asystems anarchism: a youthful play re-worked

When I was about twenty-two years old, and freshly sprung from a teenaged grove of science fiction by way of Hofstadter ‘s Godel Escher Bach, and 80s post-Punk anarchism, and chaos and complexity theory had yet to make its mark… —I would say I was an “asystems anarchist”. Or, what we need is ‘asystem”.

So now at 60 I will define “asystems anarchism”.

As far as I got back then was to say, no system can be complete, so a system cannot be relied on, so we need asystem. Like we were agnostic on the matter. Or sceptical.

Asystems anarchism still refers to all that within the following frame: Any system can work if we police narcissists.

I’ve also said that frame before more recently, but not connected it up with that youthful play on systems analyst. But it might be helpful in a new “aixial age”.

We do not need a perfect world, either by waiting for the revolution or great leap forwards, nor any eschatological romanticism at all. There’s no need to delay, nor even reform, if only we just police narcissists a little more actively. Waiting for the messiah is lazy.

PS: This 80s period is before any pomo influence (on me), and before chaos and complexity theory as I said. Also I am annoyed that “meta” is now commonplace and abused by corporate types. Bastards.

Substack.com crosspost.