The High Church of Scam-Archy: A Warning to Voluntaryists (YouTube version)
Apparently my Dtube version of this video wouldn’t work/play for more than a couple people.
As such, I am also posting the YouTube version here as I think the ideas discussed in this video are very important.
This video is meant to be a simple “heads-up” to those Voluntaryists very excited about true liberty, and the “mega church pastors” of anarchism who, through using all the right words, charisma, and sensationalized pressure, pass the offering plate around while the “congregation” is fleeced.
It is also a more in-depth discussion regarding why one’s actions even and especially in personal, human relationships can and do have market consequences, and are pertinent to voluntaryist principle.
Cheers.
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as DTube and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person!)
I agree, some people are a bit "shady boots" in how they approach their Libertarianism, Voluntaryism and Anarchism. Someone can be really sketchy but appear legit. Some people like that are called Narcissists and Psychopaths. They can emulate well.
It's good to keep an open mind, not be a total sceptic, but to be aware and to research several sources in order to educate yourself. It's the Truth versus untruth, order vs chaos, knowledge versus ignorance. Manipulators will keep us in the dark by appearing as though they have the truth that will bring order to our lives while perpetuating further chaos to keep us away from the real truth.
Update as I'm listening: The whole concept of being a ruler goes AGAINST Anarchy. Real Anarchy, as Mark Passio stated so eloquently with such passion last night at Anarchapulco (watched the live stream), Aranchy means NO RULER! And therefore no slaves. I personally am a Libertarian-Voluntaryist. Libertarianism could work with a ruler, but has to include very few rules, laws. But an Anarchist Ruler makes no sense.
And I know EXACTLY who you're talking about lol
Fucking excellent comment. Well said. Yes. There are also master emulators so subtle not even they are aware of their own games/manipulation. Perhaps these are the most dangerous.
We’ve got to watch ourselves as well. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve “trolled myself” in this fashion.
Cheers.
Thanks (I expanded on it too lol).
Yeah, I hear you. The problem is that people don't realise that they can govern themselves, their internal state. The same way someone seeks external validation to feel good, to find guidance, to decide to do something, they seek external guidance, external healing, external rulership. They seek permissions and laws instead of realising that natural law that exists and that they can be the ruler of themselves. Pop a pill, get your hair cut, ask a doctor what to take, ask permission to do what you want to do...? No, heal yourself, empower yourself, do your own things, inform yourself, do what you want while respecting others and not harming others.
People have a void inside and they need someone to fill it, to show them the way, but they can find it within themselves. This doesn't mean they can't be spiritual, I am very spiritual, but I have no religion because I don't follow a religious ruler. It's the same for government. When epople realise they don'T ahve to feel bad because of something the President tweeted, they can control how they react to things, they can control their own lives, then they realise how they don't need a ruler and how manipulated we are into believing we do. The only reason I am a Libertarian and not a full out Anarchist is that there are those who don't respect Natural Law and are dangerous and without those laws, they would do a lot more and a lot worse, because Psychopaths are not crazy lunatics running around frantic, they are cold and calculated and know how to get away with crimes. But I also realise that most of them, are the very rulers who manipulate everyone into believing they need them. Just like an abuser.
Anyway, awesome video :)
Watching this right now. Thanks for the Lolberts shout out! :)
I've been going off about this very topic for awhile now. So many people in the libertarian/voluntaryist/anarchist communities talk a big game about how ostracization will be a major component in constructing a free society. Most of those same people, though, refuse to use the same tool in the present. Plenty of well documented scammers and beggartarians are still inside the community because they get white-knighted or the critics get drowned out by all the sycophants. It's almost as if these sort of people don't actually want others to be free...
For sure! Throroughly enjoyed the podcast. You guys have a good rapport, and of course the subject matter piqued my interest.
I agree. It’s ironic. People want to be individualists until it means being separate from the crowd/bandwagon. I get it, and I’m not immune, but this idea is antithetical to voluntaryism itself.
Glad you found the vid!
Glad you enjoyed it. As people who have been trying to point out the shadiness of certain individuals, we just wanted to compile as much of the evidence of that one case as we could in one place. The results were as expected. Those who would view it objectively thanked us for our service. Those who would turn a blind eye because he was "one of us" attacked us, called us shills, and clearly didn't even listen to the podcast (much less examine the links we provided).
And I get it, too. I'm not immune , either, but I do strive to be more consistent each day. I think a lot of it has to do with some people, despite coming towards anarchism/voluntaryism, have not let go of the Great Man Fallacy. They just want that charismatic leader, perhaps because they feel incapable of leading themselves. Whatever the reason, such people are not doing the cause of freedom any favors. I'm glad that there are others trying to point these things, and these people, out. It needs to be done.
Pecked to death by Ostriches! The black-dress brigade are really pushing the boat out with that one ;)
Great topic.
Great stuff @kafkanarchy84! PEACE, LOVE & ANARCHY! :)
Enjoyed your video Graham! I had the same feeling about one of the people you were speaking of, and I basically just stopped following them anymore when it started getting too deep with donations ect.
You brought up a lot of really good points. We should all strive, first and foremost, to conduct our own lives in an honorable way...live and let live.
Thanks, @jbcoin. Yep. You’re not the only one who has been turned off either by the donation begging. Lots of big hearted folks throwing money around. Just thought I’d add my two cents ;)
right! no ruler, no borders. Everything developes from the people bottom up. We just need to start organising ourselves locally and stop relying on government.
I actually believe that the people you talk about have good intentions. The sad part is, they will end up just as corrupt as all before them.
I'm commenting so I remember to come back and watch the video and offer commentary.
just remember, you could be the most popular anarchist on steemit.com and still not be that popular of an anarchist.
For sure. That’s a very good point. Even so, I think this should be said for the sake of those on Steemit. It’s not about popularity, but the nature of the message/“mission.”
Question for you then. When the USSR was dissolved, how should the land and state businesses been divided up?
According to the only fair and ultimately logical/minimally violent guideline there is. Individual self-ownership and Lockean (libertarian) property norms.
Sure, but what does that look like in an extreme case such as the USSR dissolving, where private property was supposed to be abolished per law?
That’s a good question. It could look like a million different things depending on how individual owners with closest link to the lands (regular usage, etc) decided to do things. As long as force isn’t initiated, it would be moral.
So I was talking to my husband about your rant and he's of the opinion that someone has to infiltrate the senate and be elected in order to dissolve it from within. While I'm of the opinion that the Elite will either prevent that from happening, the person getting elected, or that person will become corrupt and brainwashed. We both agree that ideally no one would go vote and thus the government would kind of not know what to do, things could start there, but the problem is everyone still votes, too many people go vote, it would require for NO ONE to vote.
What do you think?