Since the days of Sacco and Vanzetti, the Anarchists have been blamed for everything, and then turned out not to be guilty: Spanish civil war in the 30es, Italian bombing in the 60es and 70es are few examples.
But I know that this is only a comic and there is no need to throw it into politics.
Anarchy, Communism, Randian Objectivism. All philosophies that don’t work and can’t work because they ignore human nature. But some people keep believing they can work because a book says so.
Early in the 21st Century there was an anarchist bookstore in MAD-hattan called Blackout Books. The store displayed of things that could NOT be done in the store. Think about it; anarchists OPPOSED to anarchy!
I’m in favor of a society in which (as much as possible) no person or institution has power over others. Such a society would be based on cooperation and community rather than command. I know we will never get there, but perhaps we can head that direction. Historically one of the roots of anarchist thought was a reaction against centralized socialism. The socialist part was fine, and most anarchists think of themselves as socialists, but the centralization was not so fine. Thus there was a split between anarchists and Marxists, who are centralizing socialists. The kind of anarchism I find interesting is based on analysis (as full as possible) of how power actually works in society. The centers of control are not just governments, but also churches, for instance, and of course there is the power of capital. Anarchism at its most interesting is really about the liberation of human ability so that it can flourish. I have a lot more to say on the topic, but I will leave it there for now.
In 2016 we elected a bigoted, narcissistic serial Liar who had, as one of his stated goals, the destruction of the “administrative state” – which is another way of saying “Anarchy” – he was not reelected and so did no complete his goal of destroying America and so introducing the anarchy required to meet his goals…
He is now attempting to run again in order to complete the job either by himself or by means of one of his surrogates such as DeSantis, Haley, Pence, Scott, Youngkin, Christie, et al.
The ENTIRE republican political party is now nothing more than a corrupt personality cult with no clear goal other than to destroy “the administrative state” (America) – there is no longer anyone left in the party that believes in “governance” in any meaningful way…
Sadly timely, with attack on Virginia congressman’s staff with baseball bat. Thankfully he didn’t have an assault rifle. ( though “guns don’t kill people”)
My daughter once had a boyfriend who ran an anarchist bookstore. He told me some skinheads threw a firebomb into his store. “What did you do?” I asked him. “I called the fire department and the cops. They put the fire out and the skinheads in jail.” Unlike Pig, it didn’t make him re-think anything.
I categorize anarchy into two camps, depending on the people involved. In my preferred version, people would come together in a society that enables each individual. In the other version, we would have the old beggar-thy-neighbour idiom, in which it’s every man for himself. Of course, we kind of have that second type in the capitalist system we have now.
This must be done in the right order – when the power of love is more important than the love of power, then, and only then, can you do away with most rules.
Anarchism at least as a political philosophy is not just doing whatever what one wants. True Anarchism means individuals rights and individual responsibility. Can’t have one with out the other but together it is a recipe for peaceful coexistence and a lack of governmental coercion.
Anarchy isn’t for everybody. It’s just for people who like to think the rules don’t apply to them. You want to live in the woods with that idea – fine. City anarchists mostly live in jails of one kind of another.
The people who despise anarchy the most are those who know least about it, including the otherwise appreciated author of this comic. In fact, anarchism is not the absence of rules, not at all. It is the equal right for everyone to participate in making the rules. If everyone has these rights, then no one is above the other, which is what the Greek word an-archein means. Nowadays, it would probably be called direct democracy. The comic strip reveals utter ignorance of the topic. Sorry, Stephan, but you should read Muehsam, Bakunin or Landauer before you get back on that.
BasilBruce over 1 year ago
Never underestimate Paris Goat.
C over 1 year ago
Ya think?
BE THIS GUY over 1 year ago
I bet Goat felt great doing that.
salakfarm Premium Member over 1 year ago
Nihilists Unite! er, uh well…
ronaldspence over 1 year ago
anarchy is only good when it doesn’t happen to me…
AlnicoV over 1 year ago
Sort of like revolution or civil war, the idea of anarchy is popular with those who have no idea what that would actually mean.
Renatus Profuturus Frigeridus Premium Member over 1 year ago
Since the days of Sacco and Vanzetti, the Anarchists have been blamed for everything, and then turned out not to be guilty: Spanish civil war in the 30es, Italian bombing in the 60es and 70es are few examples.
But I know that this is only a comic and there is no need to throw it into politics.
Robin Harwood over 1 year ago
That isn’t quite how Godwin, Proudhon, Kropotkin, or Baldelli visualised the anarchist society.
Radish the wordsmith over 1 year ago
Or you could move to Portland, Or.
Liverlips McCracken Premium Member over 1 year ago
Goat! Goat! Goat!
Johnny Q Premium Member over 1 year ago
The depressing thing is people destroying the easy targets and leaving the big ones alone…
einarbt over 1 year ago
One of the few times that Goat shows that s/he is not well informed, any other goats out there? Inform yourself https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchy
gbars70 over 1 year ago
Well, that was out of character!
Cary Rodda Premium Member over 1 year ago
Haha! Goat is the one using the bat for a change.
iggyman over 1 year ago
Rat got “outratted”!
Doug K over 1 year ago
Peaceful protests are great, too.
bignatefantic2.0 over 1 year ago
Looks like Rat got a taste of his own medicine
eddi-TBH over 1 year ago
Rat just got head-bXtted by Goat and reality.
Ignatz Premium Member over 1 year ago
Anarchy, Communism, Randian Objectivism. All philosophies that don’t work and can’t work because they ignore human nature. But some people keep believing they can work because a book says so.
TheWildSow over 1 year ago
The local Anarchists’ Picnic takes place near where I live every year. I always wonder how they organize it!
Troglodyte over 1 year ago
This must leave Rat feeling shattered!
Ellis97 over 1 year ago
Maybe you might want to rethink your choice of stands, Rat.
Goat from PBS over 1 year ago
Ohhhhh, that felt sooooo good you would not believe.
Econ01 over 1 year ago
I’ve always wondered how there could exist a universally recognized symbol for anarchy.
wirepunchr over 1 year ago
Rat that comes under the heading of No shït Sherlock .
colinmac2 over 1 year ago
They’re proponents of anarchy with themselves in charge of it.
jel354 over 1 year ago
Goat waited a long time to do that.
MS72 over 1 year ago
A pitcher’s mound, a baseball bat, what comes next?
rossevrymn over 1 year ago
Maybe someone could direct this piece to Scott Stantis. He MIGHT learn something from it.
Masterskrain over 1 year ago
Funny how the people who favor Anarchy want to be the ones in charge of it…which is totally opposite to the reality OF Anarchy.
Steverino Premium Member over 1 year ago
Revolutions typically don’t end well.
Tallguy over 1 year ago
Wow. Goat is my hero.
Carl Rennhack Premium Member over 1 year ago
Early in the 21st Century there was an anarchist bookstore in MAD-hattan called Blackout Books. The store displayed of things that could NOT be done in the store. Think about it; anarchists OPPOSED to anarchy!
LaughterIsJoyMuliplied over 1 year ago
Well, that chicken came home to roost (with a THWACK).
prrdh over 1 year ago
“As the Englishman said to the anarchist, ‘Your freedom to swing your fist ends where my nose begins’.”
erick.robinson over 1 year ago
People don’t want ‘anarchy’ they just want justification for doing whatever they want and ignore any rule that gets in their way…
mindjob over 1 year ago
When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose
lonecat over 1 year ago
I’m in favor of a society in which (as much as possible) no person or institution has power over others. Such a society would be based on cooperation and community rather than command. I know we will never get there, but perhaps we can head that direction. Historically one of the roots of anarchist thought was a reaction against centralized socialism. The socialist part was fine, and most anarchists think of themselves as socialists, but the centralization was not so fine. Thus there was a split between anarchists and Marxists, who are centralizing socialists. The kind of anarchism I find interesting is based on analysis (as full as possible) of how power actually works in society. The centers of control are not just governments, but also churches, for instance, and of course there is the power of capital. Anarchism at its most interesting is really about the liberation of human ability so that it can flourish. I have a lot more to say on the topic, but I will leave it there for now.
Zebrastripes over 1 year ago
Yeah! That’s about it! Violence, destruction!
old_geek over 1 year ago
Of the Key family, Anne R. was the one that got all the attention, much to the consternation of her older sister Gertrude L.
txmystic over 1 year ago
Second panel has Office Space vibes…
wellis1947 Premium Member over 1 year ago
In 2016 we elected a bigoted, narcissistic serial Liar who had, as one of his stated goals, the destruction of the “administrative state” – which is another way of saying “Anarchy” – he was not reelected and so did no complete his goal of destroying America and so introducing the anarchy required to meet his goals…
He is now attempting to run again in order to complete the job either by himself or by means of one of his surrogates such as DeSantis, Haley, Pence, Scott, Youngkin, Christie, et al.
The ENTIRE republican political party is now nothing more than a corrupt personality cult with no clear goal other than to destroy “the administrative state” (America) – there is no longer anyone left in the party that believes in “governance” in any meaningful way…
mwksix over 1 year ago
Would’ve thought Goat was a head-butter. Who’da thunk he’d use a bat!? You go, guy!
jsimpso1 over 1 year ago
Well, Rat seems to have the soda straw arms and legs they all seem to display.
Snolep over 1 year ago
Sadly timely, with attack on Virginia congressman’s staff with baseball bat. Thankfully he didn’t have an assault rifle. ( though “guns don’t kill people”)
unfair.de over 1 year ago
Goat is so far off what Anachy means. That’s totally out of character. Goat ist far too educated to be a MAGAhatter.
198.23.5.11 over 1 year ago
Goat hasn’t had his morning coffee yet
Michael Beeson Premium Member over 1 year ago
My daughter once had a boyfriend who ran an anarchist bookstore. He told me some skinheads threw a firebomb into his store. “What did you do?” I asked him. “I called the fire department and the cops. They put the fire out and the skinheads in jail.” Unlike Pig, it didn’t make him re-think anything.
Foe over 1 year ago
GOAT USED VIOLENCE!!! (Sort of)
sojourner Premium Member over 1 year ago
The perfect government is a theocracy. That will happen in the future when Christ takes the throne in Jerusalem.
Code the Enforcer over 1 year ago
If you think it – know it, live it – and show it! … Then you gotta Take It !! … :)
dlaemmerhirt999 over 1 year ago
Huh. I didn’t see Goat as an anarchist, but it would make sense!XD
zeexenon over 1 year ago
Best left to the people, not the POTUS.
T... over 1 year ago
We are not amused. No comment.
blunebottle over 1 year ago
Yes! Post this everywhere! Isn’t Karma a b*tch?
cdward over 1 year ago
Anarchy is good when I get to be the only anarchist.
twagner003 over 1 year ago
Many who espouse anarchy actually want to set themselves up as rulers.
dadoctah over 1 year ago
You can tell Rat is a non-conformist because he dresses just like all the other non-conformists.
willie_mctell over 1 year ago
OG anarchists believed in a society based on consensus and sharing.
MartinPerry1 over 1 year ago
I categorize anarchy into two camps, depending on the people involved. In my preferred version, people would come together in a society that enables each individual. In the other version, we would have the old beggar-thy-neighbour idiom, in which it’s every man for himself. Of course, we kind of have that second type in the capitalist system we have now.
jfikse Premium Member over 1 year ago
Isn’t Goat being ironic here? He isn’t an anarchist. He’s trying to teach Pig something.
Bruce1253 over 1 year ago
This must be done in the right order – when the power of love is more important than the love of power, then, and only then, can you do away with most rules.
knight1192a over 1 year ago
Stopped too soon.
Arghhgarrr Premium Member over 1 year ago
Anarchism at least as a political philosophy is not just doing whatever what one wants. True Anarchism means individuals rights and individual responsibility. Can’t have one with out the other but together it is a recipe for peaceful coexistence and a lack of governmental coercion.
mistercatworks over 1 year ago
Anarchy isn’t for everybody. It’s just for people who like to think the rules don’t apply to them. You want to live in the woods with that idea – fine. City anarchists mostly live in jails of one kind of another.
Jason Scarborough over 1 year ago
Nice to see Goat come out on top for a change
Otis Rufus Driftwood over 1 year ago
All you would be revolutionaries, consider the consequences.
Sisyphos over 1 year ago
Surprisingly activated, Goat teaches a lesson in the reality of anarchy.
Think it through, Rat: “what goes around, comes around”….
timinwsac Premium Member over 1 year ago
We need more goats to come forward.
alikgator over 1 year ago
That’s not exactly how the movement works but..
tomevansphd over 1 year ago
History would disagree, in that, the Founding Fathers knew anarchy and a revolution were the solution! My two cents!
Silverspring18608 over 1 year ago
Goat finally gets his revenge!
Swirls Before Pine over 1 year ago
Have we ever seen Goat’s teeth before?
Nick Danger over 1 year ago
But it was “mostly peaceful” destruction…
[Unnamed Reader - 089148] over 1 year ago
The people who despise anarchy the most are those who know least about it, including the otherwise appreciated author of this comic. In fact, anarchism is not the absence of rules, not at all. It is the equal right for everyone to participate in making the rules. If everyone has these rights, then no one is above the other, which is what the Greek word an-archein means. Nowadays, it would probably be called direct democracy. The comic strip reveals utter ignorance of the topic. Sorry, Stephan, but you should read Muehsam, Bakunin or Landauer before you get back on that.