principles of egalitarianism and reciprocity is what I find most exciting. All power to the people. Good luck on your book, Sincerely,
An Activist, Socialist Revolutionary, Leader of the Unity for Progress Movement but above all, a citizen of the world and human.
Thank you for your interesting contribution. I hope you don't mind if I use it in my book.
Good Golly Gosh !!! Something we agree upon !! Take note Trashy, 'CamillieLouvet' says it so well above because she speaks from the heart and means what she says, unlike you, whose insincerity and dark, specious, 'newspeak' twaddle - has all the hallmarks of an inveterate narcissist and corporate shill !!!
nosce te ipsum ...
I like sex and cooking better than anarchy, but that's just me.
Lol & not just you but better to be aware of the 'nature of the beast' re. this fatuous, faux forum poster !
'Anarchy' is his carefully chosen 'psy-op' trigger word, specifically designed to get a rise and malign and defame, divert & disrupt OWS & the forum. It's a philosophical outlook that doesn't translate in The US !!
For the standing record, I'll append the following as a further window into the nature of his 'antagonism' :
His propensity to bump his own posts (evidenced below and mea culpa ) should also be clearly noted !!!
pax ...
I don't know Thrasymaque and I don't understand how he could use the world anarchy to disrupt this forum. Occupy is anarchy after all. BTW - I found his user description quite clever and funny. Thank you for posting it. Made my day. I have an urge to read The Republic again.
Naaah Trashy ! I know your ordure and odour well enough by now !! IF you want to prove me wrong do link to your PhD !!! Your specious double-speak is what it is and serves who it does and hey, 'Captain CONspiracy', Bilderberg 2013 is happening in The UK as I type but you'll probably have nothing to say on the matter because your self-absorbed interests are far closer to theirs than to The Global 99%.
http://bilderberg2013.co.uk/ ;
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/05/bilderberg-2013-goldman-sachs-watford ;
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10102170/Bilderberg-Group-2013-guest-list-and-agenda.html ;
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10103054/Bilderberg-2013-the-worlds-most-secretive-conference-live.html &
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/bilderberg-2013-delegates-arrive-in-cars-with-blackedout-windows-for-secretive-summit-8648212.html .
Wanna try that defence of these 0.01% Factional Corporate & Banking Interests that you sent me in PM ?! I was too appalled to reply but will do here si tu veux Dr. TrashyManque' !! You're a shameless, self-absorbed, 'pseudo-anarchist', 'trigger word' employing, corporate stooge and 'psy-op' troll !!! q.e.d.
temet nosce ...
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Why are you trolling my posting? Do I know you? Are you one of my "enemies" at Columbia trying to play a joke? I don't get it.
There's a slim chance that you may have a point in which case an apology would certainly be in order tho' you give yourself away with more than just your 'PhD fixation' imo, lol. Tell you what - you put your thesis bibliography up for us to see & I will search the lexicon for appropriate expressions of contrition.
How about that 'T' ? :-)
multum in parvo ...
EDIT : Re. Below (because I'm NOT bumping your b-s any more) : I 'Googled' your ass right at the start and you don't check out {as you know}. You are what you are TrashyManque' - a dilettante & fraud. qed.
I'm not Trashy. I'm also not here to prove myself to you. Look up my name in Google yourself. I don't care what you think. If you wish to troll my postings, so be it. I'll ignore you from now on. I don't feed trolls. If you have something constructive to add to my post, then I'll be glad to answer.
Is there something that displeases you about anarchy?
Yep, the fact that YOU are using it ! Your only regret about and problem with, The 0.01% Parasite Class is that you are NOT one of them !! You are, it increasingly seems - a wannabe 'neo-feudalist' plutocrat !!!
gnothi seauton ...
Yah, but mostly I just like sex and cooking better. Also I would like to the only say in my own life.
Hard to argue the first part. For the second, I'm not sure it is even theoretically possible for you to be the only one with a say about your life. You live in society, with other people. Their decisions impact your life. Unless you live alone in complete isolation, I'm not sure how you could be the only one with a say on your own life.
Why should anyone else be able to dictate where I live, whether or not and where and how I work, who my work benefits, what kind of car I drive, what school I go to, what foods I like, what time of the day I take a shit, where I decide to take a shit, if I decide to take a shit at all.
I would really like it if only I had a say in these things and many others in my Own life.
Just because my actions may indirectly effect someone else's life, doesnt mean that anyone else gets a say in My life.
I think it ok for government to say that we can not drive pollution machines but they have got to get manufacturers providing green/clean tech transportation - before they can expect compliance.
but that is not dictating what kind of car I drive. it is dictating what kind of car is able to be sold to me.
Truth - glad you see that - as there are shills out there that would disagree - as they - as part of there job here - are supporters of fossil fuel.
I have no problem with commerce being regulated. I disagree with every minutiae of my life being regulated by the government.
Correct - where it should be personal choice - even if it is harmful to ones self - it should still be a personal choice - as long as it does not endanger others - who have not made that personal choice.
Exactly! I have the inherent right to My own life, liberty and property and no one can take that away from me. Also, every other individual person in existance has the inherent right to their Own life, liberty and property and no one can take that away from them.
Freedom is an entitlement.
Freedom is much more than what is currently available/practiced.
The exersice of moshka is a rarity in the world. People care too much about what other people have to say and not enough about what they themselves have to say.
Speak for yourself, Think for yourself.
Considering what we just discussed - I don't think you really have a problem with SFF80 - other than in terminology.
He has made it clear that he wants to have a say in my life and I have tried to make it clear that I dont want a say in his life.
He wants collective ownership, I want private ownership.
He wants direct democracy, I want direct government.
He wants a redistribution of wealth, I want an abolition of wealth.
He wants the group to come first, I want the individual to come first.
He wants solidarity and groupthink, I want creativity and defiance.
There is a bigger difference than simply Terminology.
Exactly - trust no other to lead you - lead yourself.
LeaderFULL, not LeaderLess.
We need more leaders, not less.
SelfFULL, not SelfLess.
We need more people, not less.
Now if we can only convince Struggleforfreedom80 and end his mad campaign for a Libertarian Socialist regime in his name.
I have not been in on your conversations with sff80 But it still seems like a failure in communication to me.
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Seems like two very clear and contrasting views. sff80 prones anarcho-socialism (sometimes called Libertarian Socialism), and HCabret prones a mixture of anarcho-individualism with anarcho-capitalism. The two positions are at odds with each other. There's no problem of terminology.
Well then, I don't see the problem. An anarchic society could dictate what type of car can be sold to you, what type of schooling you can attend, what type of jobs are available for you, and so on... No one will be dictating what kind of car you drive, what kind of school you attend, what kind of job you have... (By your logic)
Society will always impose limits on what is offered to you. You'll always be free to chose between these offerings. That would be the same in an anarchic society, or in a capitalist one, only the offerings would change.
Mr. Puppet sir?
Your chat bot never did answer the questions asked of in the other thread.
You should send it back in there to answer. It would be the correct thing to do.
You do like to do the correct thing, don't you?
Sounds like an interesting book! Can't wait to read it.
The one thing I like about anarchy is the simple yet powerful idea that people don't need representatives, that they can lead themselves. I find this concept extremely empowering and relevant to these modern times when people are realizing that they don't need old religious stories to provide meaning to their lives, but, that they can create their own meaning in their lives; aso a very empowering concept.
This was exactly the extremely powerful idea of Martin Luther's Reformation that had propelled the West from the Middle Ages to modern world prominence and cultural dominance.
It probably took root well in Europe because of the bickering nature of the European states and their peoples as well as the easy movement of their peoples among them. Europeans had been very factious even between states with interlocking royal families. Diversity of ideas combined with "getting real" powered the West.
I like the idea of empowerment. That's how I felt during Occupy protests. A very powerful feeling! I hope you don't mind if I use your contribution in my book.