Anarchists Are Not Naive About Human Nature

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[MrLordrun]

I became an anarchist as a teenager when I was very naive about human nature. Then, I became a liberal when I was learning about human nature. The more I learned about human nature, the closer I got to being an anarchist.

[emiliopalomo]

I genuinely love Zoe's low effort photo edits. Her analysis is always well developed and sharp, it's so funny to have it contrasted with quasi-shitpost pics in the background. Such an under appreciated channel

[Lonking]

Picking Sailor Moon for an anarchist photo is divine irony when her story is literally about her becoming a monarch but doesn't know what she's doing so the rest of the story is about her daughter coming back in time to help her young mother make better choices so that she becomes a benevolent ruler that can accept dissonant opinions. 👌👌 Quality

[lennydavillain]

I've been temporarily taking a break from a story I started writing several years ago, because while researching anarchism for a story about "the balance between two extremes", I accidentally became an anarchist...

[tverdyznaqs]

"We're all idiots. And the idea that some idiots are fit to rule over other idiots is the most idiotic one we had so far" -Me lmao

[CameronWattMusic]

Awesome video. I've never found the 'anarchism is impossible because of human nature' argument convincing.

[forstudentpower]

"Social wrongs do not depend on the wickedness of one master or the other, one governor or the other, but rather on masters and governments as institutions..." 👏👏👏

[shaunmccomish]

Anarchists are spot on considering the notion of enlightened or benevolent dictatorships advocated by certain philisophers going back to Plato. The idea of non democratic power being used by a select few according to some notion of superior strength, virtue or intellect is a pernicious one which sadly returns with each new generation of Humanity.

If Anarchists are naive, it is not about the supposed goodness or badness of their fellow humans, it is about how exactly to win people over from Archism. At best most people prefer minimal state interference to a stateless society which is all too easy to depict as undesirable by hostile intellectuals and authority figures.

Anarchism also has the same problem that all revolutionary ideologies have; that is touching upon the subject of force in the desired future society in regards to defence and security. Thomas Hobbes argued that a covenant without a sword is simply words which I fear is true of all societies regardless of statism.

[bellador]

rewatching your work to freshen up after some tough thanksgiving conversations. I very much appreciate all your efforts to educate others, thank you!

[DeLaSoul]

Plenty of gems in this one. Thank you!
I took several screenshots (of the text quotes... despite the obviously masterful photoshopping which I also love lol)

[TheLunarnaut]

Thank you for the videos you make Zoe, and in illuminating Anarchism for everyone who listens to your videos. I would like to think your videos helped me to become a better person. Thanks again. <3

[zebj]

Hi Zoe, comment for the algorithm. You are one of the few people where as soon as I see a new video I want to watch it. They're always interesting and informative, and your presentation is just perfect, thank you 👍👍🏴

[richardbuckharris]

Poor human nature, what horrible crimes have been committed in thy name! Emma Goldman

[IXSigmaXI]

Fighting evil by moonlight
Winning love by daylight
Never running from a real fight

[joaquind]

I remember finding something very interesting in John Dewey’s book on human nature, that the imposition of morals are to suppress human nature. And well we all know who controls the normative understanding of morals in our countries

[Aconitum_napellus]

It's generally wise to steer clear of making arguments about human nature, but given how long humans lived in egalitarian and stateless societies, it's tempting to hypothesise about what may in fact be 'natural' for humans.

[BaronVonSTFU]

I work for a certain vastly and disgustingly large retail company. So on a daily basis my opinion of humans is battered . However the "utopian" goals of anarchism appeals to me all the same. I mean, even if it isn't doable we should still strive for a world of freedom and cooperation amongst the whole world. Why else are we doing this all for otherwise? People generally have been programmed to settle for less. So much so that they laugh or get frustrated with people who yearn for more. I tell ya, that Plato may have been onto something with that cave story

[crazysquirrel]

Anarchy does not mean no government, no laws.
Anarchists are SELF GOVERNING and do have to obey fundamental laws.
Anarchy is a system of cooperation, self reliance, voluntary charity.

[stacehansen]

Thank you for your continued work in helping people learn more about anarchy. Your work helps bring understanding.

[aygtets]

Wonderful video, thank you! I love the shitpost pictures along with the very thoughtful commentary. Perfection. Also, I love the Bakunin quote from State and Society (I think) at the end. It really hits the nail on the head.



Do you want to prevent men from ever oppressing other men?

Arrange matters such that they never have the opportunity.

Do you want them to respect the liberty, rights and human character of their fellow men?


Arrange matters such that they are compelled to respect them —
compelled not by the will or oppression of other men,
nor by the repression of the State and legislation,
which are necessarily represented and implemented by men
and would make them slaves in their turn,
but by the actual organization of the social environment,
so constituted that while leaving each man to enjoy the utmost possible liberty
it gives no one the power to set himself above others or to dominate them-