The system that perpetuates inequality, persecutes and oppresses the most vulnerable, permits those with most wealth to maintain power, the system that perpetuates and adheres to a materially led world in a concerted attempt to deny the Spiritual, and control the populace through it’s use of ‘divide & rule’ politics, fear tactics, and propaganda, and does nothing to aid the development of responsible autonomy (ie. Anarchy). The very system that creates the monsters in the first place.
Ok, consider this; is it right that a third of the world is starving whilst others are rich? many more exist at poverty level whilst others languish in luxury? In the UK at the moment, for example, there is a big drive to target the unemployed and place them in an impossible situation of either working for next to nothing (National Minimum Wage) or having their State Benefits stopped. A vastly disproportionate amount of public money is spent in doing this, while no mention is made of the $11.5 Trillion currently being hoarded in off-shore tax havens by the wealthy elite, money which, if became in public circulation and was therefore taxable, would go a long way towards alleviating world poverty. Why do I not have an inherent right to claim State Benefits when they were paid for in full by previous generations of my own family who worked down coal mines & in textile mills from childhood whilst this country got rich, not only via the exploitation of colonialism, but also upon the backs of the Working Class? Furthermore, how much is spent on warfare compared to humanitarian aid? Why do the powers that be deem it necessary to keep us constantly in a ‘climate of fear’? first it was the reds under the bed, and the Cold War, now it is Islamic fundamentalists & terrorism, what next? Alien invaders? Why did they lie about WMD?
well, im just saying; we cant have a system that stiffles freedoms and focues so much for so few. we are loaded with serioust fucked up problems.
BUT i dont think anarchy is the way either. we need order of some nature – otherwise you can forget things like our current levels of health care etc. i mean, if we had anarchy, where do you go to get xrayed? we need a system, but it needs to be FAIR.. currently we have a system, but its not even remotly fair.
spouting random numbers and facts really wont sway me; im more than aware of these issues.
without a system though, its the biggest caveman wins. thats totally crap too.
yeah but my point is that any high level endevour of the human race is going to need organisation. say – getting to another planet, or curing AIDS.
but i agreee with you really. Iain M Banks is a Sci-Fi writer, who has written as series of books called the Culture novels. they show a truly wonderful utopion world that is just so cool we should strive towards it.
the Culture has a saying; Money is for the poor; ie any society that has money is truly poor- they dont have enough of everything to go around to anyone who wants it….
I thank you for your comments and interesting input. It’s essential to discuss such matters. The flip side of freedom of responsibility, which is what I take Anarchy to mean in its ultimate sense, self-government. But, as Buddhist economist E.F. Schumacher points out in the conclusion to his radical book ‘Small is Beautiful’, we can only achieve this when people become totally self-aware. It is my contention that the current system (Capitalism) is at odds with that prognosis. Capitalism encourages and perpetuates a ‘dog eat dog’ ‘me-first’ society, through the promotion of the Material as a means to an end, via the goal of economic growth at all costs. Whereas Shcumacher extols the abandonment of the goal of economic growth. In the meantime, however, we have no choice but to exist within the system, and the least we can do is seek to change it from within, hence my design.
Yeah, absolutely. Have you ever heard the songs by 80’s anarchy/punk band ‘Crass’? particularly, ‘If There Was No Government’ and my favourite ‘Do They Owe Us A Living’. http://youtube.com/watch?v=NMTIFbUXx7c
i cant agree with you any more than i do with your last statement – capitalism only works if there are those who cant have stuff. and it only works by destroying and short term thinking.
Thank you guys for engaging in this vital debate, and for your valuable input. it’s great that we can discus this stuff in a comments section to a T-shirt design!
Steven Guy
this rocks
Cailean
Word. What more can I say? hehe :) It’s all about the anarchy, baby!
LostBoy
now what system would that be friend?
the system that stops me from taking a crap in public
or maybe the system that stops the monsters from smashing down your door and setting you on fire…hmmm?
LetThemEatArt replied
The system that perpetuates inequality, persecutes and oppresses the most vulnerable, permits those with most wealth to maintain power, the system that perpetuates and adheres to a materially led world in a concerted attempt to deny the Spiritual, and control the populace through it’s use of ‘divide & rule’ politics, fear tactics, and propaganda, and does nothing to aid the development of responsible autonomy (ie. Anarchy). The very system that creates the monsters in the first place.
eon .
BUT WHO WIILL FIX IT WHEN I DO?
Gr8 Stuff OOOOroo the Hook
(all art needs one eventually.)
LostBoy
pfffft…wotever.
MuscularTeeth
its a cool shirt. im sorta divided. im in between lostboy and you.
LetThemEatArt replied
Ok, consider this; is it right that a third of the world is starving whilst others are rich? many more exist at poverty level whilst others languish in luxury? In the UK at the moment, for example, there is a big drive to target the unemployed and place them in an impossible situation of either working for next to nothing (National Minimum Wage) or having their State Benefits stopped. A vastly disproportionate amount of public money is spent in doing this, while no mention is made of the $11.5 Trillion currently being hoarded in off-shore tax havens by the wealthy elite, money which, if became in public circulation and was therefore taxable, would go a long way towards alleviating world poverty. Why do I not have an inherent right to claim State Benefits when they were paid for in full by previous generations of my own family who worked down coal mines & in textile mills from childhood whilst this country got rich, not only via the exploitation of colonialism, but also upon the backs of the Working Class? Furthermore, how much is spent on warfare compared to humanitarian aid? Why do the powers that be deem it necessary to keep us constantly in a ‘climate of fear’? first it was the reds under the bed, and the Cold War, now it is Islamic fundamentalists & terrorism, what next? Alien invaders? Why did they lie about WMD?
MuscularTeeth
well, im just saying;
we cant have a system that stiffles freedoms and focues so much for so few. we are loaded with serioust fucked up problems.
BUT
i dont think anarchy is the way either. we need order of some nature – otherwise you can forget things like our current levels of health care etc. i mean, if we had anarchy, where do you go to get xrayed?
we need a system, but it needs to be FAIR..
currently we have a system, but its not even remotly fair.
spouting random numbers and facts really wont sway me; im more than aware of these issues.
without a system though, its the biggest caveman wins. thats totally crap too.
Clinton Tyree KM@
Muscular: Anarchism doesn’t mean ”no rules” rather no ruleRS,”No gods
“ It’s a democratic philosophy with many variants
Clinton Tyree KM@
“No gods; No masters!”
Clinton Tyree KM@
In other words @ is a system itself… albeit the most inclusive and accessiblesystem; just not THE System®
Clinton Tyree KM@
Do some reading on it and you’ll be amazed- notleast by how misrepresented it is
Clinton Tyree KM@
In fact, just scroll to see the typical ignorance of most people who never asked an anarchist the obvious question- if any
MuscularTeeth
yeah but my point is that any high level endevour of the human race is going to need organisation. say – getting to another planet, or curing AIDS.
but i agreee with you really.
Iain M Banks is a Sci-Fi writer, who has written as series of books called the Culture novels.
they show a truly wonderful utopion world that is just so cool we should strive towards it.
the Culture has a saying; Money is for the poor;
ie any society that has money is truly poor- they dont have enough of everything to go around to anyone who wants it….
LetThemEatArt replied
I thank you for your comments and interesting input. It’s essential to discuss such matters. The flip side of freedom of responsibility, which is what I take Anarchy to mean in its ultimate sense, self-government. But, as Buddhist economist E.F. Schumacher points out in the conclusion to his radical book ‘Small is Beautiful’, we can only achieve this when people become totally self-aware. It is my contention that the current system (Capitalism) is at odds with that prognosis. Capitalism encourages and perpetuates a ‘dog eat dog’ ‘me-first’ society, through the promotion of the Material as a means to an end, via the goal of economic growth at all costs. Whereas Shcumacher extols the abandonment of the goal of economic growth. In the meantime, however, we have no choice but to exist within the system, and the least we can do is seek to change it from within, hence my design.
LetThemEatArt
Typo: is responsibility, duh!
Clinton Tyree KM@
I agree totally- but note that there is nothing in anarchism that prevents such co-operation. @ just puts the control of it in the hands of all
LetThemEatArt replied
Yeah, absolutely. Have you ever heard the songs by 80’s anarchy/punk band ‘Crass’? particularly, ‘If There Was No Government’ and my favourite ‘Do They Owe Us A Living’.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NMTIFbUXx7c
Clinton Tyree KM@
The current system is driven by a few greedy people- as it for a few centuries. It’s feudality + caste rebranded
MuscularTeeth
i cant agree with you any more than i do with your last statement – capitalism only works if there are those who cant have stuff. and it only works by destroying and short term thinking.
people shouold ask more questions..
Clinton Tyree KM@
Heehee
I’m 40; and bought the records! :-)
LetThemEatArt replied
Nice one! I too am of the punk generation, now 46 (yikes!)
LetThemEatArt
Thank you guys for engaging in this vital debate, and for your valuable input. it’s great that we can discus this stuff in a comments section to a T-shirt design!
Clinton Tyree KM@
MT: Banks kind of illustrates how aspects of anarchism could work in the real world in The Business :-)
Clinton Tyree KM@
L: Nice to be a part- and doing my best to provide useful replies to old misconceptions
Clinton Tyree KM@
The biggest hurdle is making ppl realise they have a totally false definition of anarchism- usually somewhere between nihilism + social collapse
LetThemEatArt replied
yes, I agree. I see it more as social improvement!