Intro to Anarchist Social Dynamics: How can you own yourself, if you don't even like yourself?

Anarchist Social Dynamics

Anarchist social dynamics, or ASD for short, is taking a look at the relationships and interactions we have with ourselves and others, then relating them to anarchy. There are many paths to freedom, as well as many paths to happiness, no one way is necessarily correct. After all, we all have a different idea of a perfect world. Often these inner differences in opinion cause outer conflicts that hinder our progress as we march toward a more free world.

Insecurities, unresolved anger, jealousy, competition, and unfair assumptions can cause some to argue with each other, not coming from a place of attempted understanding, but from a place of scarcity. We have spent our entire lives learning and experiencing the events that shape our individual philosophies. These events can become emotionally entangled with our very being. They may be the true cause of our surface level emotions - anger, happiness, or even apathy. Underneath the surface there are values and principles, these too differ from person to person. For example (I don't necessarily agree with these thoughts but..) someone who is angry about immigrants crossing the borders, isn't just mad to be mad. They most likely highly value their culture, or financial security and feel threatened when outsiders come to potentially “take their jobs” or “change their living situation”. While the opposing side may find great value in helping fellow humans, or cooperating with a diverse group of people. You can see how each side of the issue whether you agree or not has values and principles tied to their beliefs.

When one listens to both sides of the argument, we sometimes find opposing sides actually want the same results. Namely, to take care of your family! To want the best for the world! The need and want to end suffering and poverty! These ideas align with most people on both sides, it is their methods that cause the divides.

To be a true anarchist you must respect the sovereignty of the individual, which means you may not agree with every method of freedom people choose to practice. As long as individuals hold the idea that no one has the right to use violence or coercion to force one another to live a certain way (regardless of how good your intentions are), then people should be able to coexist, right?

When anarchists are arguing over property, economics and other issues we may just be chopping at the leaves of the problem and not the roots. What if these arguments go deeper than we think? After a certain point, are we that much different from a polarized party system? If you align with one side far enough, communication and cooperation with people of a different opinion becomes less and less of an option.

So whats the solution, how can we change everyones mind to be on the same page as ours? WE CAN’T. It’s damn near impossible to untangle all of those emotions and personal experiences wrapped up in an individual’s beliefs. This is why I believe the answer lies not in our outside environment but within ourselves.

How can you feel confident owning yourself, if you don't even like yourself. There is no freedom like happiness. I have had so many conversations with people who don't understand how to be happy and enjoy life. Many anarchists “let the man keep them down”, which is an understandable reaction to the odds we are up against. But what is a bigger “fuck you” to “the man” than to enjoy your life in spite of the shitty methods of violence and coercion they throw at you? When Elmer Fudd was hunting Bugs Bunny there was one thing that made him more angry than anything, Bugs would sneak up on him and give him a big fat kiss on the lips!
This relates to freedom of reaction, we can cry about how hard we have it, or we can smile because we have the opportunity to change the world for future generations. As soon as one decides he/she is free and happy, as soon as someone says I don't care about the odds I’m going to take charge in my life to make a difference…. We have already won.

Anarchy needs strong self owning individuals who are proactive, principle centered, empathetic, and consistent from action to beliefs. These strong individuals do not receive their happiness or success from a group identity or party membership (including different sectors of anarchists), instead they are validated from within, knowing that they are living the way that best suits their standards without impeding others freedoms.

This form of self actualization is powerful because it strips away the competition mentality, that uncomfortable feeling you get when your team is losing the race. This is where uninformed debate, name calling, and all kinds of other unproductive interactions take place. I am not trying to say we should not discuss these important issues, but I do think that emotional entanglements will affect our success in actually finding solutions.

If your identity comes from an outside label, you become tied to it, this makes anything the opposing side says go in one ear and out the other. Skeptical people don't blindly disbelieve everything they hear, they merely suspend their beliefs until sufficient evidence is provided. I believe people with an open yet skeptical mind can find common points of interest even amongst their rivals. After a certain point of arguing on either side of a nonviolent issue, many forget it is an option to agree to disagree. Let’s open our minds and untangle our emotions to work together with others on common goals instead of bickering about the bridges we haven’t had the opportunity to cross yet.

Anarchist Social Dynamics puts all of the responsibility on the individual. If all of the people in the world are unhappy, angry, confused, apathetic, and lacking compassion, the collective will reflect that. When the world is full of empathetic, confident, consistent, proactive, goal oriented people, our chances at freedom increase with the personal freedom we have given to ourselves.

If you want to change the world you gotta change yourself….
If you wanna change yourself you gotta dig deep and find your roots….
Align your principles with your actions and the universe will align those actions with your personal happiness and the prosperity of your community….

Much LOVE and PEACE

Johnny Sparrow