Submitted by hamjamm in Egoism

I've been actively engaged with Anarchist groups for a while now, but I often have misgivings about doing so. Just as Anarchists have misgivings of working with Leninist groups in a way that will contribute to the creation of an authoritarian movement or organization, I have misgivings about contributing to a movement that is filled with so many moralistic people and people who want to democratically manage mass society with more egalitarian impersonal systems instead of destroying mass society and the imposition of all impersonal systems.

This is of course nothing new, especially to post leftists. Since the beginning of Anarchism there has been a strong current of anarchists critical of the mass minded aspects of the Anarchist movement and who have taken a stance like that of Novatore, of going along with the Anarchist revolutionaries for now, but being committed to being on the outside and in opposition to whatever new Society they end up building. Such criticism are indeed the basis of what post left anarchism is.

But is it enough to remain a critical participant in the Anarchist movement, or would a more sharp split be more advisable?

Now, certainly I do not have in mind ceasing to be opposed to capitalism, the state, hierarchy -- my issue with Anarchism is, after-all, my doubts to just how anarchistic many of the people who find a home within the movement are. But what I fear is that these unanarchistic and moralistic people within the Anarchist movement are holding us back from creating something beyond anarchism. That by remaining attached to the movement, even in a critical way, it is restricting our creativity and ability to create something that can be the seed of the creation of a chaotic, joyful, destructive, dionystic reaction to the domesticated and bureaucratic world order that rules over us.

I'm aware of many wonderful writers and thinkers from the Anarchist movement that are disseminating exactly such ideas, but has their credibility been hurt by being wedded to a movement filled with so many moralists and people okay with bureaucracy (as long as it is their "just" and democratic bureaucracy)? And, perhaps more importantly, has their imagination and capacity been hurt by being a part (at least in some way) of such an Anarchism?

I think back to how Christianity spread as an ideology through ancient society. It was only after it had separated and distinguished itself from Judaism that it was able to become something capable of infecting so many minds. Perhaps the dionystic mentality of the post left anarchists can similarly only mature and enrapture minds once it cuts the umbilical cord it has to Anarchism.

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23i wrote

one could very well argue the reverse...

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depth_of_my_ego wrote

I think that we definitely should cut ties eventually in order to establish ourselves as a unique and independent school of thought. It may not be the best thing to do at the moment however, we need to grow our influence and get more people on board.

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