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I grew up in the mid-90s punk and hardcore and scene. As an angsty teen, I was really drawn to the anti-authority "tear down the establishment" aspects of anarchy, which was a pretty common thread in the scene. (I promise, this is about the web. Stick with me for a moment.) A lot of folks (including me at that time) think of anarchy as "without rules." And that's a pretty common usage of the term. But as a political concept, anarchy is actually "without rulers." It's a subtle but important distinction! What I implicitly understood but didn't overtly appreciate at the time was how much the punk and hardcore scene is about solidarity and care. You may go hard in the pit, but the second someone gets hurt, everyone stops and steps back to help them up. Anti-Nazi and anti-fascist gear was a mainstay at every concert. Fundraisers were ever-present as well. Protests. Mutual aid. Freely sharing whatever you had with whoever needed it. The early web felt a lot like that, too. I sometimes forget what the web felt like 30 years ago. It's evolved so much. It's become so… corporate. The early web, though? It was anarchist AF. There were no ads. No sponsors. It was just random people freely sharing shit they found interesting, connecting with other folks, and making friends. And you see glimpses of it today, too. Food Not Bombs has a whole guide on how to start your own chapter. You don't need permission. You don't need approval. Just take what you need and go. Little Free Pantry follows the same model. They have tutorials, build blue prints, and getting started resources. You don't need permission. Just go start your pantry! Little Free Library started that way, but now has more of a nonprofit/capitalist vibe to it. They sell library boxes, signage, and ask you to register. But lots of folks just go anarchist and spin on up without any of that. Same for the Buy Nothing Project. They want you to register and use their official app. But lots of folks just start a local group on whatever social platform is popular in their area. All of this gives me hope, frankly. The world is kind of shit right now. And the web is kind of shit right now, too. But every now and then, a rose grows in the concrete. Like this? A Go Make Things membership is the best way to support my work and help me create more free content. Cheers, Want to share this with others or read it later? View it in a browser. |
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