Thanks for a calmly reasoned, much- needed response to the admittedly mostly male-driven “WHY DON’T WE JUST CHECK OUT OF POLITICS AND HAVE US SOME ANARCHY?” proposition offered…While I do remember being 20-something, and I do own a V-mask, gotta say that people who think they want anarchy instead of voting or investing a few hours a year in thoughtful participation should consider trying what I did: living in a developing country. Much as I dig the V is for Vendetta film, I’m always shocked at the numbers of people who dive into Magick and imagine they are able to erase all context and all consequences and stop building life in the walking-around world.

Despite the many injustices and horrors of late-stage capitalism in the US, do take a chance and try living in a developing nation. Though incredibly cheap internetz is a reality in some developing countries, and though wonderful neighbors do actually talk to neighbors instead of investing all their $$$, attention and chi-vril in a virtual life bound by texting and gaming, try any of the following, like I have in a state where there is true anarchy unbounded by flash mobbing or street theatre theorizing about anarchy. Take an extended, non-touristy trip and try, say, finding or ordering via mail your new contact lens Rx, or finding authentic, non-adulterated asthma Rx, try going shopping alone if you’re a woman, or getting an honest exchange rate for your USD$, try depending on reliable mail delivery, or going out for a late night sushi or burger or a 6 pack in places where lots of authentic and frequent –if occasional– anarchy reigns. Getting your pocket picked is on the subway in American metro centre X, or paying a huge freight on a parking ticket is waaay different than living in a city where you have no citizenship rights, no reliable phone number or admission to a free advocate for tracking the criminal justice system, no immunity from constant threat of kidnapping “just because” and no recourse to protesting against local, regional, or national government excesses in person or online. Or, take the ultimate wanna-be anarchist adventure: try a developing nation’s jail. I have.

I don’t want to be like sheep; they get sheared and turned into lamb chops, or mutton.

I will vote tomorrow, I haven’t missed a presidential election or midterm since I cast my first vote in the Carter/Reagan election. But I’m not highly, or moderately enthusiastic about doing so. In my state, a House democrat will be reelected in my district and a republican will be reelected to Senate. I care for neither one. I wasn’t enamored with the Bush administration and the Obama administration hasn’t lived up to it’s promise. I think there’s more than a few voters who aren’t happy with the way things are going or expect much whether one party wins or the other. We’re thinking we’ll probably get the shears either way.

Are there only ever two choices; the sheep/Sheperd vs anarchy, the “good” aristocrat vs the “bad” aristocrat, or between two bad options? Politicians often want us to believe that so they can “nudge” us toward the direction they desire. But, if we can come up with one, a third option might provide a better solution.

I don’t think it was the goal of our country’s founders to view the citizenry as sheep and elected officials as shepherds. This government was created to rid people of an aristocracy. Yet, your sheep/Shepherd analogy does seem to accurately reflect the desires of many citizens and politicians today. That won’t work out well in the long run.

I always find it interesting how inactive magicians can be when it comes to politics. We get so caught up in our minds that we work ourselves into a knot when it comes to something as simple as voting.

But you know me, I am all for magicians actively working for change.

Dead indited subject matter, appreciate it for entropy.

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