CoL49 - anarchy

[J K Van Nort]

There are two ways to look at anarchy, as has been pointed out by several posts. The bomb-throwing, black clad anarchist of the Porky Pig cartoon being a caricature of the anarchists that assassinated and bombed (or didn't, as the history of the Hay Market bombing reveals). This is the image of anarchy that the state and the corporate world wish to portray. Pynchon treats Web Traverse & family as noble dynamiters in AtD.
The other side of anarchy follows more what David described: a non-violent, consensus-based, voluntary action/organization of independent participants that relies on democratic processes and mutual aid. W.A.S.T.E may be an example of the 2nd, but the Zone in GR also represents the non-violent attempt to set up an alternative society.
The Occupy Wall Street encampment attempted to prefigure an alternative means of cooperation and community. It had failings, but it was smothered by the politicians before it could coalesce further.
While the majority of characters in the book seem to fear anarchy, they represent the portion of the population cowed by the threat of violence from which the police “protect” us.
In solidarity,
James

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