Starbucks and Porcupines: The Stupid Wrongness of Stefan Molyneux

Two guys are my biggest influences as an anarchist. Murray Rothbard and Stefan Molyneux. You might remember, dear reader, that I have a bit of beef with Rothbard, and now I have some with Stef. First of all, thank GAWD. These days many seem to hang on to philosophers like a religionist without a god. I for one am stoked at the opportunity to drop a turd on one of my heroes.

In a recent podcast Stef makes a couple sad assertions. The first is that the participants of the black bloc are not real anarchists. The second is that we should feel sorry for Starbucks when their windows get broken; this being implied by his "poor Starbucks" comment.

Let the turding begin!

As to whether or not the people in the streets are the real deal holyfield resistors, peep this.

Obviously, the notion that those burning cop cars couldn't be anarchists because true anarchists would never destroy property is silly. First, the police institution has no valid property rights as an organization. It is an organization based on theft and corruption (and other assorted uglies), therefore action taken against it is retaliatory and often admirable. It is not an initiation of force. And what if the people setting fire to the cars were undercover cops? GOOD. Finally, my fucking taxes go to something ACTUALLY worthwhile. I'd cast a fucking VOTE for that shit. Fuck ideology, taxes for burning cop cars? Sheeeeeeeee-iiiiiiiiiiit.

Stef claims that the real anarchists were to be found at PorcFest, a freedom festival in New Hampshire. From what I've heard, it was peaceful, people's goods laid out in a true, free market fashion, and absolute freedom celebrated. I wish I could have gone. PorcFest is basically an anarchist community realized. It sounds fun as shit.

HOWEVER.

While I agree that PorcFest is a beautiful expression of anarchism as a socio-political theory, SO is the fucking black bloc. The cops fight it and the media spins it because the bloc THREATENS them. And really, think about how fucking restrained those comrades are out there in the streets. They break windows of big businesses and burn cop cars. Oh SHIT, not THAT! The strength in numbers, the decentralized force, combined with what is overall an enlightened group of people filled with some righteous fucking fury, and showing the kind of force they are to be reckoned with merely by donning masks and breaking windows, is fucking amazing and beautiful. They are not beating people in the streets, shooting people, shackling people, abusing people. The police are.

The bloc scares those who know nothing but centralized, monopolized, coercive force.

Fucking STARBUCKS. I can't believe you said poor, fucking STARBUCKS. I really held my breath, waiting for the punchline, but sadly, none followed. Sigh.

For one, Starbucks is not a product of a free market. It is a giant corporation with lots of political connections, that may have started as a small business, but is no longer a business; it is a corporation. It capitalizes hugely on fiat currency. Yes, I know there are studies suggesting that they "help" mom and pop cafes, and blah blah blah. I worked at a Starbucks, it sucks fucking balls. BALLS.

Not to mention that Starbucks is notorious for giving free coffee to cops. Ya know, the people who enforce the laws that we market anarchists apparently hate so much?

THEY ARE NOT OUR FUCKING FRIENDS.

Ya see, I used take the same position. That I, this highly enlightened market anarchist, had puzzled out what the true essence of anarchism was, and could therefore smirk and decry the direct action of others as not truly anarchist.

Then I met some social anarchists. Shared meals with them. Worked with them. And what I found is they are some of the most passionate, freedom loving people you will ever meet. Yeah, we fucking disagree on some shit, debate it hotly, whatever, but they are the real fucking deal. These are people risking their lives in the streets to fight for freedom. It's galvanizing, it's really risky, and yes, we can offer criticisms, but to condemn and write-off off these freedom fighters as false is some serious fucking bullshit. It is spreading the lies of our mutual enemy the state.

Neither Stefan or I will be participating in the bloc anytime soon, I know, but I can say that they are my comrades, my brothers and sisters, and perhaps Stefan would do well to consider them the same.

They fight for you and your family.