Source: disobeyAs an anarchist, I all too often notice my peers of similar political stance toss out insults toward those of a more statist persuasion. Simply put, they call them “sheep.” The idea behind this jab isn’t too difficult to discern. Sheep, as a species, are followers. Around the world they are herded, sheered, and even slaughtered. Yet they are hardly even aware of their predicament, and follow their leaders cluelessly. It is because of this particular slur’s prevalence then, that I find interesting one of the foremost qualities I frequently observe among those of the anti-state persuasion is sheepishness. I don’t mean it, of course, in the sense that they are followers. They are not. The problem is their hesitancy and inability to communicate. Just as statist “sheeple” cluelessly follow, anti-statists wander about in their own world with no clue of how to get their ideas across. They are unable to commit to the level of ardor necessary to propel such radically different ideas in today’s society. They are afraid to upset.
Most people are probably familiar with the tired analogy tossed around in anti-state circles which states that “government is theft.” The idea is fairly simple: Government is illegitimate. It creates nothing. It neither has nor generates any value of its own. What it has, it has stolen from others. However this phrase and the ideas behind it are entirely lost on pro-government political types. What is a little bit of theft when it is going toward such a worthy cause? Besides, it takes from all of us. What anarchists need to realise is that not only is theft the inappropriate crime to embody the nature of the state, it is a crime far beneath the disturbing reality that government creates. It hardly begins to do justice to the injustice of government. The adage speaks only to the emptiness and lack of worth inherent in the organism that is the state. It does nothing to address the myriad and blatant evils of our government, and it also fails to highlight the nature of the interaction between the state and those it must prey upon to succeed in its aims. A more appropriate analogy which is able to do so features an even more egregious offence. To consider, in the correct light, the most evil of entities in our society we must look to the most evil of crimes. An honest look at the nature of the state triggers the chilling realisation that the government is nothing if not rape.
This is not hyperbole. This is clear, objective analogy. I understand that this is quite the accusation, so allow me to go on to explain.
