The One A-hole Factor. (Or: Why an anarchist society doesn't work.)

Paul -V- — Wed, 17 May 2006 09:30:44 -0400

Once every few years I attend a "Rainbow Gathering." People who have never heard about a Gathering usually assume it has something to do with gay-pride. However, the event is actually part of a subculture that is dedicated to living in harmony with the earth and experimenting with new social systems.

Gatherings usually attract between 10 to 30 thousand people a year and are run a like a loose anarchist collective: There are no rules or structure, food is shared and decisions that affect the entire group are made by consensus.

If you are a student studying sociology, or, if you've ever wondered what people would be like if there was no law except "Have A Good Time And Don't Hurt Nature Or Anyone Else", then you should go to a Gathering. They are an amazing experience that will empower you to work for a more egalitarian society where everyone is respected and poverty is abolished.

While the Gatherings bring out the best in people, just like anywhere else you also come face-to-face with unsavory characters. (Also known as Assholes.) At the 2002 Gathering in Michigan I met one of these characters and the experience illustrates why there are no permanent anarchist societies.

I arrived at the camp site and pitched my tent next to a stream. I had just finished unpacking when a hippie approached me with a warm smile and said:

"Hey dude, the Forrest Service folks requested that we keep at least 20 feet away from the streams. They are concerned that the large number of people here this week will pollute the water and harm a species of endangered fish. Last night consensus was reached to abide by the request."

"No problem" I replied, "I'll move right away."

The hippie helped me move my gear away from the water, and then we went to one of the kitchens for lunch. When we returned another camper had set up exactly where I had previously pitched a tent.

The hippie approached the new guy with the same warm smile, "Hey dude, the Forrest Service folks..."

The new camper interrupted, "I know what the @#$%ing Forrest Service asked, but I'm not moving."

The hippie politely informed him that consensus had been reached the night before and everyone agreed not to set up so close to the streams.

"You Nazi," the camper bellowed, "you can't just impose your rules on me! I'm only one man; the damn fish aren't going to care that one tent is close to the water."

Throughout the afternoon other people approached the rude camper; each time he would either ignore them or act like a complete wanker.

In the end, the camper did move... after Forrest Service rangers came by and threatened to give him a fine or a night in jail.

The lesson: Anarchism is great in theory, but unless there is a way to deal with the "One Asshole" the system falls apart. In the case of the Gatherings, as much as the hippies would hate to admit it, the Forrest Service is what ultimately enforces the rules.

It's the catch-22 that all idealists who want to smash the government run into eventually: To have an egalitarian society without a power structure, they need a power structure. Without one, the One Asshole reigns supreme.

There is always One Asshole who wants to pollute the environment to make a buck; One Asshole who writes bad checks; One Asshole who sells products that kill people; One Asshole who decides his barking dog at 3am is more important than you getting a good nights sleep.

The One Asshole is why we need law, government and regulations. Without these systems, the One Asshole prevents the rest of us from enjoying life.

This is not to say that I am a big fan of power-structures, it's just that in a democratic society the rule of law provides a method to change the system if it becomes oppressive.

Anarchism is a fun intellectual tool for philosophy students and white, middle-class teenagers rebelling against their parents. In the real world, the ideology falls apart the moment s/he has to use the law to deal with an asshole. This is why you rarely meet a hard-core anarchist over the age of 25.

Read counterpoint here.

Tags: anarchism - Rainbow Gatherings - Gatherings - law - political philosophy - anarchist - rule of law

LAST EDIT: 05/17/2006 @ 17:30 EST.

Brainshrub.com - Anarchism

The One A-hole Factor. (Or: Why an anarchist society doesn't work.)